Kluver/Lierz and Wilhelm/Woodhead Qualify for U.S. Amateur Four-Ball
LINCOLN (October 5, 2020) – It was a difficult day for scoring, but two sides battled it out to advance to the 2021 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball after qualifying at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln today.
Norfolk's Luke Kluver and his Kansas University teammate Hank Lierz of St. Joseph, Missouri earned medalist honors with a round of 68 (-3). Lierz hit his approach shot to about three feet on No. 18, and rolled in the birdie to secure the spot. Kluver, the 2020 Nebraska Match Play Champion, and Lierz will play in the 2021 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, May 22-26.
Three sides tied at 69 (-2) for the second qualifying spot, and a playoff ensued at No. 16. Elkhorn's Danny Woodhead and Omaha's Michael Wilhelm captured the spot on the first playoff hole. Wilhelm made the only birdie of the six players, securing the spot for his team. Woodhead, a former NFL running back for the Jets, Patriots and Chargers, and Wilhelm will join Kluver and Lierz at Chambers Bay.
Andrew Sajevic of Omaha and John Sajevic of Fremont won the battle for first alternate on the second playoff hole. The Sajevics qualified for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball this year, but the championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also played in the 2019 Championship in the Pacific Northwest at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, and made it to the Round of 32.
Husker golfers Jack Lundin of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Gentry Scheve of Emporia, Kansas also shot 69 (-2). Lundin and Scheve made par on the first playoff hole with the Sajevics, but bogeyed the second playoff hole to fall to second alternate.
Full results and more are available on the NGA website at the button below.
About the NGA
The Nebraska Golf Association, founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by the NGA. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
About the USGA
The USGA celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf's premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment and amateur status rules. Our operating jurisdiction for these governance functions is the United States, its territories and Mexico. The USGA Handicap System is utilized in more than 40 countries and our Course Rating System covers 95 percent of the world's golf courses, enabling all golfers to play on an equitable basis. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association's Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world's most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.
