Malleck, Quandt Lead Qualifying at Nebraska Match Play
Round One of Stroke Play Qualifying Conducted Monday at Riverside Golf Club
GRAND ISLAND (June 20, 2022) – York's Reed Malleck and Omaha's Matthew Quandt lead the way after a hot and windy first round of Stroke Play Qualifying at the 55th Nebraska Match Play Championship at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island on Monday.
Temperatures nearly reached triple digits and winds were consistently 20+ mph, with stronger gusts, making for difficult scoring conditions. Malleck and Quandt battled through the tough conditions in the morning though, each posting a round of 69 (-3) to take the lead in the race for the No. 1 seed.
Malleck, the 2020 Nebraska Junior Match Play Champion and current Husker golfer, was the first one in at 3-under. He opened his round with eight straight pars, starting on N0. 10, then made three-straight birdies to get into red figures. His only blemish came on No. 5, where he made bogey, but he followed it up with a birdie on the par-5 eighth to get back to 3-under.
Quandt made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 to make the turn in 33 (-2), then brought it home with two more birdies on the front nine to shoot 36 (-1) and match Malleck's low round.
Two NGA champions finished one stroke back with rounds of 70 (-2), including Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt. The Grand Island native worked at Riverside Golf Club growing up and won the 2003 Nebraska Match Play title at the club. He played in the afternoon wave, where only two players broke par, as the wind and heat ramped up.
Bennington's Johnny Spellerberg was the first in at 70 (-2), playing in the morning. The reigning Nebraska Mid-Amateur Champion had a wild round that included 4 birdies, an eagle and four bogeys.
Only three other players broke par on the day, including two NGA champions and another rising star. The 2021 Nebraska Amateur Champion, David Easley of Lincoln, and the 2004 Nebraska Match Play Champion, Travis Minzel of Lincoln, both finished in red numbers along with Elkhorn's Danny Woodhead. Minzel and Woodhead, who was a semifinalist at this championship last year, both shot 71 (-1) in the morning. Easley also had a wild ride, carding seven birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys to shoot the second-lowest round of the afternoon.
The only other past champion in the field is the 2019 Champion, Caleb Badura of Aurora. He is currently tied for 14th after a 73 (+1) at his home club. After one round, there are 40 players at 76 (+4) or better. The field will be cut to 32 players after Tuesday's second round for the match play bracket.
The scoring page is available on the championship website below, along with second round pairings and additional information.
Nebraska Match Play Championship
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.
