Pros Take Back Nebraska Cup
51st Nebraska Cup Matches conducted Thursday at Fremont Golf Club
OMAHA (July 6, 2023) – The Cup changed hands for the eighth-straight year, as the Nebraska PGA Section Pros defeated the Nebraska Golf Association Amateurs at the 51st Nebraska Cup Matches at Fremont Golf Club on Thursday.
The event annually pits the state’s best amateur golfers versus the state’s top professionals in both Four-Ball and Singles matches. The NebGolf Amateurs won the 50th edition of the matches last year, but the Pros took back the Cup this year, winning the 2023 matches, 41.5-30.5. The Pros now lead the series 29-22.
The Pros jumped out to a 23-13 lead after the Four-Ball Session, sweeping three of the Nassau-scored matches, and getting five of a possible six points in another match. The only match wins for the Amateur team, came with the help of a couple of hometown players. Fremont's John Sajevic and Omaha's Charlie Burt won all six points in their match, while John's son Andy Sajevic of Omaha, who grew up on Fremont Golf Club, also swept his match with Lincoln's David Easley.
The Amateurs initially made a charge in the afternoon Singles matches, but the deficit was too large, and the Pros clinched the Cup with several matches still out. The Amateurs actually won seven of the 12 Singles matches, but the Pros swept another four matches and won a fifth with 2.5 points, to win the session, 18.5-17.5.
John Sajevic won his Singles match as well, and was the only Senior on the Amateur side to do so, securing 2.5 points over Jon Petersen of Tiburon Golf Club. Andy did the same as well, earning 2.5 points in his match against Brady Schnell of Firethorn Golf Club. The Sajevics led the Amateur team by each garnering 8.5 points.
Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt was the only Amateur to sweep a Singles match, taking down Husker men's golf coach Judd Cornell. Bennington's Johnny Spellerberg, Elkhorn's Luke Gutschewski, Omaha's Charlie Zielinski and Elkhorn's Danny Woodhead all won their Singles matches for the Amateurs as well.
Zielinski had the shot of the day during the Four-Ball session. He holed out his second shot on the par-5 eighth hole for an albatross.
Jim White of The Fairways at Lincoln owns the record for most times playing in the Nebraska Cup, and led the way for the Pros by winning all nine possible points in his matches. He was matched by Steve Friesen of Firethorn Golf Club, who swept both of his matches as well.
Additional information, including full results, is available at the Nebraska Cup website at the button below.
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), 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 NebGolf. 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.
