Ruge, Karmazin Surge into Lead, Gutschewski Stays on Top
Second Round Conducted Thursday at Beatrice Country Club
BEATRICE (July 7, 2022) - Omaha's Katie Ruge and Julia Karmazin surged into the lead at the 22nd Nebraska Girls' Amateur Championship, while Elkhorn's Trevor Gutschewski maintained his lead at the 55th Nebraska Junior Amateur Championship, after Thursday's second round at Beatrice Country Club.
Karmazin posted the first under-par round on the girls' side, leaping past her older sister, Emily, who held the first round lead. Ruge was just a stroke higher during the round, and the two are tied for the lead with 18 holes to play at 150 (+6).
Julia Karmazin put together a great round of 71 (-1), while Ruge posted a 72 (E), and the two are three strokes clear of the next player. It was a steady first nine for the younger Karmazin, as she played the back nine in 36 (E), and after a bogey on No. 1, she caught fire. Three-straight birdies on Nos. 2-4 put her in red figures and solidly in the lead. A bogey on No. 7 was her only blemish after that, and she finished under-par for the day.
Ruge had an up-and-down first nine holes, making up for two double-bogeys with three-straight birdies as well, on Nos. 15-17. After a couple bogeys to start her second nine, Ruge birdied No. 3 and then finished with back-to-back birdies to erase the deficit and tie Karmazin going into the final round.
On the boys' side, Gutschewski continued his quality play, following his first round 70 (-2) with a second round 72 (E), to keep his lead with a 142 (-2) total. Gutschewski started his round hot once again, birdieing the first two holes to move to 4-under. He started 2-under through his first three holes during the first round.
Gutschewski had three consecutive bogeys after that, but two more birdies on Nos. 9 and 15 moved him back into red figures. A bogey on No. 16 dropped him back a stroke, but his even-par round was tied for the lowest during the morning wave, and gives him a one-stroke lead going into the final round.
Right behind the leader is Omaha's Connor Steichen, the defending champion. He put together another steady round, a 71 (-1), and is just one back at 143 (-1). After an even-par 72 on Wednesday, Steichen stayed right around par again throughout the day, while a few others were catching fire. In the end, it was Steichen who stayed nearest the leader, with three birdies on his second nine, including a closing birdie on the par-5 ninth hole to move into solo-second.
The closest competitor to the leaders on the girls' side is North Platte's Karsen Morrison. She was briefly around the lead as well, before falling three strokes behind. Morrison posted a 76 (+4) and is in third at 153 (+9). She'll join the leaders in the final group.
Scottsbluff's Emily Krzyzanowski moved up the leaderboard with a 75 (+3), and she sits in fourth at 157 (+13). Emily Karmazin, the first round leader, fell down into a tie for fifth with Omaha's Izabella Pesicka at 159 (+15). Karmazin carded a round of 84 (+12), while Pesicka shot 79 (+7).
The first 36-hole cut in Nebraska Girls' Amateur history was made, with 15 players at 168 (+24) or better advancing to play Friday's final round.
In total, six boys broke par during the second round. Brock Kuhlman of Columbus, Brayden Schram of Hastings and Trey Baehr of Beatrice recorded the lowest rounds of the day, all shooting 70 (-2). Ethan Smith of Doniphan also posted red figures, shooting a 71 (-1) to move into third place, and the final group with Gutschewski and Steichen, at 144 (E).
Kuhlman was 4-under and just one back of the lead heading to the 18th hole, but a double-bogey leaves him three strokes back in a tie for fourth at 145 (+1) with Omaha's Kolby Brown. Zac McCormack and Will Mullin of Omaha are tied for sixth at 146 (+2), with Mullin notching one of the under-par rounds, a 71 (-1).
Schram also had it rolling, and was 3-under until a closing birdie. He's tied for eighth at 147 (+3) with Omaha's Jacob Goertz. Andrew Niemann of Omaha rounds out the Top 10 at 148 (+4).
The boys' cut was also made and 37 players advanced at 157 (+13) or better. The final round begins at 8 a.m. for the boys, with the leaders set to tee-off at 10 a.m. The girls' begin play at 8:50 a.m., with the leaders scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m.
Groupings and starting times for the final round are available under the Pairings tab of the championship websites below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Girls' Amateur Championship
Nebraska Junior Amateur 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.
