Team Nebraska Announced for 37th Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup Matches
Matches to be Conducted August 2-4 at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wichita
OMAHA (August 1, 2022) – Eight juniors have earned their way to represent Nebraska at the 37th Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup Matches at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wichita, Kansas, August 2-4.
The event annually pits the best juniors from each state in Four-Ball, Foursome and Singles matches. Last year, the matches ended in an 8-8 tie for the third time in six years. Kansas retained the cup due to their win the previous year, and now leads the all-time series 21-15.
Captain Jake Hirz is leading the team for the first time, and has a squad full of young talent.
Only one player on the team has played in the Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup before, and that's Brayden Schram of Hastings. He competed in last year's matches for the first time. Schram made the Round of 16 at the Nebraska Junior Match Play and tied for seventh at the Nebraska Junior Amateur.
Seven newcomers join the team, which is one of the younger squads Nebraska has had. The average age is 16.5, and three players are 15-or-younger. One of those players is Lincoln's Thomas Bryson, No. 1 in the NGA Junior Point Standings. He's coming off a great performance at the 114th Nebraska Amateur, where he earned low junior honors, and also recorded the round of the championship, a 66 (-5). He's had a tremendous year, also finishing runner-up at the Nebraska Junior Match Play, tied for fifth at the Nebraska Junior Amateur and winning the NSAA Class A Boys Championship as a freshman.
Omaha's Jackson Benge also headlines the team, as No. 2 in the standings. The rising junior at Omaha Westside won the Nebraska Junior Match Play, finished tied for 10th at the Nebraska Junior Amateur and was medalist at U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying by an incredible eight strokes with a 64 (-8).
The 2022 Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion, Trevor Gutschewski of Elkhorn, makes his first appearance as well. He had a great month of July, following up his win with a Top 20 finish at the Nebraska Amateur.
Omaha's Kolby Brown finished runner-up to Gutschewski at the Nebraska Junior Amateur, and also qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur along with his high school teammate, Benge. Brock Kuhlman of Columbus finished tied for third at the Nebraska Junior Amateur and made the Round of 16 at the Nebraska Junior Match Play.
Will Mullin of Omaha performed well in the NGA's junior championships to earn a spot as well, finishing tied for fifth at the Nebraska Junior Amateur and making the Quarterfinals at the Nebraska Junior Match Play. He also won the NSAA Class B Championship.
The youngest team member is Ashland's Coltrane Mittag, at just 14-years-old. He has several impressive finishes, including a Quarterfinals appearance at the Nebraska Junior Match Play and a T-3 at the Indian Creek Invitational against a talented field of amateurs.
The Junior Cup matches kickoff this year with a practice round on August 2, followed by Four-Ball and Foursomes matches on August 3, and finishing with Singles matches on August 4.
2022 Team Nebraska
Jackson Benge, Omaha
Kolby Brown, Omaha
Thomas Bryson, Lincoln
Trevor Gutschewski, Elkhorn
Brock Kuhlman, Columbus
Coltrane Mittag, Ashland
Will Mullin, Omaha
Brayden Schram, Hastings
Additional information is available at the Junior Cup website 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.
