Team Nebraska Announced for Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup Matches
Matches to be Conducted August 10-12 at Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg
OMAHA (August 6, 2021) – Eight juniors have earned their way to represent Nebraska at the 36th Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup Matches at Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg, August 10-12.
The event annually pits the best juniors from each state in Four-Ball, Foursome and Singles matches. Last year, Kansas reclaimed the Cup, after Nebraska held it the previous two years. Kansas won 10.5-5.5, and now leads the all-time series 20-15.
Captain Craig Badura’s team is filled with young talent and a couple of experienced veterans.
The first of those is Elkhorn’s Luke Gutschewski. Gutschewski is a two-time NGA Champion, including the 2019 Nebraska Junior Match Play and the 2020 Nebraska Junior Amateur. In late July, Gutschewski earned Low Juniors at the 113th Nebraska Amateur for the second-straight year. He also qualified and played in the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship the week prior. It will be Gutschewski's third time representing Nebraska.
Christopher Atkinson of Omaha is the only other player returning with experience. Atkinson made the team last year and earned a half point for Nebraska. He's the reigning Nebraska Junior Match Play Champion after winning in June at Heritage Hills Golf Course in McCook. Atkinson finished tied for fourth this week at the 54th Nebraska Junior Amateur Championship, and is No. 1 in the NGA Junior Point Standings.
The other six players are all first-time members of Team Nebraska. Omaha's Connor Steichen will make his first appearance at the age of 15. He is coming off a three-stroke victory at the Nebraska Junior Amateur at Fremont Golf Club this week. Steichen also finished runner-up to Atkinson at the Nebraska Junior Match Play.
Omaha's Jake Boor and Grand Island's Marcus Holling are also first-timers, both finishing runner-up to Steichen this week at the Nebraska Junior Amateur. Brayden Schram of Hastings, Cole Feddersen of Kearney and Rex Soulliere of Omaha round out the team.
The Junior Cup matches kickoff this year with a practice round on August 10, followed by Four-Ball and Foursomes matches on August 11, and finishing with Singles matches on August 12.
2021 Team Nebraska
Christopher Atkinson, Omaha
Jake Boor, Omaha
Cole Feddersen, Kearney
Luke Gutschewski, Elkhorn
Marcus Holling, Grand Island
Brayden Schram, Hastings
Rex Soulliere, Omaha
Connor Steichen, Omaha
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.
