Elder Sajevic In Running at Nebraska Amateur

There were several red numbers during the first round of the the 113^th Nebraska Amateur Championship, but Omaha’s Miles Russell went lower than anyone to take the lead at Lochland Country Club in Hastings on Tuesday.
Russell put together the round of the day, a 67 (-5), to vault himself into the lead ahead of a talented leaderboard. The former Omaha Maverick played the par-5s in 5-under, birdieing all five. He added a birdie on No. 14, and his only blemish was a bogey on the par-3 eighth.
The group one-stroke behind Russell includes some decorated players, including the 1989 Champion, John Sajevic of Fremont, and the 2021 Nebraska Match Play Champion, Nate Vontz of Lincoln.
Sajevic, Vontz and Fordyce’s Matthew Schaefer each posted rounds of 68 (-4). It’s a return to the place he won his 1989 title for Sajevic, who turned 65 in May. He’s the oldest player in the field by 10 years, and is tied for the lead 32 years after winning his lone Nebraska Amateur title.
Vontz, who put on an incredible performance last month to win the Nebraska Match Play Championship, is looking to become the seventh player to sweep the NGA’s majors in one summer. He would also be the third player complete the feat at Lochland, joining Sajevic in 1989 and Lincoln’s Steve Friesen in 1998.
Sajevic had just one blemish on his scorecard too, as he made five birdies and one bogey. He played the par-5s in 2-under. Vontz caught fire right away, picking up where he left off a month ago at Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg. Starting on the back nine, he made the turn in 32 (-4), but stumbled a bit on the front. He followed back-to-back bogeys with an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole, then closed with two birdies in his last three holes to make up for two more bogeys.
Omaha’s Andy Sajevic, the defending champion, tied for 17th at 72 (E). The only other past champion in the field, Ryan Nietfeldt of Elkhorn, is tied for 32nd at 74 (+2).
The second round begins Wednesday at 8 a.m., after which the field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties for Thursday and Friday’s rounds.
(Photo Courtesy of Fremont Tribune)