Nebraska Nines: Riverside

Last summer, a few trips around the state in our Nebraska Nines series highlighted the golf boom in the mid-1960s. Most notably, we made trips to Columbus Elks and Lochland in Hastings. 

One we didn’t get to — right in our back yard — is the wonderfully presented Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island. The club does nearly everything right. A family oriented place with a great junior golf program and one that has been never ending in its support of the Nebraska Golf Association, Nebraska PGA and, as well, the Nebraska School Activities Association in hosting championships.

A brief history lesson can lead one to understand why Riverside has been so important to Nebraska golf. While the club dates to an original 9-hole course in 1919 it took off with the opening of an 18-hole course with 10 new holes in 1965.

Spurred by Islander Del Ryder, who would be on the first board of the Nebraska Golf Association when it was formed in November 1966, Riverside’s new layout was one of the top in the state. Ryder became the fourth president of the association and, later, grew Nebraska amateur and junior golf as the executive director of the association from 1973-1988.

When the current routing debuted (architect unknown, but we have a hunch) the front nine included the original 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th holes as the opening four. The course then moved to “new land” for 10 of the next 11 holes; the lone original is the par-3 10th hole (No. 3 on the 9-hole layout).

The thing is, you wouldn’t even know the 1965 holes were the new ones. They are so well done, with multiple standouts including the 13th and 14th. When you zip back to the 1919 layout on the 16th you don’t really even notice. It really doesn’t get much better than that.

On Monday, Riverside will jointly host the Nebraska Junior Match Play and Girls Match Play simultaneously. It will be the 17th and 18th Nebraska championships hosted at the course. The members are also in the middle of a contract hosting the Class A girls state championship each fall for the NSAA.

In addition, the club hosts the Central Nebraska Junior and the “Tournament of Champions” now the Allen Capital Group Championship, one of the top amateur tournaments in the state.

A true commitment to growing the game.

🏆 Sajevic Makes History

Andy Sajevic of Elkhorn claimed his fifth Nebraska Amateur Championship title with a final score of 280 (-8) at Indian Creek at the 117th championship. Sajevic played the par 5’s 11-under for the week in becoming just the fourth player in history to win the event at least five times, and the first in over 60 years to do so. He joins legends like Bob Astleford (8 titles), Sam Reynolds (7), and Rod Bliss Jr. (6).

In a tournament wrecked by weather delays, Sajevic was the only player in the field to break par in each of the four rounds over the Black Bird to Grayhawk routing which will be used for next month’s Pinnacle Bank Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. A five-birdie back nine gave boosted Gretna’s Nolan Johnson to second place (4-under, 284) with Oklahoma commit Coltrane Mittag of Ashland in third for low junior honors.

The win has Sajevic exempt into the 125th US Amateur Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco which begins on August 11th.

Full Recap

🏆 A Steady Christensen Comeback

The early leader for round of the year on the NGA calendar had to be the final round 74 that Randy Christiansen pulled off to win the 27th Nebraska Senior Am at Landmand Golf Club on June 20. the largest final-round comeback in tournament history.

On a day when just two players (!!) broke 80 (!!), Christiansen started the final round nine strokes behind the leader Jayson Brueggeman. He birdied three of the first four holes on the closing nine and ended with a birdie on 18 for 74 to edge Ed Wyatt by two shots.

Full Recap

⛳ A Bit More Golf

• The Nebraska amateurs to a 38.5-33.5 win over the Nebraska Section PGA members in the Nebraska Cup Matches at Lost Rail (need to see that place) on June 17th. Scoring

• Drake standout Jake Weissenburger was the lead qualifier at the US Amateur local qualifying at Beatrice Country Club on Monday. Eight players advanced with a play at 3-under 69. Scoring

• Trevor’s Travels. Omaha Westside grad and Florida golf commit Trevor Gutschewski continued a whirlwind summer of golf by winning the Western Junior at Harvester Golf Club in Iowa and followed that up with a quarterfinal trip to the North-South Amateur at Pinehurst where he lost to eventual champion Tyler Watts. He defeated Watts in the finals of the US Junior last summer.

⭐ Seeing Stars

June is usually big month for all-star games, so many that you can’t really keep up. We couldn’t anyway. July, however, slows down and the end of the month brings us the big ones from the Nebraska Coaches Association. Softball on July 21, volleyball on July 22 and the basketball capper on July 23.

Softball rosters | Volleyball rosters | Girls Basketball rosters | Boys Basketball rosters

😇 Coach and Me

Four years ago tomorrow (July 6) we lost coach. He lived a fantastic life and taught us (and his students and players) so much. Tell everyone close to you that you love them. Tell cancer it stinks. And, if you have a little extra time this weekend here are a few of our favorite “Coach and Me” stories from the 2021-22 school year.

Caleb's Lessons. Caleb Benning, dad Damon, Omaha Westside football and a special coach watching. Full story.

Maisie's Motivator. Maisie Boesiger’s dream started long ago. With her mom and best friends in the Norris Titan gym. Full story.

The Wells Boys. Broken Bow’s Carlie Wells made many great men in Elgin and Grant and, now, Broken Bow. Including his own sons — Cy, Connor, Cal and Cobe. Full story.

Britt’s Booster. Before she was a star at Nebraska, Britt Prince was a star at Elkhorn North. Sharing a gym and a bench with her biggest fan — coach and mom — Ann. Full story.