Guthmiller opens with 65 for early Nebraska Amateur lead
Jace Guthmiller
Scores were low in Monday’s opening round of the Nebraska Amateur at the Country Club of Lincoln (Neb.) and the highlight reel was long. Jace Guthmiller would appear there several times after an opening 7-under 65 for the outright lead. His day included an opening birdie, two closing birdies and three more – plus an eagle – in between.
“I hit a lot of drivers today, and that was kind of the gameplan going into today,” Guthmiller said.
Length helped him out on a short layout, but so did taking his medicine on the tight holes. He didn’t do anything risky on those. In addition, his putter performed.
The plan won’t change in the second round, even though Guthmiller, who recently wrapped up his eligibility at the University of Nebraska, has a two-shot lead. Last summer, Guthmiller won the South Dakota Amateur.
“I like this course a lot because it’s a lot like what I grew up on back home in South Dakota, kind of a tree-lined course, holes go back and forth,” he said. “Some holes I kind of like to hit in the opposite fairway and take a different angle in.”
Behind Guthmiller, Fernando Arzate went 5 under – which included an eagle on No. 2 – to fall into second place. Luke Kluver and Caleb Badura, who won the Nebraska Match Play title earlier this year, are tied for third at 4 under.
Alex Schaake, the University of Iowa player who has won this tournament the past three years, opened with 2-under 70 and is tied for eighth.
ABOUT THE Nebraska Amateur
Must be a resident of the state of Nebraska or a
non-
resident student that attends college in Nebraska.
Open to NGA members only. Format is 72-holes of
stroke play with the low 60 players and ties playing
the
final 36-holes.
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