Brown tops Schaake for Nebraska Match Play title

By Jack Persons LINCOLN, Neb. (June 27, 2014) -- Bryce Brown of Kansas defeated Carson Schaake of Iowa State in the finals of the Nebraska Match Play Championship on Friday. Brown won the 36-hole final by a margin of 2&1 at the Country Club of Lincoln. Schaake got out to an early lead in the morning, going 5-up on Brown through 16 holes, but Brown had time to chip away at the lead and did exactly that. After winning the 18th hole with a birdie to head to the second 18 with a 4-down deficit, Brown won three of the next four holes, making birdie on the 19th and 22nd holes. Like that, Schaake’s lead was cut to 2-up. The players tied the 23rd and 24th holes, but Brown drained another birdie on the 25th to make the match 1-up. Both competitors birdied the 26th to halve the hole, and Schaake made another birdie on the 27th to get back to 2-up. Brown came roaring back on the 28th with a birdie to beat Schaake’s bogey, but Schaake answered on the 30th by winning with par. Heading into the 32nd hole, Schaake still had a 2-up lead. Tie the rest of the holes, and the Hawkeye takes the championship. It was not to be, however. Brown went 2-under on the next four holes, winning every one of them to stun Schaake and take the Nebraska Match Play title, 2&1. In the final 17 holes, Brown managed to card nine birdies. To see the full scorecard, click the link below.