NEBRASKA PGA NEWS
June 2026
THE TEAM
OFFICERS/BOARD
President Mike Schuchart, PGA
Vice President Phil Palmer, PGA
Secretary— Bobby O’Keefe, PGA
Honorary President—Dawn Neujahr, PGA
Board Member Tony Baranowski, PGA
Board Member Joe Wiegand, PGA
DISTRICT 8 DIRECTOR
Aaron Krueger, PGA
NEBRASKA PGA STAFF
Executive Director/CEO David Honnens, PGA
Assist. Executive Director Seth Scollard, PGA
Managing Director—Renee Tyson
Tournament Director—Derek Carlson, PGA
Junior Golf Director Kurt Karcher, PGA
Digital Media Director Brett Renner
Director of Foundation Programs—Amber Bogle
Administrative Assistant—Tiffany White
Development Officer Bob Danenhauer
Community Relations Coord. Margie Smith
ON THE TEE
MEMBER MATTERS
The Nebraska Section PGA has announced Greg Gilg, PGA the recipient of the Wilson Sporting Goods Monthly Game Ball for the month of June
The Nebraska PGA Section is proud to recognize Greg Gilg, PGA, General Manager of Field Club of Omaha, as the June recipient of the Wilson Sporting Goods Game Ball Award.
The Wilson Sporting Goods Game Ball Award recognizes Nebraska PGA Professionals who make a meaningful impact on their facility, their community, and the game of golf through exceptional leadership, service, and dedication to the profession.
Gilg’s influence extends well beyond the traditional responsibilities of a General Manager. Whether he’s promoting the club through creative social media content, organizing innovative member programming, helping maintain the facility alongside his staff, or mentoring the next generation of PGA Professionals, he consistently leads with a servant’s mindset and a commitment to making those around him better.
One of the many reasons for Gilg’s nomination was his willingness to do whatever is needed to help his team succeed. From jumping in to clean the pool himself to hosting Nebraska PGA education workshops at Field Club of Omaha at no cost, he continually demonstrates that no task is beneath a leader.
Receiving recognition from fellow PGA Professionals makes the honor especially meaningful.
“Awards from your peers always mean a little more because it’s validation from those who understand what it takes,” Gilg said. “Our Section is filled with incredible professionals; finding a niche where you can add value to those around you is something we all strive for. The goal is to make the game and business just a little bit better than when you started.” That philosophy has become the foundation of Gilg’s leadership style throughout his career. Continue Reading...
SENIOR & ASSISTANT PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Shadow Ridge Country Club hosted both the 2026 Nebraska Senior PGA Professional Championship and the Nebraska Assistant PGA Professional Championship, with national championship berths on the line in each event. The dual-championship week brought Nebraska PGA Professionals to Omaha to compete for a share of the purse while pursuing spots in the PGA of America’s national championships. Perfect weather and ideal scoring conditions set the stage for two memorable days of competition.
In the Assistant PGA Professional Championship, a field of 18 players completed all 36 holes in a single day. During the opening round, Firethorn Golf Club’s Brady Schnell jumped out to an early lead after carding a 4-under-par 68, holding a two-shot advantage over Country Club of Lincoln’s Mark Foelbaek, PGA. Final-round tee times began at 1:30 p.m., setting up a dramatic race for the two available national qualifying spots.
After a slow start to his second round, Tiburon Golf Club’s Carson Schaake caught fire down the stretch, posting the tournament’s low round of 6-under-par 66 to complete a come-from-behind victory. Schaake’s win continued an impressive run of form and earned him his first Nebraska PGA Assistant Championship title in his debut appearance in the event.
Finishing runner-up and securing the second and final national qualifying position was Mark Foelbaek, PGA, of Country Club of Lincoln. Foelbaek surged up the leaderboard with a remarkable back-nine performance that included five consecutive birdies beginning on No. 12.
In the Nebraska Senior PGA Professional Championship, a field of 21 Nebraska PGA Professionals gathered to compete for three coveted spots in the national championship. Emerging victorious was another first-time champion, Justin Herron, PGA, of Oak Hills Country Club. Herron set the pace early with a brilliant opening-round 6-under-par 66 and then battled through the final 18 holes to hold off a talented field and secure the championship.
Finishing runner-up was Shane Zywiec, PGA, of Highlands Golf Course, who mounted a strong charge with a final-round 70 to finish at 2-under-par for the tournament. Claiming the third and final qualifying position was defending champion and PGA Life Member Chris Wiemers, who posted a two-round total of even par.
The Nebraska PGA will be represented by four professionals at the national championship, as Jim White, PGA Master Professional, of The Fairways at Lincoln is already exempt into the field and will join Herron, Zywiec, and Wiemers on the national stage.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Director of Golf Joe Finnegan, PGA, Head Golf Professional Nick Shanahan, PGA, and the entire team at Shadow Ridge Country Club for hosting two outstanding days of championship golf and providing exceptional hospitality throughout the week.
We also thank our supporting partners PXG, Golf Channel, the PGA TOUR, Rolex, Srixon, and Cleveland Golf for their continued commitment to the Nebraska PGA Section and its professionals. Their support helps make championships like these possible and contributes to the ongoing growth of the game across our region.
Click HERE for the final results in the Senior event!
Click HERE for the final results in the Assistant event!
GOLF FORE THE TROOPS CONTINUES ITS LEGACY OF SUCCESS; SCHAAKE SETS SCORING RECORD
Wilderness Ridge Club & Resort hosted a record 36 teams for the 20th Annual Golf Fore The Troops Pro-Am, presented by Nelnet. Since the event’s inception, more than $210,000 has been raised to support military families through college scholarships awarded to military personnel and their children.
Co-chairmen Jim White, PGA Master Professional, and Dave Breetzke launched the event 20 years ago with a simple vision: to make a positive impact on Nebraska’s military community. While they hoped the tournament would make a difference, neither could have imagined the success it would achieve over the years.
“To make it to 20 years is a bit of a surprise, but I think that goes to show how much support this event has received, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” said White.
“We wanted to find a way to give back to our military community here in Nebraska, and this tournament has given Jim and me a small way to do just that,” said Breetzke.
White’s father served during World War II and participated in the D-Day invasion, a connection that helped inspire White to establish the tournament alongside Breetzke.
“Most of us have had family members who served in the military, and even a few of our Nebraska PGA Professionals are veterans themselves,” said White. “I think that’s why this event has resonated with so many people over the years.” Hear more from the Co-Chairmen here!
While the fundraising impact of Golf Fore The Troops remains at the heart of the event, the competition has always been an important component as well and one that White has especially enjoyed throughout the tournament’s 20-year history. Continue Reading…...
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Open Now: 2026 Presidents Cup PreRegistration
The 2026 Presidents Cup will be held September 22–27 at Medinah Country Club. Pre-registration for a limited number of tickets throughout the tournament week are open to PGA of America Class A Members, Life Members, and Master Professionals through August 17th, 2026. Learn more about complimentary access.
Pre-Register Here
PGA of America Names It's New CCO and CFO
The PGA of America named Jeff Clennon as Chief Commercial Officer and Paul Stephens as Chief Financial Officer. Together, Clennon and Stephens will help advance the PGA of America's focus on strengthening the value and impact of PGA of America Golf Professionals, growing the game, and elevating the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and other marquee events.
Read More
Education Program Strengthens
Business Decision -Making
Sessions across merchandising, operations and retail strategy complement brand engagement at the 2026 PGA Buying Summit
FRISCO, Texas (June 10, 2026) – As golf lifestyle buying calendars continue to move earlier in the product cycle, PGA of America Golf Professionals and retail buyers attending the 2026 PGA Buying Summit will begin the event with decision-focused education programs to inform Spring 2027 assortment evaluations, merchandising strategies and business operations before engaging with nearly 200 participating brands during the July 26–29 gathering at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa.
Developed in partnership with the PGA of America and the Association of Golf Merchandisers, the Summit’s education program serves as the connective layer of the event experience, helping attendees translate market trends and product exposure into practical merchandising and operational and business strategy decisions. Sessions on July 26 and 27 address retail, operational and technology considerations shaping today's golf business, providing context that complements assortment planning during brand meetings on July 28 and 29 and in-season execution.
Educational Programming For Business Success, July 26
&
27
The Sunday afternoon programming features merchandising and performance sessions such as “Beyond Impressive Marketing: Show Up, Stand Out, Sell More,” led by award-winning Keynote Speaker Rita Goodroe. Additional sessions include “Driving Performance Using Scorecards to Strengthen Vendor Partnerships,” with 2026 PGA of America Merchandiser of the Year Jared Henzlik, PGA, and “What’s Working Now in Merchandising: Insights from the 2026 AGM Merchandisers of the Year,” featuring Justine Cook, Kathryn Alter and Steve Risler.
View full education schedule and speakers
DISTRICT 8 DIRECTOR
Aaron Krueger, PGA
PGA of America District 8 Director Serving
Nebraska, Iowa & Minnesota Sections
Dear Nebraska PGA Members & Associates
Over the past two months, we have all paid our annual PGA membership dues. Of the total amount we paid, only $125 goes for national dues. I wanted to take a moment to outline some member benefits that show what our $125 for national dues offers.
Tools For Your Business
• PGA Coach
-Program for all PGA of America Members which includes ADM training, coach tools for lead generation, group events, scheduling and payments
-The PGA Coach platform has generated approximately 192,000 leads and $24M in booking revenue across nearly 4,000 coaches since its inception
-PGA Coach+ - Paid tier, which elevates premier features, includes exclusive content and allows the team to provide concierge-level support to users
• Lifelong Learning
-The Education and Professional Development Center at PGA Frisco continues to enhance opportunities through the three career tracks (Golf Operations, Teaching & Coaching & Executive Management).
-32 newly designed online courses to support 3 Career Tracks
Tools for Everyday Living
• Perkspot
-Everyday savings for PGA of America Golf Professionals on consumer goods, home appliances, electronics, travel, entertainment and more
-Available and encouraged to be used by professional’s immediate family members too
-Allows Members to customize and choose the categories that are most relevant to them in their everyday lives and truly tailor their experiences to their needs
• Partner Benefits
-Everyday savings for PGA of America Golf Professionals on consumer goods, home appliances, electronics, travel, entertainment and more
-Examples: ExpertVoice, Lululemon Sweat Collective, MyShop, Omni Hotels & Resorts, TMobile, Trackman, and more!
Tools for Retirement
• Deferred Compensation
-PGA of America Members can earn up to $1,500 a year by participating in combination of 16 activities
-Over the years, these investments should grow and provide a supplemental income for the member upon reaching the age of 65
• Golf Retirement Plus
-Save for your future with Personal, Employer and Sponsor Program contributions
-GRP currently has 6,400 PGA of America Golf Professionals with account balances and nearly $270M in assets under management Opportunities to Compete and Spectate
• Compete
-15+ National tournaments where you can compete against the best players in the Association
-Opportunities to play your way into the PGA Championship, KPMG Women’s PGA Champion ship, Senior PGA Championship, PGA Cup and Women’s PGA Cup
• Spectate
-Complimentary access to the biggest events in golf, including - Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, and more!
Opportunities to Give Back
• PGA of America REACH Foundation
-PGA HOPE
-PGA WORKS
-PGA Jr. League & Scholarships
• PGA REACH Nebraska
Assistance When Needed Most
• Medical and Disaster Relief
-Over $3.5M in relief given to PGA members since 2000
-Helping members affected by serious medical and natural disaster situations
• Member Assistance Program
-My Benefits Work provides on-the-go access to 30+ non-traditional benefits with a variety of health and lifestyle options including telemedicine, health advocacy, identity theft and caregiver support.
The Medical and Disaster Relief and Member Assistance Programs are funded by PGA members. I encourage each of you to add those $40 voluntary contributions to your annual dues. Many from the Nebraska PGA and District 8 have needed this assistance and these contributions are vital to your fellow members. This truly is members helping members!
All these programs are from the national PGA of America. Adding these national benefits to what the Nebraska PGA and PGA REACH Nebraska does makes your membership valuable! We will continue to work to deliver tangible member benefits beyond what is listed. I hope you see value in your membership and take advantage of these great opportunities.
Thank you for all that you do! Keep growing the game and the business of golf!
Sincerely,
Aaron Kruger, PGA District 8 Director
PGA REACH NEBRASKA PRO -AM
Nebraska PGA Golf Professionals and local amateur golfers gathered today at Happy Hollow Club for the annual PGA REACH Nebraska Pro-Am, enjoying what many would consider one of the best weather days of the year for golf while raising critical funds to support the PGA REACH Nebraska Foundation.
The event brought together PGA Professionals, business leaders, community supporters, and golf enthusiasts from across the Section for a day of competition, camaraderie, and philanthropy. Funds raised through the Pro-Am will directly support PGA REACH Nebraska programs that positively impact the lives of youth, military veterans, and diverse communities through the game of golf.
This year’s event was hosted at Happy Hollow Club, widely regarded as one of Nebraska’s premier private golf clubs. Known for its rich history, exceptional course conditions, and commitment to excellence, Happy Hollow Club once again provided a first-class setting for one of the Section’s most important fundraising events of the year.
Playing on his home course, Vermeer delivered an impressive round to claim individual Professional honors, while the championship team combined strong play and consistency throughout the day.
“The combination of outstanding weather, a premier host venue, and generous support from our partners made this year’s Pro-Am a tremendous success,” said Seth Scollard, Nebraska PGA Assistant Executive Director.
PHOTO GALLERY
“Events like this are critical to the continued growth of PGA REACH Nebraska and allow us to expand our impact across the Section. We’re incredibly grateful to our host facility, sponsors, PGA Professionals, and amateur participants for helping make a difference through the game of golf.” Continue Reading…..
NEED TO KNOW
Demand for quality coaching is high and the strain of trying to keep up can be exhausting. In this month’s PGA Magazine, Senior Player Engagement Consultant Becca Bailey stressed several tools and tactics to help improve your quality of life:
• Embracing PGA Coach Business tools, such as automated scheduling, marketing and profile tools
• Setting clear boundaries and off-clock hours where you do not respond to calls or texts
• Managing stress and prioritizing your physical health
• Utilizing technologies, like PGA Coach, to relieve stressors like booking and communication
• Diversifying your coaching model by incorporating group events and programming
We strongly encourage all leagues to create and bring an All-Star team to the Section postseason (aka All-Star Season). Even if you feel that your team "wouldn't be competitive", it's more of a celebration of your local season play and gives you the opportunity to reward some of your players the chance to be named an "All-Star". Click HERE to learn more about the All-Star Season.
We will once again have a qualifier before the Section Championship this year. That qualifier event is on Monday, July 20th at Fremont Golf Club. This will be for the 13U All-Star teams and potentially for the 17U All-Star teams (depending on how many 17U teams there are). We plan to advance four 13U and four 17U teams from the qualifier to the Section Championship. The 13U AND 17U All-Star teams will be made up of eight players. All-Star players are determined by the coaches involved in each league.
For the 13U teams, our plan is to have a morning wave of 9 holes and an afternoon wave of 9 holes at Fremont GC. The best two team scores from the front 9 flights (AM & PM combined) and the best two team scores from the back 9 flights (AM & PM combined) will advance to the Section Championship. For the 17U teams, the format on how we will determine the four qualifying teams will be determined by how many total teams there are.
NOTE: If there are too many teams for one qualifier, there will be two qualifiers. The second location is Riverside GC in Grand Island on Wednesday, July 22nd. If we need this secondary event, teams will be split as evenly as possible based on geographic location as far as which qualifier they will compete in. The format to determine how teams would qualify at each site is TBD.
The Section Championship will be on August 8th at The Club at Indian Creek in Elkhorn (Red Feather Course). The championship will be 9 holes for both 13U and 17U divisions. Both the qualifier and championship will be 2-person stroke play scramble format, counting the 3 best of the 4 pair scores to make up the team total. We are very excited for the Section Championship event as it will once again be conducted in conjunction with the Pinnacle Bank Championship Korn Ferry Tour event on the third nine at their facility. More logistics on this will be released as they become available.
IMPORTANT: The top team at the Section Championship in both the 13U and 17U divisions will qualify for the regional event which will be held at Paradise Pointe GC in Smithville, MO on October 2-4, 2026.
The Regional will be composed with the following teams:
13U Division
1 Nebraska Section qualifier
2 Midwest Section qualifiers
4 Top Regional Leaderboard teams
* Top 13U team advances to the National Finals (date TBA)
17U Division
1 Nebraska Section qualifier
2 Midwest Section qualifiers
4 Top Regional Leaderboard teams
* Top 17U team advances to the National Finals (date TBA)
2026 NJG Membership opened on
• 2026 NJG Membership Registration opens
• Spring Junior Series event registration opens
• 2-Day event registration opens (with handicap restrictions for 18-holers)
• Regular NJG Tour and Adult/Junior event registration opens
• Summit Series events & 18-hole 2-Day (no handicap restrictions) event registration opens
JUNIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP BEATRICE
More than 110 junior golfers across the Nebraska Section PGA teed it up at Beatrice Country Club in the 2026 Nebraska Junior PGA Championships. Boys 14-15, Girls 14-15, Boys 16-18 and Girls 16-18 made up the four divisions of juniors that competed the past two days in the Section’s biggest junior event of the season. The annual event sends two boys and two girls from the 16-18 divisions to the National Junior PGA Championships. The national event will be held July 28–31, 2026 at Fields Ranch East & West in Frisco, Texas.
The Nebraska Junior PGA Championships serve as both a qualifier and as a premier event on the Nebraska Junior Golf summer circuit. The 36-hole event kicked off Monday and the best junior golfers in the Section would be tested by a tough track.
Beginning with the Girls 16–18 division, Lincoln’s Naryn Kim got off to a fast start with an opening-round 70 (-2), the only under-par round posted in the girls field during the first round of the championship. Kim followed it up with a steady even-par 72 in the final round to finish at 2-under overall to capture her first Nebraska Junior PGA Championship title. The round of the day belonged to fellow Lincoln native Eden Larson, who carded a 67 (-5) after making four birdies over her final six holes. Larson’s impressive finish vaulted her into the runner-up position. Kim and Larson will represent the Nebraska PGA at the 2026 Junior PGA Championship.
In the Boys 16–18 division, another Lincoln native delivered a wire-to-wire victory. Recent NSAA Class A Individual State Champion Carter Honnens wasted little time taking control, making three birdies in his first six holes of the tournament and never relinquishing the lead. The recent University of Nebraska commit fired rounds of 67 and 67 to finish at 10-under par to claim the championship. Joining Honnens at the national championship will be Valley’s Harper Kalin, who finished runner-up at 5-under for the week.
The Girls 14–15 division was won by Kearney’s Micajah Long, who posted rounds of 85 and 83 to earn the title. In the Boys 14–15 division, Jameson Sullivan claimed a seven-shot victory after finishing the championship at 5-over par.
We would like to thank Head Golf Professional Noah Briley, Superintendent Adam Dredge and the entire staff at Beatrice Country Club for hosting and provide incredible hospitality. We are excited to cheer on our four national qualifiers that will head to Texas later this summer to represent our entire Section.
JUNIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
JIM AGER
Congratulations to all of our medalists at the Junior PGA Championship at Jim Ager!
BOYS 9 -11
BOYS 12 -13
GIRLS 9 -11
GIRLS 12 -13
RESULTS FOR ALL GIRLS AND BOYS AGE DIVISIONS
CELEBRATE
July Birthdays
Brian Fauss, PGA 7/1
Gary Gabrielson, PGA 7/1
Michael Coatman, PGA 7/2
Matthew Means 7/5
Joseph Canny, PGA 7/6
Zachary Podraza 7/7
Keaton Fletcher 7/8
Brent McGrew, PGA 7/8
Rich Skinner, PGA 7/9
Mitchell Carter, PGA 7/9
Brandon Brion, PGA 7/10
Mark Foelbaek, PGA 7/11
Derek Carlson, PGA 7/11
Robert Spomer, PGA 7/13
Allan Elliott, PGA 7/15
Reggie Reyes, PGA 7/16
Mark Nygaard, PGA 7/16
Maxwell Hadenfeldt, PGA 7/17
Jay Cottam, PGA 7/17
Justin Wagner, PGA 7/19
Tyler Kingston, PGA 7/19
Carson Tatro, PGA 7/19
Scott Murphy, PGA 7/20
Bruce Smith, PGA 7/21
Gene Johnson, PGA 7/21
Taytom Timbers 7/24
Shane McClure, PGA 7/24
Mark Ruhga, PGA 7/25
Andrew Soper 7/26
Mitchell Klooz 7/26
David Honnens, PGA 7/27
Drew D'Ercole 7/28
Scott Bruha, PGA 7/29
James Sieckmann, PGA 7/29
Thomas McAndrew, PGA 7/30
Jaden Kearney 7/30
Phillip Palmer, PGA 7/30
Tyler Hahn 7/31
Don Germer, PGA 7/31