COLUMBUS, Neb. — Elks Country Club has been good to former Missouri Tiger Peter Malnati.
His two largest paydays as a professional have been at the Wells Fargo Nebraska Open — $12,000 for winning this year after collecting $11,700 for his win in 2010.
"This course suits my game," Malnati said.
That said, Elks played much harder in his mind than a year ago and yet his winning score Sunday of 14 under was only one off his 2010 total.
"We had to grind out every shot, and we (pros) appreciate that a lot," Malnati said.
He's 18th on the eGolf professional tour money list this season. The resident of Dandridge, Tenn., has yet to make it through Monday qualifying on the Nationwide Tour in nine attempts, with two more on his schedule before the PGA Tour's qualifying series of tournaments.
Second-round leader Brad Marek mustered only a 1-under 70 in the final round, as Malnati passed him with the day's low round of 65, and finished second.
Among the six who tied for third were Justin Herron and Ryan Vermeer of Omaha and John Hurley of O'Neill, Neb.
Minzel wins playoff for Mid-Am title
FREMONT, Neb. — Travis Minzel of Lincoln became the first repeat winner of the Nebraska Mid-Amateur by outlasting Omaha's Trent Morrison and Patrick Duffy in a playoff that ended when he birdied the fourth extra hole.
"It was a battle of survival today,'' said Minzel, who bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes during the final round and had to play out from under an evergreen on the first extra hole.
All three in the playoff finished 36 holes at 1-under 143. Morrison and Duffy had closing 70s, with Minzel a 75.
Sajevic, Marchese advance to match play
John Sajevic of Fremont and Susan Marchese of Omaha made it through stroke-play qualifying this weekend in the U.S. Senior and Senior Women's Amateurs, respectively, and will play their first-round matches Monday.
Sajevic tied for 36th at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. Marchese tied for 59th and survived a playoff for the final six spots in match play at the Honors Course at Ooltewah, Tenn.
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