Badura Awarded Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year

Lincoln, Neb. --- Nebraska Husker Men's Golfer, sophomore Caleb Badura, was awarded as a co-recipient for the Nebraska Golf Association Amateur Golfer of the Year Award for his play in the Nebraska Golf Association (NGA) majors this summer. Former Husker Ryan Nietfeldt was also a recipient of the award. This is just the fourth time in its 52-year history the award has been split.

"I'm extremely honored and humbled to receive this award and to share it with Ryan, who is a former Husker," Badura said. "It has always been my dream to reach this point, and it's an unreal feeling to see all my hard work pay off."

Badura nearly swept both the NGA majors, as he won the Nebraska Match Play Championships and forced a seven-hole playoff with three-time defending champion Alex Schaake.

In the Nebraska Match Play Championship, Badura had to go through two defending champions early in the tournament. Badura would go on to reach the final and win the 36-hole Final by defeating his opponent by nine and seven. Badura's margin of victory was the fifth largest margin of victory in the tournament's history.

In the Nebraska State Amateur, Badura trailed by three strokes beginning the final round but fired a 68 (-4) to force a playoff with Schaake. Badura and Schaake would go back and forth in the playoffs for seven holes before Schaake was able to endure and win the championship.

Badura also tied for third at the Dinsdale Classic and tied for sixth at the Indian Creek Invitational.

As a Husker, Badura wrapped up his first fall season with the Huskers. Badura competed in three tournaments and is fifth on the team in scoring average. His best tournament finish was at the Rod Myers/Duke Invitational where he shot a 226 (+10) total and tied for third among Huskers.

Nietfeldt played for Nebraska from 1995 to 1999 and was a four-time letterwinner in his time at Nebraska. Nietfeldt is the oldest player ever to win the award, as this is his fourth Player of the Year award, tying him for second on the all-time wins list.

Both golfers will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's annual awards banquet tonight at The Country Club of Lincoln.