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Champions Run in Omaha welcomed a record-breaking 79 players for the 2025 Nebraska PGA Professional Championship, presented by Club Car (Nebraska Golf & Turf), Corebridge Financial, and Rolex.
Ryan Vermeer returned to the winner’s circle with rounds of 69‑69, finishing at 6‑under par to secure his seventh Nebraska PGA Professional Championship title, a remarkable milestone especially during the Section’s Centennial year. Finishing tied for runner-up was Shane Zywiec, PGA of Highlands Golf Course and Judd Cornell, PGA of the University of Nebraska.
With Vermeer being exempt into the national event, the next five players on the leaderboard received the spots, giving the Nebraska PGA a bonus player into the PGA Professional Championship once again.
The following players earned qualifying spots:
Ryan Vermeer, PGA of Happy Hollow Club | 6-under
Judd Cornell, PGA of University of Nebraska | 5-Under
Shane Zywiec, PGA of Highlands Golf Course | 5-Under
Jonathan Beaver, PGA of The Ridge Golf Club | 4-Under
Justin Herron, PGA of Oak Hills Country Club | 3-Under
Steve Friesen, PGA of Firethorn Golf Club | 3-Under
The national championship will be contested at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, OR from April 26-29, 2026. Click HERE for the full recap story.
When the Nebraska Section PGA received the PGA of America’s Herb Graffis Award in 2020, NEPGA Executive Director David Honnens said:
“A lot of great things have been going on in the last decade.”
The programs that garnered the national award for growing the game and player development are even stronger five years later, in 2025.
“I think it was one of the greatest awards for our membership. It was a long time coming,” Honnens says. “I know we had been recognized 30 years prior, with Bob Schuchart and Co., but with all the metrics and all the programs across the country, we were the smallest Section ever to be recognized with this award.
“We like to say we do it the Nebraska way. It’s really remarkable what has happened and transpired in Nebraska across the board in golf, and to have great partnerships like we do with the Nebraska Golf Association, NWAGA (Nebraska Women’s Amateur Golf Association), and our (high school and college) coaches.
“It was one of the greatest moments in our Section’s history, for sure, and it definitely recognized the things our men and women do on a daily basis to grow the game.”
When Honnens started as Executive Director, Nebraska Junior Golf had been in place for one year. The Nebraska Section and the Nebraska Golf Association had combined their youth programs in 2009.
Click HERE for the full story from Omaha World Herald’s Stu Pospisil.
For the fourth year in a row, The Club at Indian Creek hosted the PGA Jr. League Nebraska Section Championship, with four All-Star teams of junior golfers ages 14-17 in a division and four All-Star teams of junior golfers ages 10-13 in another division. The players and their families joined in on what was an amazing opportunity and memorable experience for everyone involved.
Section Qualifiers and Championships are the first of three phases in the PGA Jr. League All-Star Season, which highlights the aspirational nature of competition celebrated in a way unique to PGA Jr. League. This championship event was a 9-hole scramble stroke play qualifier played on the Red Feather Course in which each of the all-star teams were broken into two-person scramble pairs (four pairs on each team counting the best three of four pair scores for the team total).
The day was more than just a junior championship as it was in collaboration with the Pinnacle Bank Championship (PBC), which has been a regular stop for the Korn Ferry Tour as professionals are attempting to earn their PGA TOUR card. The day included a putt-putt course and Nebraska Athlete autograph station as part of the PBC Youth Day and the opportunity to hit on the driving range right next to the professional golfers.
The low score of each division was crowned as the Section Champion but the top two teams in each division punched their ticket to the Regional Championship, which will be held on September 12-14 at The Ridge GC in Sioux Center, IA. The two teams who advanced to the Regional Event in the 17U Division are The Miracle Hill Stars and The Ridge GC All-Stars. In the 13U Division it was the Greater Siouxland All-Stars and Eastern Nebraska All-Stars. Click HERE for the full story.
The Nebraska Section PGA is proud to recognize Justin Henry, PGA, as the Wilson Sporting Goods Game Ball recipient for July.
The Wilson Game Ball honors PGA Professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to the game of golf. The Wild Horse Golf Club Head Professional has continued to carve out extra time in his schedule to assist with junior golf, high school golfers and Veterans through PGA HOPE.
“It means the world to be recognized for this award. It is always nice to know that your hard work and dedication to the game is appreciated. I enjoy trying to make a difference, not only at my facility but also throughout our Section,” said Henry.
Justin Henry exemplifies what it means to lead by example — both on and off the course. In addition to his full-time role at Wild Horse, he finds time to be present at home with his wife and four children, while also dedicating himself to developing young athletes as an assistant coach for the Gothenburg Swede Boys Golf Team. Each afternoon, after finishing up at the course, Henry volunteers his time from 4 to 6 p.m. to work with the team, helping the players improve their game and their confidence.
“Justin doesn’t have to do it — he wants to,” said Wild Horse Golf Club’s Director of Golf Tony Collins, PGA. “He teaches every day after work, and the guys love him for it.”
Last year, Henry reached a significant milestone in his professional development: completing his certification for PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere). The program introduces golf to Veterans and Active-Duty Military to enhance their physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being. He’s continued to teach new waves of Veterans joining the program in 2025. Click HERE for the full story.
