Cousins push golf tourney to playoff holes

Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Nate Vontz
Creighton University photo

OMAHA, Neb. -- Rising Creighton University sophomore golfer and former McCook-area resident Nate Vontz will play in this week’s Pinnacle Bank Championship on the Web.com Tour after qualifying for the event on Sunday at The Club at Indian Creek in northwest Omaha.

A Lincoln native, Vontz opened the 36-hole Indian Creek Invitational qualifier by setting a course record on the Red Feather to Black Bird rotation with a loop of 66 on Saturday.

He then shot a 73 on Sunday to finish at 5-under par.

Vontz was tied after 36 holes with McCook Bison alum and National Junior College All-American golfer Noah Hofman.

The third cousins delivered quite a bit of drama for those witnessing Sunday’s final Indian Creek holes.

Vontz had already fired an Indian Creek-record 66 on Saturday.

Yet McCook two-time Class B state champion Hofman only trailed Vontz by two strokes entering Sunday.

Hofman caught Vontz with birdies on the 10th and 11th holes.

Both finished their rounds with pars on the 18th, which was the only hole used for their playoff.

Vontz then sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to clinch his victory.

“I’m in a daze,” Vontz told the Omaha World-Herald. “This is what I have been dreaming of since I was a little kid, to play in a professional event. It’s pretty cool to see your dreams unfold.”

Nathan is the son of Dennis and Terri Vontz, who now reside in Lincoln.

Nathan will be a sophomore this fall at Creighton, where he is coached by Chris Wiemers.

Wiemers competed in the Nike Omaha Classic (1996) and Cox Classic (2004, 2005, 2008) on the Web.com Tour, including a 44th-place showing in 2005.

During his freshman year on The Hilltop, Vontz led all Bluejays by playing in 29 rounds. He ranked fifth on the team with a 77.4 scoring average, including a low round of 71.

His best finish came at the year-end Big East Conference hampionship, where he tied for 23rd place with circuits of 80, 75 and 76 to help the Bluejays to ninth place.

Vontz is one of two former Bluejays in this week’s Pinnacle Bank Championship field.

The event begins on Thursday morning at The Club at Indian Creek.

After leading McCook to the 2016 Class B team state championship, Hofman has played two super seasons at Southeast Community College in Beatrice. He was a top three national tournament finisher both years.

Hofman announced recently that he will continue his golf career at Ottawa University in Surprise, Ariz.

Editor’s note: Today’s story featured info from Creighton University, omaha.com internet sources and some details from the Gazette.

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