Semoball

Brad Nurski successfully defends Missouri Amateur golf title at Dalhousie

Brad Nurski, left, watches as Brooks Jungbluth takes his putt on the 13th hole during the Missouri Amateur Championship on Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club.
KASSI JACKSON

It wasn't easy, but Brad Nurski successfully defended his Missouri Amateur Championship on Sunday, taking down Brooks Jungbluth in the championship round of match play 3 and 1 at Dalhousie Golf Club.

It's another accomplishment on a burgeoning resume for Nurski, of St. Joseph, Missouri, who not only won the Missouri Am a year ago, but also in 2010. Since that first tournament title, he also won the Missouri Stroke Play title in 2012 and Mid Ams in 2011 and 2013.

The championship trophies await a winner at the Missouri Amateur Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 24, 2018 at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau.
KASSI JACKSON

On Sunday, he had to work for his newest trophy. Nurski found himself all square with fellow St. Joseph resident Jungbluth through 28 holes of the 36-hole championship round. But Jungbluth sailed his ball into the water on 29, and it provided the veteran Nurski with the opening he needed. He made par on the hole to go 1 up and did not relinquish that advantage.

Nurski gave himself a slight bit of breathing room through 32 holes, making par on hole No. 13 while Jungbluth settled for bogey.

Both players made par on their 34th hole of the day, leaving Nurski two up with two to go. He polished things off with a birdie on the penultimate hole for back-to-back titles.

Getting to Sunday's championship round was not a breeze for Nurski either. After earning medalist honors through two stroke-play days to begin the five-day event, the defending champ breezed into the Round of 32, but found resistance the rest of the way. He edged Springfield's Eric Ecker 1 up across 18 holes Thursday before needing 19 holes to take down Rolla's Chris Martin during Friday's Round of 16.

Saturday morning, he went back and forth with Cape Girardeau native Brevin Giebler before slipping past 2 and 1.

Brooks Jungbluth looks down the green as he talks with his caddy before teeing off on the 15th hole during the Missouri Amateur Championship golf tournament Sunday, June 24, 2018 at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau.
KASSI JACKSON

The semifinal saw Nurski defeat Reilly Ahearn, of St. Louis, 3 and 2, to set up Sunday's action.

Jungbluth's path ended up being considerably easier, as he found little resistance from the Round of 16 on. His closest showdown was a semifinal he took 3 and 2 over Joseph Williams of St. Louis. Then he ran into the defending champ.

After trading blows with Jungbluth for much of the day -- never more than 2 up and finding himself all square late in the going -- Nurski finally got the edge he needed.

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