Dawn Neujahr of Omaha is the first female winner of the Nebraska Section PGA Golf Professional of the Year award.
Serving as current Nebraska PGA president, she and her husband, Greg, have been PGA Professionals at Champions Run since January 2002. She has received the section’s merchandiser of the year award for private courses eight times.
Neujahr was the association’s first female officer when she was elected secretary in 2017.
“When I ran for office, my goal was not to just be the first woman, but I felt it was my time to give back to our association that has afforded me a wonderful career and some amazing life experiences. I want to help continue the vision of the former leaders of our Section and keep us moving forward in the community and growing the game,” she said.
She is in her third term on the national PGA Membership Committee. Last November, she led a push to add an inclusionary statement to the PGA of America’s constitution to replace one of exclusion.
“Dawn has played a vital role in our section and association becoming more inviting to join. She has become an advocate of change and making sure our game looks more like the world we live in today,” said David Honnens, CEO of the Nebraska PGA. “She embodies the PGA of America’s mission in establishing and elevating the standards of the profession and growing interest and participation in the game of golf and this latest achievement solidifies these accomplishments.
Dawn Neujahr will be honored Monday at the pros’ spring meeting at Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln.
Others to be recognized are Teacher of the Year, Jeff Henry, Country Club of Lincoln; PGA Professional Development, Greg Gilg, Field Club of Omaha; Bill Strausbaugh-Club Relations: Mike Schuchart, Wilderness Ridge, Lincoln; Youth Player Development, Kurt Karcher, Nebraska PGA; Merchandiser of the Year (public), Scott Bruha, Dane Creek at Ord; Merchandiser of the Year (private), Nathan Kalin, Fremont Golf Club; Player Development, Karrie VanRavenswaay, The Ridge, Sioux Center, Iowa; Facility of the Year: Oak Hills, Omaha, Sales Representative of the Year, David Durham, Omaha; Assistant Professional of the Year, Sarah Pravecek, Stone Creek, Omaha; Patriot Award: Mark Nygaard, Eagle Hills, Papillion.
Ryan Vermeer of Happy Hollow in Omaha was the Nebraska Section PGA Player of the Year. Pravecek was the women’s player of the year, Ted DiGiacomo of Golf Galaxy in Omaha senior player of the year and Jay Cottam of Meadowlark Hills in Kearney assistant pro player of the year.
Bennington girl at Augusta: Anna Midyett will be the only Nebraskan competing Sunday in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals at Augusta National.
The fourth-grader at Bennington Elementary will compete in the girls 7-9 age division. Her father, Pat Midyett, said she has been playing golf for about a year and a half. She also plays soccer and basketball.
Sand Hills caddie honored: High school senior and Sand Hills Golf Club caddie Alex Moore of Mullen has been named an Evans Scholar by the Western Golf Association. The Chick Evans scholarship provides a four-year housing and tuition scholarship for golf caddies.
Moore began caddying in seventh grade when he learned he was living near one of the most sought-after courses in the world. Since he started caddying at Sand Hills, he has caddied about 500 rounds.
He’s the fourth from Sand Hills since 1999 to be an Evans Scholar. He plans to study film and television and has a choice of 22 universities, including all Big Ten schools except Nebraska and Iowa.
USGA award to UNL professor: Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has received the United States Golf Association’s 2023 Green Section Award.
Gaussoin was recoginized for introducing new technologies and processes that advance putting green construction and management.
A professor and extension specialist at UNL, Gaussoin has spent nearly 20 years in research for bettering putting green construction and management. His work is also credited for the improvement of buffalograss, a native low-maintenance grass that requires little irrigation and has few serious pests. His practices, through studies, are fossil-fuel and labor efficient.