About Ryan
 | Ryan Nietfeldt - Biography
Name: Ryan Nietfeldt
Birth date: December 22, 1975
Birthplace: Grand Island, Nebraska
Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
Family: Toni Nietfeldt (wife) and Tyler Nietfeldt (son)
Hobbies: Playing Texas Hold-em, reading magazines, and playing with his dog Maximus |
Bibliography: Ryan was first introduced to the game of golf at the age of thirteen. Ryan and his best friend, Kelly Schwieger, purchased a membership to a local par three course and played numerous rounds of golf during the following two summers. He had played soccer, basketball, football, and tennis while growing up but golf seemed to be his most challenging game. Ryan started showing a growing interest in becoming a better player.
At the age of 15, in order to become better golfer (and to make some money on the side) he took a job in the bag room at Riverside Golf Club. Between cleaning clubs and picking the range for the Riverside members, Ryan spent countless hours practicing his short game and hitting range balls. It was during that year that the head professional, Jack Hoskins, and his assistant, Dennis Fruchtl, took notice of his skills and started to give him lessons. These lessons provided Ryan a basic understanding of the golf grip, stance, and posture that is the building block to a good golf swing. His game started showing improvement and that year he entered his first tournament and became a member of the Grand Island Senior High golf team.
The team made it to the Nebraska State Tournament his junior and senior year. However, Ryan’s junior year was the major turning point of his upcoming golf career. He placed 10th in the Class “A” High School State Tournament and gained confidence in his game. In fact, during that summer Ryan went on a tear and won just about every tournament he entered including both Nebraska state junior titles. Furthermore, he beat the top player on the University of Nebraska golf team in the Men’s match play tournament and was voted the Nebraska Junior golfer of the year. Ryan finished his senior year with numerous individual titles and finished 3rd at the state tournament. Due to his accomplishments, he was voted the Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year at Grand Island Senior High. His hard work and effort paid off and he was offered a scholarship to play golf at Nebraska.
Ryan had some success during the first two years at the University of Nebraska being named to the All Big 8 Conference First Team, however he realized that he needed to improve and seek further instruction to compete with the best collegiate players. Therefore, during his junior year in college, he took a red shirt year. This was the turning point in his golf career. Ryan started taking lessons from Mike Cornell, a respected instructor with experience in teaching successful professional golfers. These lessons taught him a fundamentally sound golf swing that would be consistent under pressure. During the next three years, Ryan worked hard on his swing and was part of Nebraska’s 1997 NCAA qualifying team.
College wrapped up and instead of following most of his teammates and turning professional he decided to make sure that he had a back-up plan in case he was unable to play golf. Ryan became a certified public accountant with the prestigious firm of Deloitte and Touche. During his four year stint at Deloitte and Touche, he continued to improve on his golf game through competing in numerous amateur tournaments. He found much success in the Nebraska and National amateur ranks including three Nebraska state championships, Nebraska player of the year honors, and being ranked as high as the 76h best amateur in the United States.
However, after four years of working at Deloitte and Touche and amateur golf, Ryan decided that it was time to go for his lifetime goal of playing professional golf. Using the skills acquired at Deloitte and Touche and the help of some of his closest friends, he set up RNN Golf, L.L.C., a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, with the goal to provide investors a return based on his performance as a professional golfer. Due to the kindness, generosity, and support of family and friends, RNN Golf, L.L.C. will allow Ryan to play golf through December 31, 2006 and more importantly, let him fulfill his lifetime dream of playing professional golf.
Ryan's Amateur Accomplishments
2003
• #1 in the NGA Nebraska Amateur Rankings
• #76 in Golfweek United States Amateur Rankings
• Nebraska Amateur Match Play Medalist and Champion
• 9th Place Finish in National Scratch Players Championship – Stevinson, California
• 4th Place in Nebraska Amateur Stroke Play Championship
• Michelob Champion
• Homesteader Champion
• Columbus Classic Runner-up
2002
• Nebraska Golf Association Player of the Year
• USGA U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur – Round of 16 and Highest NE Player Finish Ever
• State Stroke Play Champion – Shot even par over 4 rounds
• State Match Play Medalist – Eliminated in Round of 16
• Nebraska Cup Team
• Top 10 finish in every Nebraska point tournament
2001
• USGA Amateur Qualifier – East Lake, Atlanta, GA
• USGA Amateur Team Championship – Hazeltine National, Chaska, MN
• State Mid-Amateur Champion
• Nebraska Cup Team
2000
• US Amateur Qualifier – Baltusrol, Springfield, NJ
• Nebraska Cup Team
1999-1994
• University of Nebraska Men’s Golf Team
• All Big 8 First Team
• Numerous Top 10 Collegiate Finishes
• Numerous Academic All Conference
• 1997 and 1996 USGA Public Links Qualifier
Previous
• Three Time Nebraska Junior Champion
• Nebraska Junior Golfer of the Year
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