The 2010 Wells Fargo Nebraska Open gets underway this week with the Invitational Pro Am on Thursday, September 8th, and the tournament Friday, the 9th through Sunday, the 11th at Elks Country Club in Columbus.

This year’s field features 6 past champions including defending Champion, Peter Malnati of Drandridge, Tennessee. Along with many other professional golfers from across the country, this year’s field of 132 will be one of the strongest in history.

This list includes some of the best players in Nebraska including 2005 Champion Jim White,PGA MP, 2006 Champion Justin Herron, and long hitting O’Neill native, John Hurley who will make his first appearance as a professional. Maybe the hottest Nebraska native in the field is Nathan Lashley who is currently second on the money list of the Gateway Pro Tour with a 69.15 scoring average.

In addition to these and other local professional, the field also includes several present and past PGA, Nationwide, and Champions Tour players such as; Chuck Moran, Mark Rohde, R.W. Eaks.

The Wells Fargo Nebraska Open is endorsed and operated by the Nebraska Section of the PGA and the Nebraska Golf Association and coordinated by Nebraska Public Power District. Its proceeds are donated to the Nebraska Community College Foundation, which awards scholarships to hundreds of needy Nebraska students attending five community colleges in the state. These colleges include Central Community College, Columbus, Hastings & Grand Island; Southeast Community College; Lincoln, Milford & Beatrice; Northeast Community College, Norfolk; Mid-Plains Community College, North Platte & McCook; and Western Nebraska Community College, Sidney & Scottsbluff. The Nebraska Open has raised over $1,000,000 in the last 20 years for the Nebraska Community College Foundation.