Number 9 in 2009 for Mike McCoy
Jim Butler wins 3rd Senior award, Andrew Peter is Junior Player of the Year
|
Player of the Year Mike McCoy |
Senior Player of the Year Jim Butler |
Junior Player of the Year Andrew Peter |
|
Mike McCoy wins 9th IGA Player of the Year Award Looking back, 1983 appears to be a dot in the rearview mirror of time. A gallon of gas was $1.24, Motorola introduced the first mobile phone to the public, and a 21-year-old Mike McCoy won his first Iowa Player of the Year Award.
In 26 years gas prices have risen and mobile phones have made a few improvements to say the least. While it may seem like all has changed, Mike McCoy has epitomized the saying, “The more things change; the more things stay the same.” This year marks McCoy’s unprecedented 9th Iowa Player of the Year Award!
McCoy’s incredibly consistent play propelled him as high as 4th in the U.S. Amateur Rankings and 8th in the World Amateur Rankings in 2009. While just missing a spot on the U.S. Walker Cup Team this fall, it’s a testament to his game that he was on the short list of candidates at 46 years of age.
McCoy’s year was highlighted by earning co-medalist honors and advancing to the Round of 16 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur (Semi-Finalist in 2008) for the second consecutive year. While a major win eluded him in 2009, an abundant amount of top finishes at prestigious events highlighted his resume.
Runner-up finishes at the 107th Iowa Amateur and Iowa Mid-Amateur combined with a 4th place finish at the Porter Cup and a 3rd place finish at The Azalea Amateur helped McCoy amass over 1700 points in 2009.
This is the West Des Moines resident’s fourth win this decade (2001, 2005, 2008) and he earned the award four times in the 1990’s (1992-94, 1996.).
Former Player of the Year (2002) Gene Elliott of West Des Moines finished 2nd in the standings. While McCoy accumulated points on the national circuit, Elliott earned his points within the state lines of Iowa collecting wins at the Carroll Amateur, Iowa Masters, Herman Sani and Iowa Mid-Amateur.
In addition to his four wins, Elliott was a semi-finalist at the IGA Match Play played at the Tournament Club of Iowa and finished 4th at the 107th Iowa Amateur played at Sunnyside CC.
A record-setting performance at the Iowa Amateur Championship was the highlight of Ben Herrera’s year. Finishing 3rd in the standings, Herrera won Iowa’s oldest championship by 10 strokes over a field that featured 19 of the then top 20 in the Player of the Year Standings.
The Iowa State golfer posted a 14-under-par total of 202 over 54-holes and set the record for most strokes under par. The record is even more impressive considering that the championship has been played in both a 54 and 72-hole format.
Herrera collected his other win of the year in June at the Fort Dodge Amateur. Ben was also runner-up at the Carroll Amateur and Iowa Masters, being denied wins on both occasions by Elliott.
Complete results and details of the Player of the Year race can be found online at www.iowagolf.org.
Jim Butler Wins Senior Player of the Year Race Jim Butler’s game seems to thrive in odd numbered years. The 2005 and 2007 Senior Player of the Year kept his trend going with a 3rd title in 2009. The Fort Madison resident kept a very busy schedule in 2009. Considering a player can count all points from IGA and USGA Championships and three additional sanctioned events, earning points in nine events is quite an accomplishment.
Butler won the Senior Match Play Championship as well as the Clinton Riverboat Days and the Iowa Masters. His run to the Round of 16 at the IGA Match Play Championship was highlighted by a 2 & 1 victory over ’08 Senior Player of the Year Bill Manske in a second round match.
Butler finished 3rd at the Iowa Senior Amateur behind champion Sam Aossey, who finished 2nd in the Senior Player of the Year Standings.
Aossey’s name was a fixture near the top of leader boards in ’09. While his five-stroke win in August at the Iowa Senior Amateur shined the brightest on his ’09 resume, his four runner-up finishes proved that he was always in contention. The Cedar Rapids resident earned runner-up honors at the IGA Four-Ball, Carroll Amateur, Waterloo Open and Iowa Mid-Amateur.
Bill Manske followed up his ’08 Player of the Year campaign with a 3rd place finish in ’09. Two wins, the Lake Creek Amateur and Briarwood Amateur, along with a handful of top-five finishes gave Manske another successful year. Manske also earned enough points in “Open” competitions to finish 17th in the regular Player of the Year standings!
Iowa Junior Champ Andrew Peter Claims Junior Player of the Year Award Decorah golfer Andrew Peter started making his case for IGA Junior Player of the Year early in the season. In late May he claimed medalist honors at the 3A Boys State Championship and led his team to a 5th place finish. Peter kept the momentum rolling in early June, dominating the IGA Junior Amateur at Waveland Golf Course in Des Moines with a 4-under-par total of 140, nine shots ahead of the field!
While he did not qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur, a 5th place finish at the qualifying added to his point total. In July he was one of two current Iowa High School champions to make the cut at the Iowa Amateur Championship. Jon Tink of Waterloo joined Peter in that accomplishment.
Steven Ihm of Peosta finished 2nd to Peter in the Standings. He, too, had success in the Iowa High School State Championship, finishing 6th individually in Class 4A. Ihm was runner-up to Peter in the Iowa Junior Amateur and accumulated the rest of his points competing on the Iowa PGA Junior Tour. |
Business Partners
