It was a battle of grit and resolve at Whispering Creek Golf Club, and in the end, Nate McCoy (above) emerged victorious at the 40th Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship. McCoy weathered brutal conditions and a hard-charging Trent Lindenman to win by a single shot—and claim a title that carries deep personal significance, as his father’s name is etched on the permanent trophy.

Entering the final round tied atop the leaderboard with Lindenman and veteran Gene Elliott, McCoy got off to a strong start with two birdies in his first seven holes, making the turn at one-under-par.

Lindenman, who posted a front-nine 38, mounted a spirited comeback with four birdies on the inward nine. After two superb shots into the 18th green, he had a real chance to force a playoff. But when his eagle chip settled inside 10 feet, the ensuing birdie putt slid just past the edge. That left McCoy with a three-foot par putt for the win—a simliar length he missed in 2024 to fall out of a playoff in this very event.

This time, there was no hesitation. McCoy calmly rolled it in to secure the win with a final score of 73-80-70 (+7).

“It was maybe the three hardest days to play ever,” McCoy said with a smile. “The first day was firm and challenging, but the second round was the worst-case scenario—we got poured on during the back nine. I tried to keep the grips dry, but lost that battle. I struggled to keep the ball in play.”

While the final round brought calmer winds and finally some sunshine, the relentless conditions had already taken their toll.

“I was teeing the ball low and just trying to bunt it down the fairway at times,” McCoy added. “Into the wind, you’re trying to flight it, and even downwind it was tough. I was just trying to get a yardage to the front of the green and adjust from there.”

Aware that a strong final round was necessary, McCoy aimed to set a target that would force the others to chase.

“I thought if I could shoot four under, someone in the last group would need to go five under to beat me,” he said. “I knew I needed to try and go low today.”

McCoy had high praise for Lindenman, who nearly stole the spotlight with his late charge.

“I give a lot of credit to Trent,” McCoy said. “He’s one of the best guys I know and such a solid player. He really went after it. If he had gotten me, I would’ve been happy for him. I respect his game immensely—and him even more as a person. We’ll have some good battles in the future.”

As for the final putt? McCoy said he didn’t think once about the similar miss from last year.

“Actually, it didn’t even cross my mind,” he said. “I putted well this week—it was the strongest part of my game. I made a lot of key putts when I needed them.”

The victory was especially meaningful after last year’s heartbreak.

“After Bos Landen last year, I was in a dark place after missing that short putt,” McCoy said. “So I’m glad to get a win—and not have history repeat itself. This is a great way to start my season. Next up is the Lake Creek Amateur.”

In the Senior Division, Joe Palmer nearly lapped the field, finishing seven ahead of Ron Peterson, after firing rounds of 75-73-72. His round of 73 in brutal conditions in the second round was astonishing.

“It could have been better,” Palmer said after his second round. “I three putted a couple times.”

A similar story could be told in the Super Senior Division as Dave Gaer pulled away for a nine shot victory over Tim Peters.

“Those conditions were brutal,” Gaer said in summarizing his week.

Complete Results

From left – Dave Gaer (Super Senior Division Champion), Nate McCoy (Mid-Amateur Division Champion) and Joe Palmer (Senior Division Champion).