Month: August 2017

Elliott birdies four holes coming in, qualifies for U.S. Mid-Amateur

iowagolfAugust 22, 20170 commentsNews, USGA

West Des Moines’ Gene Elliott (pictured above) continued his great play this summer with a 69 (-3) at White Deer Run Golf Club, Vernon Hills, IL, to qualify for the U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Elliott’s score was good enough to tie for the final two qualifying spots. Elliott now moves on to the Atlanta area where the championship proper will be held (Capital City Club and Atlanta National Golf Club), October 7-12.

Elliott’s round at White Deer Run Golf Club included five birdies, with four of those coming in a five-hole stretch on his way in (#13-17).

Click here to see a recap of scoring from the qualifier.

What a week – Team USA wins 2017 Solheim Cup

iowagolfAugust 21, 20170 commentsNews

Team USA won the 2017 Solheim Cup for a second year running, as they refused to let the European’s create history by not letting their five point lead slip.

Wins from Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Lizette Salas, Gerina Piller, and Danielle Kang, combined with halves from Lexi Thompson and Angel Yin and were enough to see USA win 16 ½ – 11 ½.

However, early in the day, there was plenty of blue on the board to cause Juli Inkster some concern, as the European’s looked to re-write the record books. However, Inkster’s team remained calm and ultimately Sorenstam’s side had left themselves too much to do heading into the singles.

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Five things you need to know about the Solheim Cup

iowagolfAugust 14, 20170 commentsNews

Photo Credit: 2015 Getty Images

This week, the Solheim Cup returns to the United States for the 15^th edition of the matches. This year, Des Moines Golf and Country Club hosts the matches between Teams U.S.A. and Europe as they square off for the coveted crystal that the Americans brought back to the States in 2015. In the last match up, Team U.S.A. mounted the largest comeback in the history of the event, overcoming a 10 – 6 deficit heading into Sunday’s single matches, to win 14 ½ to 13 ½. The Americans look to retain the cup for the first time since 2009 when they picked up their third consecutive win.

Click here to read more about you need to know this week.

Voke storms back to win 68th Herman Sani Tournament

iowagolfAugust 14, 20170 commentsChampionships, Herman Sani Tournament

You would expect a Cyclone to storm back.

New Zeland’s Nick Voke (pictured above), who just completed his eligibility at Iowa State University this spring, stormed back to win the 68th Herman Sani Tournament at Echo Valley Country Club.

Voke, who posted an impressive 66 (-5) in the final round, shot 204 (-9) over the three-day event to win by three over former teammate Denzel Ieremia.

“I struck the ball pretty well all week,” Voke said. “I did a little bit of work before today’s round trying to get the speed of the greens.”

Voke admitted that he didn’t even play a practice round, let alone have any prior experience at EVCC.

“I walked the course before round one,” Voke said. “I had a good gameplan and was able to come away with (the win).”

Voke birdied three of the last four holes to pull away.

“I was able to make a nice putt on #17,” Voke said. “Then I made a seven-footer on #18 to finish.”

In the Senior Division Joe Palmer, who won the Senior Division in 2013, made birdie on the last hole to take home the title by a shot over Curtis Holck and Rob Dickerman.

Palmer finished at 210 (-3) for the event.

Click here for a full recap of scoring.

Jennings grabs lead to himself at Herman Sani Tournament

iowagolfAugust 12, 20170 commentsChampionships, Herman Sani Tournament

The weather was basically perfect and it was a day for scoring at the 68th Herman Sani Tournament.

Players found favorable conditions at Echo Valley Country Club today as many birdies were to be had. First round co-leader Matthew Jennings (pictured above) followed up his opening round 66 with a 68 (-3) and sits at 134 (-8) through two days. Zach Steffen, who fired the round of the day (65), sits just one back of Jennings. Denzel Ieremia, who co-led with Jennings after yesterday’s round, posted 69 (-2) and is also at 135 total along with Steffen.

A total of 7 players are under par after two days of play in the Open Division.

In the Senior Division Joe Palmer (140) took the lead thanks to his 68 (-3) today. He leads Curtis Holck by one shot. Terry Cook and Rob Dickerman are just two shots off the lead. Dickerman shot 67 (-4) today to climb back into the chase.

Click here for scoring recap.

Ieremia, Jennings lead after opening day of 68th Herman Sani Tournament

iowagolfAugust 11, 20170 commentsChampionships, Herman Sani Tournament

Denzel Ieremia (a) and Matthew Jennings (p) lead after the opening round of the 68th Herman Sani Tournament being played at Echo Valley Country Club (pictured above). Both players fired 66 (-5) to take jump out to a share of the lead.

Playing the Ridge and Vale course rotation during the tournament this weekend, Ieremia (7) and Jennings (6) found plenty of birdies on their card. Jennings at one point strung for in a row together.

Nick Voke (a) and Mitch Tucker (p) both shot 69 (-2) and sit just three of the pace.

In the Senior Division, Curtis Holck (71) will take a one shot lead over Joe Palmer and Jay Gregory.

Click here for a recap of scoring.

Inkster announces Solheim Cup replacement for Jessica Korda

iowagolfAugust 8, 20170 commentsNews

Photo courtesy of The Solheim Cup/LPGA Communications.

USA Solheim Cup Captain Juli Inkster announced today that six-time USA Solheim Cup veteran Paula Creamer will replace the injured Jessica Korda at the 2017 Solheim Cup, being conducted next week in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Inkster chose Creamer as her alternate when she selected her team on Sunday night and informed the European team as required by the captain’s agreement. However, she did not publicly reveal her choice until after Korda withdrew on Monday due to a forearm injury.

Click here to read more

A transcript of today’s announcement will be posted at https://asaptext.com/orgs/lpga/210

Hunters Ridge Golf Course wins 56th IGA Women’s Club Team Championship

iowagolfAugust 8, 20170 commentsChampionships, IGA Women's Club Team

The team from Hunters Ridge Golf Course (pictured above) captured the 56th IGA Women’s Club Team Championship at Marshalltown’s Elmwood Country Club with a score of 239 (+26). Led by Julie Buerman, who was the individual gross score winner with 71 (E), HRGC outdistanced Briarwood Golf Club by 9 shots. HRGC’s team consisted of Katie Wenthe, Mollie Lorenz, Carol Klocke and Buerman.

In the Net Division, Des Moines Golf and Country Club (above) edged out HRGC by a single shot, 217-218. DMGCC was led by overall Individual Net Division winner Kelly Dettbarn, who posted a net 65 (-6). DMGCC’s team included Barb Burley, Amy Fox, Leighann LaRocca and Dettbarn.

The format of the event similar to a college or high school event, in which an IGA Member Club submits a team of four women to play. There was both a gross and net competition, with the best 3 of 4 18-hole gross or net scores counting for the team score, respectively. Overall a total of 16 IGA Club Member teams participated in the event.

Click here for a full recap of scoring.

Gross – Individual Champion -Julie Buerman (71)

Net – Individual Net Division winner Kelly Dettbarn (65)

Billmeyer takes medal at U.S. Senior Am qualifying

iowagolfAugust 7, 20170 commentsChampionships, News, USGA

Sam Billmeyer (pictured at left above, with USGA Senior Amateur Committee member John Webb), of Ankeny, shot a 2-under 70 on Monday at the Briarwood Golf Club in Ankeny to earn the lone qualifying spot into the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. Billmeyer moves on to play the national event August 26-31 at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Billmeyer, who played in the first group out, didn’t get off to a great start, but closed with a flourish. After a birdie at 3, he made bogey at 5, 6 & 9 to turn at 2-over par 38. But then he tore up the back nine, firing a 4-under 32 with birdies at 10, 12, 14 and 16 against no bogeys. That run was good enough for a one shot win over Joe Palmer of West Des Moines.

Palmer is the 1st alternate while Tom Norton, of Muscatine, is the 2nd alternate. Norton shot even-par 72.

You can view complete results here.

IGA Women’s Club Team set to go at Elmwood CC

iowagolfAugust 7, 20170 commentsChampionships, News

The 56th IGA Women’s Club Team Championship takes place Monday, August 7th at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown. The format is similar to a college or high school event, in which an IGA Member Club submits a team of four women to play. There is both a gross and net competition, with the best 3 of 4 18-hole gross or net scores counting for the team score, respectively.

Play gets underway with a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start. Echo Valley CC is the defending gross champion while Wakonda Club won the net competition last year.

Click here to view scoring from the IGA Women’s Club Team