The full council of Reocín has agreed to put the name of the Cantabrian golfer murdered in September, Celia Barquín Arozamena, who played college golf at Iowa State University, to its municipal pavilion of Puente San Miguel (shown above courtesy of Alan Shipnuck), as a tribute to this born sportswoman in the locality and whose family resides in it.

In a statement, the first deputy mayor and Councilor for Sports of the Municipality of Reocín, Mario Iglesias, highlights that the plenary adopted this decision last night, considering that Celia Barquín “represented and represents the values ​​of sport”.

“Those of us who knew Celia and her family can say that it is an honor for all our people that our municipal sports center bears her name,” the mayor assures.

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A large group of ‘Iowa gals’ participated once again this year in the Naples Invitational Golf Tournament to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation earlier this week as part of the Play for P.I.N.K. efforts. Those from Iowa that participated in the charity event (pictured above) included Jan DeMott, Mary Saxton, Julie Lisle, Julie Swanson, Jules Daughton, Judy McCarty, Jill Blackwood, Debra Larson, Judy Arledge, Diane Sanders, Flo Schall, Jody Neuhaus, Lyn Schumann, Kathy Fortune, Ruth Bond, Cristy Schmidt, MaryAnn Brown, Robbie Hall and Carol Dodge.

To speed advances in breast cancer detection, treatment and survivorship, Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate diagnosis, New technology, Knowledge) supports thousands of volunteers nationwide as they raise funds for research through sporting and lifestyle events. Their efforts raise $4.6 million annually — and 100% of that goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“This is a true labor of love for us because each of us has had a battle with breast cancer,” Blackwood said in a recent feature on the Play for P.I.N.K webpage. “Judy was diagnosed in 1999, had a mastectomy and has been disease free since. I was diagnosed in 2016. I had a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. In 2017 the cancer had metastasized. I went on a drug that was specifically developed for this type of cancer and did well for another year. When it stopped working I switched to another drug. The side effects were disastrous. I stopped taking all cancer medications and entered hospice. Today, I am happy to report that I am feeling much better and am able to function. I’m sharing my experience to illustrate the need for more research to bring an end to this awful disease. Play for P.I.N.K. donates 100% of all monies raised to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation which is important to Judy and me. Both of us believe research is the route to a cure.”

Play for P.I.N.K. supports events in 30 states across the country, with more than 30,000 annual participants turning their passion for golf, tennis, and other sports and lifestyle pursuits into substantial support for research. To date, Play for P.I.N.K. has raised nearly $53 million and currently supports 26 scientists at leading academic medical institutions around the world.

Click here to read a feature on Blackwood
and McCarty’s involvement in the charity event

Chuck “Chaz” Zwiener, of Iowa City, passed away earlier this week. Zwiener was a 1989 recipient of the (now named) George Turner Distinguished Service Award and directed both Finkbine Golf Course and the Hawkeye Men’s Golf team (1958-1989) at the University of Iowa.

According to his University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame bio, Zwiener coached five all-Americans, eight all-Big Ten Conference players, five teams to NCAA championships placing ninth in 1960, ten teams to first division finishes in Big Ten Conference, nineteen Professional Golf Association club pros, six players on professional tour, two-time Club Pro Player of Year, and United States Golf Association’s amateur medalist; second longest consecutive coaching career (32 years) in Iowa history; Finkbine club pro for thirty-three years; and Iowa golf scholarship named in his honor in 1992.

Some of the golfers Zwiener coached include Gene Elliott (Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member and former IGA Board Member) Dave Rummells (Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member), Ross deBuhr, Scotty Howe and Tom Christensen (IGA Board member).

Memorial contributions may be made to the Charles Zwiener Endowed Scholarship for Golf, c/o Gay & Ciha Funeral Home in Iowa City. To share a thought, memory or condolence with Chuck’s family please visit the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com. Private family services with burial at Memory Gardens Cemetery have been held.

Jake Marvelli (above), of Indianola, put together a successful summer en route to his 2018 IGA Junior Player of the Year Award.

Marvelli was medalist at U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying, 2nd Alternate at U.S. Open Local Qualifying and finished T2nd in the Iowa High School Class 4A State Tournament. A T10th at the Midwest Junior Championship and T16th at the 116th Iowa Amateur also earned Marvelli points this summer.

Finishing just under 100 points back of Marvelli was Swisher’s Ian Johnston. Johnston’s season was highlighted by a win at the Iowa Junior Amateur Championship and UHY LLP CPA’s Junior Championship. Johnston also added high finishes at the 43rd Iowa Junior PGA Championship (T8th) and the Midwest Junior Championship (T6th).

Nick Pittman, of Urbandale, finished in third place in the standings, while Brock Barnhart, of Robins, and Lucas Scherf, of Grinnell, finished fourth and fifth, respectively. It should be noted that Scherf qualified into the U.S. Open Sectional by finishing T3rd at the U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Glen Oaks CC in May.

West Des Moines’ Paige Hoffman left little doubt in the IGA Junior Girl’s Player of the Year race, winning by over 500 points.

Hoffman collected wins at the Iowa PGA Spring Junior Open, John Deere Classic Junior Open, Cedar Valley Junior Tour Championship, Junior Tour Mid-Summer Classic, Pepsi Little Peoples and Junior Tour Championship. In addition to her six wins, Hoffman was runner-up at the IGHSAU Class 4A State Tournament.

Dubuque’s Anna Jensen finished second in the standings. She put together a summer that included five top three finishes. Three of those five were either runner-up or tied for runner-up finishes.

2017 IGA Women’s Player of the Year Britta Snyder, of Ames, finished in third place, while Waukee’s Brooke Boardman (4th) and West Des Moines’ Jenna Krogulski (5th) rounded out the top five.

The players will be honored during the IGA Player of the Year & Annual Awards banquet on December 14, at Echo Valley Country Club, Norwalk.

Mason City’s Sydney Eaton (above) captured the 7th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship in June to help earn her the top spot in the IGA Women’s Player of the Year standings. Eaton also finished high in the 94th Iowa Women’s Amateur (T4th) and the 8th IGA Women’s Four-Ball Championship (7th) with partner Karli Kerrigan.

Eaton finished with a total of 757.5 points, 157.5 clear of runner-up Sierra Hargens.

Hargens, of Cedar Rapids, earned all of her points in one event, but it was a big one.  She captured the 94th Iowa Women’s Amateur in July at Spirit Hollow, earning her 600 points.  Onawa’s Samantha Knight (3rd), Mason City’s Emily Snelling (4th) and Ankeny’s Karli Kerrigan (5th) rounded out the top five in the Player of the Year standings.

In one of the closest Senior Women’s Player of the Year races on record, Robin Webb (above) nudged four-time winner Rose Kubesheski by 5 points to win for the first time.

Webb won the Open Division of the 94th Iowa Women’s Amateur, was runner-up at the 53rd Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and finished third overall as an individual at the 57th IGA Women’s Club Team. Kubesheski won the 8th IGA Women’s Four-Ball Championship (Senior Division) with partner Margene Grady, finished 3rd in the 53rd Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and finished 6th in the Open Division of the 94th Iowa Women’s Amateur.

The top five in the standings also included Grady (3rd), Janece Schwartzkopf (4th) and Nancy Olberding (5th).

The players will be honored during the IGA Player of the Year & Annual Awards banquet on December 14, at Echo Valley Country Club, Norwalk.

New year, same story.

After knocking on the door several times, including several top-ten finishes in the IGA Player of the Year race, Johnston’s J.D. Anderson (above) broke through last year for his first player of the year award. With another consistent and strong year Anderson added a second title to his résumé in 2018.

Anderson was low amateur at the 69th Herman Sani Tournament, won the 33rd Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship and Briarwood Amateur and was medalist at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier. Anderson also was a semi-finalist at the 30th IGA Match Play Championship and runner-up at the Carroll Amateur.

Two-time IGA Player of the Year, Jon Brown, of Adel, finished in second place in this year’s race. Brown, who played a mix of open and senior division this year, captured the 30th IGA Match Play Championship and was runner-up at the Northwest Amateur and North Iowa Amateur. Brown added a pair of T3rd finishes in 2018 at the 116th Iowa Amateur and Iowa Masters.

Rounding out the top five included Norwalk’s Dennis Bull (3rd), Des Moines’ Willis Gaer (4th) and Des Moines’ Tripp Kinney (5th).

Joe Palmer (above), of West Des Moines, won the 2018 Senior Player of the Year. But it wasn’t easy.

After a summer of back and forth in the standings that included several players, Palmer earned his way to the top of the list with wins at the IGA Senior Match Play Championship, 40th Iowa Senior Amateur Championship, 69th Herman Sani Tournament (Senior Division) and the 23rd IGA Four-Ball Championship (with partner Terry Cook). Palmer was medalist at U.S. Senior Amateur Sectional Qualifying and made it to the Round of 32 at that championship. Palmer was a U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier, was low amateur (Senior Division) at the Iowa Open and finished runner-up at the North Iowa Amateur (Senior Division).

Adel’s Jon Brown finished just behind Palmer in the Player of the Year race. Brown was able to earn bonus points for his win at the 30th IGA Match Play to go along with his Senior Division victories at the Northwest Amateur and The Classic (Elmwood CC). Brown also finished runner-up at the 40th Iowa Senior Amateur Championship and tied for third place overall at the 116th Iowa Amateur and Iowa Masters (Open Division).

While he did not win a player of the year award, pulling off the “double runner-up” in both the open and senior divisions shows just how good of a year Brown had.

Urbandale’s Ron Peterson (3rd), Norwalk’s Mike McCoy (4th) and West Des Moines’ Gene Elliott (5th) rounded out the top five finishers in the Senior Division Player of the Year standings. It is worth noting that McCoy and Elliott both qualified for the Senior Open Championship, played over the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Nothing like an encore performance.

Marshalltown’s Rob Christensen (above) won his second IGA Super Senior Player of the Year in as many years. Started in 2018, the Super-Senior Division is comprised of those that are 65 and older.

Christensen’s wins (Super Senior Division) at the 2018 IGA Senior Match Play Championship, 69th Herman Sani Tournament, The Classic (Elmwood CC) and a runner-up finish at the Carroll Amateur vaulted him just ahead of good friend and last year’s runner-up in the Super Senior Division Dave Sergeant, of Fort Dodge.

Sergeant, who had a strong 2018 himself in the Super Senior Division, added wins at the 40th Iowa Senior Amateur Championship, Carroll Amateur and Fort Dodge Amateur. Sergeant finished runner-up at The Classic, Iowa Masters and the 69th Herman Sani Tournament.

The players will be honored during the IGA Player of the Year & Annual Awards banquet on December 14, at Echo Valley Country Club, Norwalk.