2018 Yearbook

68 U.S. Senior Am Sectional Qualifier Sunnyside CC, Waterloo July 30 Mike McCoy and Gene Elliott are two of the biggest names in national and international senior ama- teur golf these days. So Joe Palmer decided to elbow his way in and make it a “Big Three”. While McCoy and Elliott earned their way to the national championship with exemptions, Palmer had to fight off Muscatine’s Tom Norton in a playoff at Sunnyside Country Club in the Iowa qualifier to punch his ticket. Iowa’s three man contingent at the U. S. Senior Amateur Championship turned heads at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. First, in the 36-hole stroke play qualifying, fresh off his win in the Iowa Senior Ama- teur, Palmer kept it rolling to finish third (74-68-142); Elliott tied for sixth (74-70-144) and McCoy tied for 17th (77-71-148). Three players in the top 17! No other state did better than that, including Califor- nia, Florida and Texas. In Match Play they all won their opening matches to land in the Round of 32. (“You sure these guys are from Iowa?”) Palmer knocked out David West of Oxford, Pa. by 3 & 2, Elliott moved past Brian Tennyson of Fernando Beach, Fla. by the same margin. Meanwhile, McCoy, the 2013 U. S. Mid-Ama- teur Champion, eased past Houston’s Hunter Nelson by a 2 & 1 score. Sadly, Joe’s run ended with a tight 2 & 1 loss to Craig Davis of Chula Beach, Calif.. Meanwhile, Gene moved past Michael Rowley of San Luis Obispo, Calif. in a close 1-up win and Mike dispatched Robert Funk of Canyon Lake, Calif., by a 2 & 1 margin. On to the “Sweet 16”! There were many in attendance that thought this might be Gene Elliott’s year. Ranked #1 Senior in the Global Golf Post, he came in as the hottest guy on the Senior Amateur circuit. But Ned Zachar, of Bedford, N.Y., nipped Gene by a 1 up count to end his run. But close friend Mike McCoy was not done yet. Mike swatted Buzz Fly (sorry) of Memphis, Tenn., 2 & 1 in the 3rd round and then eased by Jerry Rose of Sarasota in the quarterfinals. All that only to draw defending champion (and long time friend) Sean Knapp of Oakmont, Pa. for a battle in the semifinals. Two of the best at the top of their games put on a strong show. But Knapp, who played rather poorly in the stroke play, barely getting in as the #52 seed, handed Mike a tough loss by a 2 & 1 margin. Iowa’s “Big Three” show well at U.S. Senior Am Qualifying Results (Par-72) Joe Palmer Tom Norton Don Peterson Sam Billmeyer -1 -1 +1 +1 1 2 T3 T3 71 71 73 73 Joe Palmer