2019 Yearbook.indd

16 | IOWA MID-AMATEUR D ennis Bull, of Norwalk, stayed the course during the breezy and cold final round of the Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship. Bull’s patience paid off, awarding him the victory at Briarwood Golf Club. The win marks Bull’s first ‘solo’ IGA title, as he paired up with Dusty Drenth to win the IGA Four-Ball last year. Bull began the day one shot behind opening round leader John Burgett, of Waukee. Burgett extended his lead to three strokes in the opening holes, but it wasn’t enough to fend off Bull’s consistent play. “This is going to be a long day I thought,” Bull said after the round. “I made a sloppy bogey on #1. John made a nice, long putt on #2, so right away I was in a hole. I didn’t birdie #3 or #4. I was playing ok, just wasn’t scoring. But then I birdied 5 and it was back and forth after that." A birdie on the 12th hole moved Bull to one back, but Burgett rallied and extended his lead. Two excellent swings on the 14th left Burgett an eagle putt he converted to gain himself a three stroke lead on the field. “John made eagle on #14, which was fantastic and then I fail tomake birdie, so (once again) I am three (strokes) down, Bull said. “I didn’t think I was out of it after he made eagle. I had good looks on #16-18 for birdie, just didn’t make any of them and he made a couple bogeys coming in.” Bull’s final round included a pair of birdies to offset his two bogeys, which was good enough to win by one stroke over Burgett and three over West Des Moines’ Ryan Bishop. Bull, who shot 145 (+1) for the championship, admitted with the cooler, windier weather in the final round, birdies would be hard to come by. “My mindset was trying to stay patient today,” Bull said. “I drove the ball so-so early on, but didn’t make many mistakes. Scores were a little higher due to the weather. There was a little bit of wind and it was cold. But it’s nice to win one of these, I have been trying for a while.” In the Senior Division, West Des Moines’ Bob Brooks and Brian Verduyn, of Polk City, were neck and neck after day one, both firing bogey-free 68's. Brooks' round included two birdies and an eagle on #12. Verduyn got things going on the back nine, making three birdies to get himself to (-4) and tied with Brooks for the lead. The two locked horns again in the final round as both players finished with a two-round score of 143 BRIARWOOD GOLF CLUB, ANKENY MAY 10-11, 2019 Bul l stays pat ient , wins 34th Iowa Mid-Amateur Dennis Bull came from behind to win