It’s been said it can be tougher to win a golf tournament on your home course, because everyone expects you to win. To a certain extent, West Des Moines’ Gene Elliott (above left) knew that all too well this week at the 42nd Iowa Senior Amateur at Crow Valley Golf Club, a place he grew up playing.

“That’s what I told the members here at Crow Valley,” Elliott said. “But this isn’t my home golf course anymore. I have been over every inch of property at this golf course and probably have had every putt out there.”

Elliott (+5), who finished with rounds of 74-73-71 (218), got off to a quick start in Wednesday’s final round, with an opening nine holes in 32 (-3). A couple slight bumps in the road on holes 14-16 made things more interesting down the stretch, but with two pars to finish, Elliott won his fifth Iowa Senior Amateur title by a shot over Muscatine’s Tom Norton (+6), who posted his own final round 71 (E).

Elliott admitted, regardless of how many times you’ve played at Crow Valley GC one thing remains the same – the difficulty of the greens are nothing to lose sight of.

“These are some of the toughest greens in the midwest,” Elliott said. “It doesn’t matter how many times you have played here, the putts are still hard.”

Elliott, who recently played in the U.S. Amateur in Oregon, a tournament loaded with ‘kids’ much younger, said it’s good to be back competing against players over 50.

“It’s nice playing with my own age group,” Elliott said. “As long as I am still standing, we’ll go for a sixth (title) next year.”

In the Super Senior Division, Marshalltown’s Rob Christensen (above right) outlasted fellow Marshalltown resident Pat Ryan by eight shots overall after a fine final round of 70 (-1), including a near hole-out to end his tournament on the par three 9th hole.

“That was a nice way to finish,” Christensen said. “I birdied a lot of par threes this week.”

Christensen commented that he was able to pick up a lot of ‘home course’ knowledge during his practice round and without a doubt that was the key to his success in the Quad Cities this week.

“I owe a lot to Bill Tank, a member here (at Crow Valley),” Christensen said. “He took us around during our practice round and told us where to hit, not to hit it. He said whatever you do, do not be above the hole. That was the key for me, I kept it below the hole all week.”

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Norwalk’s Joe Palmer is in familiar territory at the 42nd Iowa Senior Amateur Championship.

Palmer, who has captured three Iowa Senior Amateur crowns (2013, 2015, 2018), leads by two strokes heading into today’s final round at Crow Valley Golf Club. Palmer’s round of 70 (-1) in the second round included six birdies.

Sitting in second place, Gene Elliott, of West Des Moines, has four Iowa Senior Amateur titles to his credit (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019) and will look to add a fifth title to the trophy case.

Not to be forgotten, Jeff Collett (Ottumwa) and Tom Norton (Muscatine) just three shots back of Palmer, while Dave Gaer (Des Moines) and Terry Cook (Norwalk) will look to make a move as they both sit just four shots off the pace.

In the Super Senior Division, Pat Ryan, of Marshalltown, leads Rob Christensen, of Marshalltown, by a shot heading into today’s action. First round leader John Brown, of Urbandale, sits in third place, five off the lead.

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Polk City’s Brian Verduyn set the pace in the opening round of the 42nd Iowa Senior Amateur, posting an even par round of 71. He leads by two at Crow Valley Golf Club, with a group of four sitting just two shots of his lead.

Defending champion Gene Elliott is in a tie for 6th place and is three shot back of Verduyn.

Urbandale’s John Brown also shot even par and leads the Super Senior Division by a pair over Pat Ryan of Marshalltown. Second rounds play begins Tuesday morning with the field being cut at the end of the day for Wednesday’s final round.

Click here for a recap of scoring