2020 IGA Yearbook

IOWA SENIOR AMATEUR I owa Golf Hall of Famer Gene Elliott, of West Des Moines, grew up playing on the fairways of Crow Valley Golf Club in Davenport. It’s been said it can be tougher to win a golf tournament on your home course because everyone expects you to win. “That’s what I told the members here at Crow Valley,” Elliott said. “But this isn’t my home golf course anymore, but I have been over every inch of property at this golf course and probably have had every putt out there.” Elliott took the challenge head on, leveraging his course knowledge all week long to narrowly win the 42nd Iowa Senior Amateur Championship. He posted rounds of 74-73-71 to post a 54-hole 218 (+5) to finish one shot clear of Muscatine’s Tom Norton. All of the course knowledge in the world can only get you so far - Elliott noted that despite having grown up playing the greens at Crow Valley Golf Club, every putt still requires your full attention. “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." Norton opened with a round of 77 (+5) before posting consecutive even par rounds of 71 to finish one shy of Elliott. Norwalk’s Joe Palmer finished in third place with a 54-hole total of 220 (+7). In the Super Senior Division, Marshalltown’s Rob CROW VALLEY GOLF CLUB, DAVENPORT AUGUST 24-26, 2020 El l iott wins f i f th Iowa Senior Amateur t it le at chi ldhood club Iowa Senior Amateur Champion, Gene Elliott (L), with Super Senior victor, Rob Christensen.