2021 IGA Yearbook

IGA WOMEN’S MATCH PLAY TALONS GOLF, ANKENY JUNE 29-JULY 2, 2021 L eanne Smith did it again at the 10th IGA Women's Match Play Championship at Talons Golf in Ankeny, Iowa. Smith has now won the last four IGA match play events she has entered (2019 IGA Women's Match Play, 2020 IGA Women's Match Play, 2021 Forever 39 Match Play and now the 2021 IGA Women's Match Play). "I really enjoy match play," Smith said. "I know that I am going to mess up some holes and that I can recover on the next hole, so I just take it one hole at a time." The journey to defend her titles was not easy for Smith. In her earlier matches she defeated Jolee Belzung, Kelly Grimes and Laura Leszczynski. Smith continued to dominate the competition as she made her way around the course. Up next after dispatching Leszczynski in the quarterfinals, Smith had to play two young competitors, Hannah Bermel and Anna Jensen, in her last two remaining matches. Smith was able to save par on the 18th hole to close out the match against Bermel in the morning after a back and forth battle. "Hannah was so fun to play with and it is fun to watch her and other players grow into who they are now," said Smith. After the match against Bermel, Smith knew she would be playing Anna Jensen, who was the youngest player in the field (19). Jensen won her match over the No. 1 seed, Brooke Newell, and advanced to the finals. Smith Defends Her Tit le At 10th IGA Women' s Match Play Three-peat! Leanne Smith of Indianola won the IGA Women's Match Play at Talons Golf for the third year in a row.