Month: August 2022

Leszczynski defends title at LPN, Grady earns third Super Senior victory

iowagolfAugust 10, 20220 commentsChampionships, Iowa Senior Amateur

Laura Leszczynski (above) will engrave her name on the Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur trophy for the third time in her career after outlasting, Rose Kubesheski, at the 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Lake Panorama National Golf Course in Panora.

As the two leaders, Leszczynski and Kubesheski, approached the final three-hole stretch, there seemed to be anyone’s title for the taking.

“We didn’t really know what the scores were,” Leszczynski said. “I thought I was down one. On the last few holes, my goal was just to make par all the way in.”

On hole 18, Kubesheski was inches away from holing out for birdie from just off the green. Leszczynski stood and watched Kubesheski tap in for her par, knowing that she was going to need her eight-foot par putt to drop.

“I thought my last putt was for a push to go into a play off,” Leszczynski said. “I put a lot a pressure on myself for that one, so it was a relief to make that one.”

Her putt caught the lip of the hole and fell. Little did she know that putt was for her second straight Senior Women’s Amateur Title, but Leszczynski couldn’t take all the credit.

“Coming off of the USGA Event, I didn’t play well there,” Leszczynski said. “I was fortunate enough to have some time with my local head golf professional, Jason Marvelli. He fixed my swing, so I came in here with a brand-new swing. To know where the ball was going to go instead of wish where it was going to go was awesome.”

A new swing was just enough for Leszczynski to defeat the seven-time Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur champion, Kubesheski.

“Rose played great,” Leszczynski said. “She makes me play better and keeps me focused. For me, I just need to stay calm and remind myself to stay in the game. To watch her play and play so evenly is always fun to watch, but I needed to play my own game and not play against her.”

As Leszczynski glanced at the trophy she worked so hard for, she could only share how much fun she had.

“To win this one, in such a close way was fun,” Leszczynski said.

A two-time Super Senior Women’s Amateur Champion, Margene Grady, made it three with a playoff victory over Jeanette Fredericksen.

The crowd of senior ladies were filled with anticipation as they followed Grady and Fredericksen back to the 10th tee. After Fredericksen left her approach just short of the putting surface, Grady stuck hers to the middle of the green. Fredericksen was unable to save par, and Grady two-putted.

With a par on that first playoff hole, Grady headed back to the clubhouse with a big smile and a third Super Senior Women’s Amateur title.

Fortune wins shootout
Congratulations to the IGA’s first ever IGA Senior Women’s Shoot-out champion, Kathy Fortune. Fortune felt the pressure she said but came through and defeated Janece Schwartzkopf in a late chip-off to win the ‘last-man standing’ style mini-game.

Championship Division
1. Laura Leszczynski 77-77=154
2. Rose Kubesheski 77-78=155
3. Michelle Klein 78-86=164
4. Kathy Fortune 85-82=167
T5. Jeanette Fredericksen 87-82=169
T5. Margene Grady 86-83=169
T5. Kelly Grimes 82-87=169

Super Senior Division
1. Margene Grady 86-83=169 *Won Playoff*
2. Jeanette Fredericksen 87-82=169
T3. Janis Owens 91-84=175
T3. Jennifer Corkrean 88-87=175
Sue Harmon 83-93=176

Familiar faces lead the pace at 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur

iowagolfAugust 9, 20220 commentsChampionships, Iowa Senior Women's Amateur

Iowa’s three U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship qualifiers, Laura Leszczynski, Rose Kubesheski (above) and Michelle Klein are on top of the first-round leaderboard at the 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Lake Panorama National Golf Course in Panora.

Defending champion, Leszczynski, tied Kubesheski for the lowest round of the day with a five over 77. With 13 pars on the day, Leszczynski’s consistent play might be enough to take down the current leader for the Senior Women’s Player of the Year, Kubesheski.

Kubesheski is looking for her eighth Senior Women’s Amateur Championship title, and she set herself up well after round one. After a quick double bogey on the first hole, Kubesheski played the following 12 holes at even par.

Klein snuck up on the leaders and will put the pressure on in the final round. Klein recorded 10 pars and one birdie to find the top-three on the leaderboard. Her round of 78 will be enough for Leszczynski and Kubesheski to keep an eye on.

On the penultimate hole, Kelly Grimes knocked in a long birdie to place her inside the top-five. Grimes finished with a par on the 18th hole to post an 82 and finds herself five shots behind the leaders, Leszczynski and Kubesheski.

Kelly Grimes’ partner in crime, Sue Harmon, rounds out the top-five with an 11-over round. Harmon’s 40 on the back nine pushed her into contention and out of the two-way tie for sixth place.

The final round of the 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship will begin Tuesday morning. Follow the ladies using our live scoring feature to find out who will be crowned the Senior Women’s Champion.

Championship Division
T1. Laura Leszczynski +5 77
T1. Rose Kubesheski +5 77
3. Michelle Klein +6 78
4. Kelly Grimes +10 82
5. Sue Harmon +11 83

Net Division
1. Sue Harmon -2 70
T2. Kelly Grimes -1 71
T2. Rose Kubesheski -1 71
T2. Ardrae Parmenter E 72
5. Michelle Klein +1 73

Anderson claims 2022 Northwest Amateur, Brown & Muller take home wins

iowagolfAugust 8, 20220 commentsChampionships, News

J.D. Anderson (above) grabbed his first win of the season at the 2022 Northwest Amateur Championship at Spencer Golf and Country Club over the weekend. Anderson had to go low to knock off the recent U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifier, Dennis Bull.

Through the first two rounds, Anderson recorded 17 birdies without a bogey on the card. With a four-shot lead going into the final 36-hole round, Anderson continued to make birdies and extend his lead. Bull closed in on Anderson’s lead after the front nine of their final 18 holes. However, Anderson caught fire on the back nine with five birdies in his final eight holes to win the championship.

Iowa Golf Hall of Famer, Jon Brown, was victorious in the Senior Division. Brown fired rounds of 68 and 69 to claim his win over second place finishers, Terry Cook and Jay Gregory. With 141 tallies, Cook and Gregory finished four shots behind Brown.

Jay Muller was the Super Senior Division champion with rounds of 72 and 75. Muller ended with a two-shot lead over Bob Brummel, who posted rounds of 73 and 76 to earn a second-place finish.

The 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship begins today! Follow the ladies as they make their way around Lake Panorama National Golf Course.

Championship Division
1. J.D. Anderson -22 62-65-71-68=266
2. Dennis Bull -19 65-66-71-67=269
3. Samuel Storey -16 62-72-72-66=272
T4. Antoine Sale -13 66-68-72-69=275
T4. Jon Brown -13 68-69-68-70=275

Senior Division
1. Jon Brown -7 68-69=137
T2. Terry Cook -3 72-69=141
T2. Jay Gregory -3 71-70=141
Chris Kramer E 73-71=144
Brad Van Roekel +4 75-73=148

Super Senior Division
1. Jay Muller +3 72-75=147
2. Bob Brummel +5 73-76=149
T3. Ron Peterson +6 72-78=150
T3. Mark Gambaiana +6 72-78=150
T3. Bill Mathers +6 71-79=150

Canfield, Combs advance to 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur

iowagolfAugust 2, 20220 commentsUSGA, USGA Qualifiers

David Combs (above left) and Michael Canfield (above right) are headed to a USGA Championship for the first time in their careers. After qualifying for the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, hosted by Geneva Golf and Country Club, Combs and Canfield will travel to Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin come early September.

Canfield had to sit and wait for the rest of the field to finish after turning in his three-under round of 68 early in the day. The wait was worth it, but there was still work to be done.

Canfield joined Combs and two others in a four-player playoff to decide the qualifiers and alternates. With a par on the first and second holes, Canfield and Combs shook hands and congratulated each other as first-time USGA Championship qualifiers.

It was a special moment for the two qualifiers. Full of excitement, Canfield hopped into the cart, after taping in and called his family.

“I made it,” Canfield said.

The feeling of qualifying for a USGA Championship is like no other. Only 18-holes to qualify makes it important to get off to a strong start.

“I haven’t played in a qualifier in a while, so early in the round I had to put myself in the position to go get it,” said Combs.

At the turn, Combs was sitting at even par and three shots back. Birdies on 10 and 11 put Combs one shot back of Canfield. Combs made a putt off the green on 17 for birdie to tie Canfield and sneak into the playoff.

Tying Combs and Canfield at three-under, Ryan Horner earned 1st Alternate honors after making a bogey on the second playoff hole. Horner had it going early in his round, but a bogey on the 17th hole sent him into the playoff.

The 2nd Alternate honors went to Charlie Hoyle, who rounded out the four-way tie for first place. Hoyle’s impressive four-under start through his first four holes gave him an early edge. Late bogeys on 15, 16 and the first playoff hole put Hoyle in the 2nd Alternate position.

On August 8-9, the IGA is conducting the 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Lake Panorama Golf Course in Panora is hosting the historic championship. Use our live scoring feature to follow the leaderboard next week.

U.S. Mid-Am Qualifier
T1. Michael Canfield -3 68 *Qualifier*
T1. David Combs -3 68 *Qualifier*
3. Ryan Horner -3 68 *1st Alternate*
4. Charlie Hoyle -3 68 *2nd Alternate*