2023 IGA Yearbook

6 FROM THE PRESIDENT H ello fellow Iowa golfers! This is my last letter to the IGAmembership as board president, andwhat a way to go out! Our state boasted the Walker Cup Captain in Mike McCoy and the Ryder Cup Captain in Zach Johnson. I’ve tried to research this, and I can’t find an example where the U.S. captains of these teams hailed from the same state in the same year. Congratulations to both Mike and Zach on earning the opportunity to lead those respective teams…what an accomplishment! Back home, we had tremendous competition on the Player of the Year front. Nate McCoy, our Director of Handicapping and Course Rating and Paige Hoffman, one of our P.J. Boatwright Interns (and a 2021 Herman Sani Scholar) took home the Men’s andWomen’s POY for 2023. For Nate, this was his 3rd POY in a row… let that sink in for a moment. The top-level amateur competition in this state is incredibly fierce. For Nate to accomplish this feat three straight years speaks to the quality and consistency of his game. He capped his season by making it to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Mid-Am at Sleepy Hollow CC in New York. While he ultimately fell to eventual champion Stewart Hagestad 3 and 1, Nate was 4 under par through 17 holes in that match. Yet another example of Nate bringing his A-game when he needed it most. Paige is a wonderful example of how we want our players to conduct themselves on and off the course. I had the honor of announcing her as a 2021 Sani Scholar during our scholar awards banquet, and I had a feeling she was going places. She may quite possibly be the nicest person I’ve ever met (Nate is in the running for that award as well). As an intern, she was knowledgeable, hard working and always brought a positive attitude to our tournaments and meetings. Much like Nate though, don’t confuse that friendly demeanor for someone who doesn’t want to go out and win golf tournaments. Paige’s performance on the course in a limited number of events was enough for her to take home the hardware. On the senior front, another familiar face was named our 2023 POY. Joe Palmer won his 3rd Senior POY in the last 4 years by doing what Joe Palmer does… grinding out top finishes in nearly every tournament he entered. Much like Nate, Joe’s year was capped by a fantastic finish in the U.S. Senior Amateur at Martis Camp, Calif. by earning his way into the quarterfinals. Our Senior Women’s POY was Laura Leszczynski yet again! This was Laura’s third consecutive Senior Women’s POY and much like Joe P., she did it with incredibly consistent play. Laura’s year was capped by winning the IGA Senior Women’s Amateur in Waverly, but she was a top-5 machine all year. Our Super Senior POY was Bob Brooks, and all I have STEVE JERMIER, IGA PRESIDENT Nate McCoy Paige Hoffman