2025 Yearbook

12 RULES & COMPETITIONS A Landmark Year for Golf in Iowa With each passing season, it’s hard to picture how Iowa Golf will elevate itself in the following year. Yet as we work our way through championship season the players in our great state rise to the occasion. Without sounding like a broken record, golf was once again elevated to new heights in 2025. The youth movement continued its momentum, historic venues once again hosting our premier championships, and household names proved time and time again that the past isn’t yet behind them . Twice as Nice Mike McCoy has long been known to break records and set new precedents. This year was no different. Teeing it up in his 63rd USGA Championship at the U.S. Senior Amateur, he swiftly made his way through stroke play qualifying to earn the 12th seed in match play. Early leads led to quick victories in the Texas heat and McCoy refused to show any signs of slowing down. Earning his first U.S. Senior Amateur Finals match berth, McCoy once again seized momentum early and kept it en route to a 3&2 victory over Greg Sanders. The title marked the second USGA championship for McCoy who also captured the 2013 U.S. Mid- Amateur. Much like his first USGA title, McCoy set a few records along the way. Back in 2013, he became the second oldest victor in championship history. This time around, he became the first player to ever capture the U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur. “I'm just really honored to be the champion.” - McCoy reflecting on his championship win at Oak Hills Country Club. Youth Movement Just last summer, the IGA Match Play Championship crowned its youngest champion ever when Blake Cronin hoisted the trophy at week’s end. This summer was no different as West Des Moines’ Braeden Nelson repeated the feat at Talons Golf. The rising Senior at West Des Moines Valley methodically worked his way through the 64-man bracket. But his work didn’t start there. Needing to survive the 16 for 7 playoff, he secured the 58th seed to make him one of the highest seeded players to capture the title in championship history. Nelson continued his strong play throughout the rest of the summer schedule and by the time the dust settled in 2025, he finished no worse than T10 in any IGA championship. His strong finishes secured him his third straight IGA Junior Player of the Year title marking the first time in history for a junior player to secure the award three consecutive seasons. It also ties him with Matthew Walker for the most Junior Player of the Year titles all time. The Junior Girls’ Player of the Year was a similar story of triumphs and historic landmarks. Marion’s Morgan Rupp began her 2025 season joining the short list of players to capture three individual IGHSAU Individual State titles when she took home medalist honors at Pleasant Valley GC. The record books couldn’t yet close as just a few weeks later, she captured the Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur in impressive fashion thanks to an opening round eight-under, 64 to set the championship single round scoring record. MIKE PURCELL, COMMITTEE CHAIR