It wasn’t the start Trevor Ullestad, trailing by three to start the day, was looking for in the final round of the 115th Iowa Amateur at Cedar Rapids Country Club, but the Jewell native kicked it in gear mid-way through his opening nine holes and held on to the lead the rest of the way.

“I topped a three wood on #2,” Ullestad said. “Not sure where that came from. Then I made a pretty bad bogey right after that. But I knew there were plenty of birdies out there. I made a lot of them this week. I tried to keep my head down and recover as best I could.”

Following an impressive, and must needed, eagle on #6, Ullestad birdied both #8-9 to turn in 34 and had erased the deficit to Broc Everett, who led after two rounds.

Three bogeys on the front nine for Everett left him chasing on the back nine holes. After a bogey on #14, Ullestad answered right back with back to back birdies on the next two holes to leave Everett and Bull will fighting for the lead.

A birdie putt on #18 by Everett slid by that would have put somewhat of pressure on Ullestad’s upcoming par putt. Needing only to two-putt from mid-range, Ullestad rolled in the par putt to claim the title.

“My eagle on #6 (was a turning point),” Ullestad said. “That really settled me down and thought I could make a few more birdies.”

Not out of the mix, opening round leader Dennis Bull put on a charge of his own, birding #9, 10 and 11 to get to -4 on the day and briefly tied for the lead. Bull (68) would par in from that point leaving him, along with Everett(74), two strokes off of Ullestad’s 206 (-10) total.

“I knew I had to get it to 10-under-par,” Ullestad said. “I love this course, it’ so important to know where to put the ball on the greens. It’s a great golf course.”

The 115th Iowa Amateur champion commented it was the big stick that was the key for him at CRCC. Ullestad, who plays college golf at Missouri and will be a senior this fall

“I hit driver really well” Ullestad said. “I hit a lot of fairways. My putting wasn’t great, but I made enough of them to make up for that.”

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