Palmer qualifies for U.S. Senior Amateur
Joe Palmer of West Des Moines claimed the lone qualifying spot into the USGA Senior Amateur Championship on Monday, July 30th at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo. Palmer defeated Tom Norton of Muscatine in a playoff after both finished on 1-under par 71.
Both Palmer (right) and Norton got off to rough starts but then battled back with excellent play down the stretch. Palmer made bogey on his first two holes, birdied #3, then managed 13 pars and 2 birdies the rest of the way. Norton, meanwhile, made bogey on the first three holes then, after pars on 4 thru 7, he started making birdies. He birdied 8, 11, 12, 15 & 18 while making a lone bogey at 9 to storm into a tie with Palmer and force the playoff.
In the playoff, Palmer made a par on the first playoff hole (which was #15) while Norton made a bogey.
Don Peterson of Wayzata, MN earned 2nd alternate status after he and Sam Billmeyer each shot 73.
JULY 30, 2018 – WATERLOO, IA
20 golfers will be competing for a single spot into the USGA Senior Amateur Championship on Monday at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo.
In what is a bit of a sprint rather than a marathon, players will play a single round to try and earn the coveted spot. The winner will advance to compete at the national championship at Eugene Country Club in Oregon from August 25-30. There they will face 36-holes of stroke play qualifying to try and make the 64-person match play draw.
Iowans Mike McCoy and Gene Elliott are exempt from qualifying. Scores from the qualifier will be updated after 9 holes.