Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2026 named
The Iowa Golf Hall of Fame will add three members in 2026, bringing the total number in the Hall of Fame to 108. Those three include Ross deBuhr, Jason Knutzon and Denmar Miller. Read more about each inductee below. If you are a relative of Denmar Miller, or know of any living relatives, we kindly ask that you contact the Iowa Golf Association at (515) 207-1062 or email [email protected], so we may reach those connected to Denmar as soon as possible.
Ross deBuhr
Ross deBuhr has touched many lives since he turned professional in 1980, ranging from the membership at Hyperion Field Club to future generations of golfers.
A fine player himself, deBuhr grew up in Ottumwa. He was the Iowa Junior Amateur champion in 1972 and the IGA Player of the Year 1976. He was a four-year letterman at the University of Iowa (1973-77). Hyperion hired Ross as head golf professional in 1982.
“One of the most commendable qualities of Ross is his personality and character, always thoughtful, exhibiting grace and humility, while treating all with respect,” said Larry Gladson, who had a distinguished career at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids and is a Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member. “His integrity is a cornerstone of Ross’s character and sets a powerful example for all who play golf or have a career in golf. He affirms that golf is not just about personal achievement but also about building relationships and fostering camaraderie amongst those who play the game.”
A fine player himself, deBuhr grew up in Ottumwa. He was the Iowa Junior Amateur champion in 1972 and the IGA Player of the Year 1976. He was a four-year letterman at the University of Iowa (1973-77). Hyperion hired Ross as head golf professional in 1982.
He served that club for the next 30 years, the last nine as the director of golf. He also filled numerous roles for the Iowa PGA Section, including stints as a board member (1995-2005) and president (2002-03). He was also the IGA Professional of the Year in 1992 and the PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 1993. He was presented the PGA’s Bull Strausbaugh Award in 2005 and was the PGA Merchandiser of the Year award in 2000.
Ross also co-chaired the Herman Sani Tournament with Hyperion member John Matovina from 1988 to 2012. That tournament raises funds for the IGA’s Sani Scholarship Fund.
“Ross’s commitment to serving the Hyperion membership was exceptional,” Matovina added. “I always admired his ability to provide an enjoyable membership experience to each and every club member. Satisfying the diverse needs of 400-plus member families was a challenge that Ross met with humility and professionalism throughout his time at Hyperion. He had a passion for growing the game as demonstrated by the countless hours he spent coaching and instructing junior golfers.”
One of deBuhr’s most significant achievements was a local program he started with another Hyperion member. It was called Drive, Chip and Putt, and was modeled after a football competition called Punt, Pass and Kick years before.
Drive, Chip and Putt has since been adopted nationally, with the USGA, the Masters and the PGA of America serving as event sponsors. Eighty regional qualifiers – boys and girls – will gather at Augusta National Golf Club April 5 to determine the national winner in four age groups ranging from seven to 15 years old.
“Through these efforts, Ross has instilled a passion for the game in many aspiring golfers, fostering a sense of community and support that is essential for the sport’s future,.” Gladson added.
Another retired golf professional and Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member, Jeff Smith of Oskaloosa, has worked side-by-side with deBuhr on numerous occasions and also witnessed his commitment to the Sani Tournament as a player.
“Ross is a very humble person, so much so that many would not know how his leading by example has been a gift to so many who were touched by his presence,” Smith said.
Jason Knutzon
Jason Knutzon faced a tough decision on the eve of his senior season of high school.
Former Iowa State linkster Jason Knutzon played the Asian Tour for 15 years. In his second season in tour, he captured the 2004 Macau Open in China, defeating Paidraig Harrington, among others.
He could leave Newport News, Va., and move with his family to Italy. His father, Russell, an Air Force pilot, had just been transfered there. Or he could move to Eagle Grove, live with his grandparents and complete his education in Iowa.
There were no high school golf teams in Italy, and not that many golf courses to choose from. So Jason, who took up the game in seventh grade, headed to Iowa. And that’s where his golf career took flight.
Iowa State made Knutzon’s dream come true when the Cyclones offered him a golf scholarship, and he parlayed that opportunity into state, national and international success.
The only men’s golfer to be inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame (2019), this golfing globetrotter had success in college events as well as Iowa’s summer tournament schedule.
He played in four NCAA regionals for the Cyclones, and was a first-team all-Big Eight selection in 1997. Golfstat ranked him 20th at the end of that 1997 season. Knutzon set a school single-season stroke mark (72.71) that stood for 11 years. He finished in the top eight of eight tournaments in 1996-97. That spring, Iowa State finished third in the loaded Big 12 Championships.
He won three tournaments, was a runner-up five times and finished in the Top 10 a school-record 18 times over his career. After a redshirt season, in 1997-98, he completed his eligibility in the spring of 1999.
Knutzon was also the IGA Player of the Year in 1998, beating Mike McCoy in a tiebreaker. He won the Iowa Masters, Fort Dodge Amateur and Lake Creek Amateur that summer. He also tied for second at the Ottumwa Amateur and tied for fifth in the Northwest Amateur, a tournament he won in 1996. In those five 1998 appearances, Knutzon was a collective 30 shots under par with a 69.6 stroke average.
Knutzon turned professional in 1999. He qualified for the U.S. Open (2003), the Open Championship (2011), the U.S. Amateur (1998), the U.S. Public Links (1996, 1997) and the U.S. Junior Amateur (1994) during his career.
He reached the final stage of qualifying for the PGA Tour twice (2000, 2008), and tried make it there another time through the Korn Ferry Tour (2009). Though he came up short, Knutzon still put together a successful professional career on the Asian Tour and European Tour.
He won more than $2 million on those two tours. He reached the winner’s circle twice. The first came when he outdueled Padraig Harrington to win the 2004 Macau Open. Harrington was ranked eighth in the world at that time.
When Knutzon defended that title a year later, he was paired in the first round with Fred Coiuples, one of his idols. Knutzon shot 67 and beat Couples by a shot.
Jason also won the 2007 Motorola International. He also had six Top 10 finishes in European Tour events. He was ranked as high as 243th in the World Golf Rankings.
Back home, Knutzon won the Sani Tournament in 2005. He also made the cut in the John Deere Classic that year and qualified for the PGA Tour stop again in 2008.
On the 20th anniversary of his Macau Open, Knutzon was given a sponsor’s exemption into the event. Ten years removed from the competitive grind and 48 years old, Knutzon made the cut and tied for 63rd.
Knutzon remains active in the game and is also an instructor, opening Jason Knutzon Golf in Altoona in 2021.
Denmar Miller
Denmar Miller broke onto the Iowa golf scene in 1929, when he won the Iowa Open at 19 years of age. He was a dominant presence for the next decade, winning three Iowa Amateurs, two Iowa Opens and three Des Moines City crowns.
Denmar Miller broke onto the Iowa golf scene in 1929, when he won the Iowa Open at 19 years of age. He was a dominant presence for the next decade, winning three Iowa Amateurs, two Iowa Opens and three Des Moines City crowns.
His first serious title run came in 1928 at Hyperion, his home course. He had the 36-hole lead, and shot 69-73 the final two rounds. But he finished third, three shots behind Art Bartlett, who closed with a 67, and Bob McCrary, who posted a final-round 65.
Miller broke through in 1929 at the Wakonda Club. The Drake junior established a new course record in the first round, shooting 68 when Wakonda’s par was 73. He led wire-to-wire and shot 297, two shots clear of the field.
Miller, who left Hyperion and joined the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in 1929, used that home-course advantage again when he won his second Iowa Open in 1933. His 282 score gave him an eight-shot victory over Pat Willcox.
That triumph came a year after Denmar won his first Iowa Amateur at the Sioux City Golf and Country Club. Miller defeated Pete Jordan of Des Moines in the championship match, 4 and 3. His play left an impression on host pro Mike Shearman, who had played a vital role in Rudy Knepper’s golf game.
“That boy Denmar Miller is one of the finest amateurs in the game today,” Shearman told Bert McGrane of the Des Moines Register. “Miller has everything. His drives are 20 yards longer than the average good driver and that makes his other shots correspondingly easier. He has all the shots and a fine temperament.”
Knepper, also a three-time Iowa Amateur champion and Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member, won the 1922 Trans-Miss, was a runner-up in the 1921 Western Amateur and reached the semifinals of the 1922 U.S. Amateur. Knepper was an alternate on the 1922 Walker Cup team and then made the team in 1923, but Princeton wouldn’t give him a waiver to compete.
Asked how Miller compared to Knepper, Shearman said, “Denmar is just as good today as Rudy ever dared to be.”
Miller’s dominance was on his display again in his final two Iowa Amateur triumphs. He returned to Hyperion in 1934 to beat John Vavra of Cedar Rapids, 13 and 12. It was the most one-sided championship match ever. Miller was 9 up after the first 18 holes.
Miller’s final title, also at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in 1938, came in a decisive 7 and 6 victory over Fred Denman of Des Moines. He also won Des Moines City titles in 1932, 1933 and 1935.
Denmar played in his first U.S. Amateur in 1933, at Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati. Miller drew Lawson Little in the first round and lost, 4 and 3. Lawson went on to win the U.S.Amateur and British Amateurs in both 1934 and 1935. Miller lost in the second round of the 1935 U.S. Amateur.
Miller was qualifying medalist at the 1935 Trans-Miss, but lost his first match. He finished second to future U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur champ Johnny Goodman in the 1931 National Junior Chamber of Commerce Open. Goodman beat him in the second round of the Trans-Miss later that year.
Denmar didn’t defend his Iowa Amateur title in 1939, citing “impending business.” With a law degree in hand, he was working for his father’s firm. He also worked as a city prosecutor in Municipal Court for two years before serving his country in World War II. He was with the 17th Airborne Division, and was in the “Battle of the Bulge.” Denmar was discharged in February of 1946 with the rank of first lieutenant and earned three battle stars and the purple heart with cluster.
He returned to law work and held two part-time jobs, serving as head of the county real estate department then as county budget director. Miller retired from a 43-year law career in 1974. He passed away from cancer in February of 1978.
The Iowa Golf Association is thrilled to welcome these three new members to the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame. The Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2026 is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, at Echo Valley Country Club and Golf House Iowa. Additional details, including event information and a payment link, will be announced once finalized.
