Author: iowagolf

Hensen continues to lead Iowa Junior, Peters grabs top spot in Girls’ Junior Amateur

June 20, 20230 commentsChampionships, Girls' Junior Amateur, Iowa Junior

Scores are in from the second round of the Iowa Junior Amateur Championship at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls – and there were some good ones being posted.

Ankeny’s Drew Hensen (left) remains the leader of the Boys Division at 9-under. Bettendorf’s Ethan Blomme has taken the second position all for himself at 8-under. Ankeny’s Jacob Eagan follows at 7-under. Ames’ Joey Currans and Gilman’s Cody Weaver are tied for fourth at 3-under apiece.

In the Girls Division, Bettendorf’s Maura Peters (right) keeps her lead at +1 with an even par second round. Ames’ Eden Lohrbach is in pursuit at +5, followed by Marion’s Morgan Rupp at +7. Sumner’s Chloe Bolte has moved into fourth place at +10.

Players have one more round on Wednesday to make their move and take home the Iowa Junior Amateur title. Click here to follow along with live scoring.

Hensen leads Iowa Junior, Peters and Lohrbach share top spot at Girls’ Junior

June 19, 20230 commentsChampionships, Girls' Junior Amateur, Iowa Junior

Scores are in from the opening round of the 2023 Iowa Junior Amateur Championship at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls. Ankeny’s Drew Hensen leads the Boys Division with a (-5) 67, but Cedar Rapid’s Caden Postma, Bettendorf’s Ethan Blomme, and Knoxville’s Evan Smith are only two strokes behind with rounds of (-3) 69. A total of 13 players are at par or better, including defending champion Indianola’s Preston Bily who carded a (-2) 70.

In the Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur, Bettendorf’s Maura Peters leads alongside Ames’ Eden Lohrbach with rounds of (+1) 73. Peters scored three birdies and four bogeys in an up-and-down round, while Lohrbach managed fifteen pars on an uneventful scorecard. Abbie Lindeman, of Grundy Center, and Morgan Rupp, of Marion, are tied for third at (+4) 76.

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Champions crowned at 2023 Father-Son & Parent-Child Championship

June 19, 20230 commentsChampionships, Father-Son / Parent-Child

There’s nothing quite like the Father-Son & Parent-Child tournament, hosted annually at Jester Park Golf Course in Granger. Urbandale’s Bo and Dewell Anderson topped the Father-Son Open Division with a 4-under 68. Luke and Monte Meyer, of Cedar Falls, and John and Tanner Dinnebier, of West Des Moines, tied for second with a pair of (-3) 69s.

Cedar Rapid’s Andy and Grayson Tiedt won the Father-Son Young Adult Division, despite Grayson being only ten years old. The pair fired a (+4) 76. Bo and Elijah Anderson (77) and Jameson and Sean Honts (78) rounded out the top three.

Bettendorf’s Ben and Maura Peters completed a three-peat, winning the Parent-Child Open Division again with a (-2) 70. Allison and Trace McArtor, Geri and Blake Huser, and Taylor and Mike Phillips tied for runner-up with (+3) 75s.

Kylynn and Ryan Bishop, of West Des Moines, won the Parent-Child Young Adult Division, shooting (+22) 94. Gianna and Nicol Jones followed with (+32) 104, and Michael and McKinley Billings finished third with (+42) 114.

Jester Park’s Par-Three Course saw familiar faces leading the Junior Divisions, but also some new ones. In the Father-Son 9 & 10 Division, Ottumwa’s Aaron and Beckham O’Brien won big with (+9) 63. The rest of the division tied, remarkably, at (+17) 71.

From West Des Moines, the Combs’ dominated the Father-Son 8 & Under. Carter and David placed first with (+8) 62, and Emmett and David placed second with (+11) 65.

Huxley’s Pat and Jordin Wynja defended their title in the Parent-Child 9 & 10 Division, carding a (+12) 66.

The Pettitt’s found success in the Parent-Child 8 & Under Division. Ben and Hayden Pettitt, of West Des Moines, won the division with a (+4) 8. Wade and Brooklyn Pettitt, of Waukee, finished runner-up with a (+13) 67.

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Henson / Heryford capture 13th IGA Women’s Four-Ball title

June 16, 20230 commentsChampionships, IGA Women's Four-Ball

The side of Amber Henson, of Marshalltown, and Rylee Heryford, of Newton, (above) claimed victory at the 13th IGA Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Pinnacle Country Club, shooting (-2) 70 on both days to win by one stroke. The side of Erika Holmberg and Maura Peters, both from Bettendorf, and the side of Swisher’s Addison Berg and Cedar Rapid’s Jane Petersen tied for the runner-up position with totals of (-3) 141.

In the Senior Division, the team of Laura Leszczynski and Michelle Klein (right) ran away with the title, totaling a (-4) 142 and a 12-stroke victory over the next lowest team featuring Nicki Miller and Julie Hartman. Kelly Grimes and Sue Harmon rounded out the top of the leaderboard at (+3) 155. Adding to an already fantastic tournament, Harmon recorded her first ever hole-in-one during her final round on the par 3 second hole. A celebration for everyone!

This was the second IGA Championship held at Pinnacle Country Club, in Milan, IL, which is one of thirteen IGA member clubs in Illinois. They last held the IGA Club Team championship in 2010. Erin Strieck, Head PGA Professional at Pinnacle, is also the President of the Iowa PGA Section—and the section’s first ever female president.

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Henson/Heryford, Holmberg/Peters Lead Open; Hartman/Miller Lead Senior

June 14, 20230 commentsUncategorized

The opening round of the 13th IGA Women’s Four-Ball featured many of Iowa’s top players in early contention as the sides of Amber Henson & Rylee Heryford and Erika Holmberg & Maura Peters sit at the top firing an opening round 70. The duo of Henson and Heryford, fresh off their freshman season at Drake, played consistently, recording 13 pars and sprinkling in four birdies. Making back-to-back bogies on nine and ten, the two steadied the ship and played their final seven holes in two under par to work their way into tomorrow’s final pairing.

Tied with the Bulldogs, Holmberg and Peters got off to a quick start as Peters opened the round with birdies on the first two holes. Falling back with a bogey on the fourth, Holmberg birdied the sixth to help the duo turn in one under 35. As with Heryford and Henson, Holmberg and Peters made a late push, playing their final six holes in two under.

Rounding out the top three is defending champion Addison Berg (with Bella Pettersen) & Jane Peterson after firing  -1, 71.

In the Senior Division, Julie Hartman and Nicki Miller lead the way after firing -1, 72. Miller had it going early as she recorded four birdies on her opening nine to give them an early advantage over the field. A closing double bogey cut their lead to two over the side of Laura Leszyznski and Michelle Klein. Leszczynki and Klein opened with +1, 74 in a round that featured five birdies. Rounding out the top three is Cindy Morrison and Kathy Forture following their opening round 78.

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Kent, Blomme qualify for U.S. Junior at Ames Golf & CC

June 13, 20230 commentsUSGA, USGA Qualifiers

The U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier on June 12, at Ames Golf and Country Club ended in a three-way shootout for the two entries into the U.S. Junior Amateur. Noah Kent (right), of Naples, FL, and Ethan Blomme, of Bettendorf, qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur, to be contested July 24-29 at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, SC.

Kent, Blomme, and Oak Grove’s Peyton Savageau all finished the single-round tournament 3-under, navigating heavy late-morning winds. The three way playoff began on hole 7, and University of Iowa commit Kent wasted no time. A strong drive and an approach to within a few feet gave Kent a tap-in birdie. With pars from Blomme and Savageau, Kent punched his golden ticket to the Junior Amateur. Blomme, a rising junior at Pleasant Valley High School, took home the second ticket after a par on the second playoff hole, #8.

Kent and Blomme (left), who both started the day on hole 10, capitalized on calmer first nine conditions. Kent scored birdies on 16, 17, and 18 and Blomme birdied 15, 16, 17, 18. After an unsatisfactory start, Blomme got his putter rolling.

“I made a really good 30-footer for par on #14 and then rolled four straight in,” Blomme said. “The back nine started playing really tough just with the wind. [. . .] Just grinded it out, you know, when I made a bogey I got it back with a birdie.”

Blomme knew he had to go low if he wanted a shot at qualifying, but believed the wind worked in his favor.

“Scores will be higher with this wind,” he said. “I feel like I’m a good wind player, being from Iowa, so the more and more it becomes windy I feel like the better shot I’ve got.”

Kent and Blomme look forward to one of junior golf’s biggest tournaments, where names like Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth have left their legacy.

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Peck wins 2023 Carroll Amateur by one

June 12, 20230 commentsChampionships

Defending champion Ankeny’s Connor Peck (right) finished victorious at the Carroll Amateur held at Carroll Country Club this past weekend — but it wasn’t easy. Windy conditions kept the leaderboard in constant motion throughout the 36 holes on Sunday, and it took the final hole to decide the order of the top-four finishers.

Peck, John Spellerberg, of Bellington, NE, and Ankeny’s Hunter Johnson, all in the final pairing, began their final hole of the tournament tied at 5-under. While Peck birdied to round out his winning (-6) 207 total, Spellerberg bogeyed and Johnson double-bogeyed to card totals of (-4) 209 and (-3) 210, respectively. Meanwhile, Cedar Fall’s Owen Sawyer, also in the final pairing, slid his way into a runner-up title with a birdie, finishing with (-5) 208. Spellerberg finished in third, Ankeny’s Nate McCoy finished in fourth after an impressive tournament-low 6-under final round, bouncing back with eight birdies from his +5 second eighteen, and Johnson finished in fifth.

While only the Open Division’s Championship Flight played 54 holes, the other divisions were also intense. In the Senior Division, Council Bluffs’ Sean Davis took home the title with a (E) 142, followed by Urbandale’s Ron Peterson (+1), Cedar Fall’s Mike Sawyer (+2), and Ankeny’s Bill Matzdorff (+2). A division-low first round (-2) 69 helped Davis secure his win.

Gowrie’s Tom Schill championed the Super Senior Division, starting the weekend off with a blistering (-6) 65. Des Moines’ Dave Gaer (+3) and West Des Moines’ Bob Brooks (+5), both with IGA wins under their belt this season, finished in second and in third, respectively, both unable to close the gulf between themselves and Schill from the first round.

Open Division flight winners included Des Moines’ Willis Gaer (+4), Solon’s Sam Zoske (+8), Winterset’s Chad Hein and Atlantic’s Jake Olson (tied at +17), and Spencer’s Kaden Miller (+23).

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Watson wins 60th Forever 39 Match Play Championship

June 7, 20230 commentsChampionships, Forever 39 Match Play

From left – Erin Schaffer (First Flight Champion), Fiona Watson (Overall Champion), Kelly Nelson (Second Flight Champion) and Jan Sewright (Third Flight Champion).

Fiona Watson left little doubt in the 60th Women’s Forever 39 Match Play Championship hosted by Echo Valley Country Club in Norwalk.

Watson (right), who earned medalist honors following a 33 (-3), made short work of #8 seed Janece Schwartzkopf in her opening round match of the Championship Flight, winning 4&3. Watson earned her way into the final match with a win over Robin Webb 3&2. Watson met Laura Leszczynski in the finals, who defeated Kelly Grimes (3&2) and Leanne Smith (3&2) in her route to the finals.

In the finals, Watson led from the word go and never looked back after winning two of the first three holes, leading to another 3&2 victory with the help of three birdies in eight holes.

Erin Schaffer defeated Kathy Fortune 2 up to win the First Flight and Kelly Nelson defeated Leighann Larocca 4&2 to take the Second Flight victory. Jan Sewright defeated Cindy Morrison 2 up in the final match of the Third Flight.

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Former Hawkeye Schaake punches ticket to 2023 U.S. Open

June 6, 20230 commentsUSGA, USGA Qualifiers

University of Iowa alumnus Alex Schaake qualified for the U.S. Open after a nerve wracking 8-hole playoff at the U.S. Open Final Qualifying at Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ohio. Monday, coined “Golf’s Longest Day” by the USGA, featured numerous 36-hole Final Qualifiers around the country, where some of the best amateur and professional golfers looked to secure their spot in the U.S. Open to be held at Los Angeles Country Club later this summer.

Schaake (right), an Omaha, Nebraska native, had a prolific amateur and collegiate career. In high school Schaake was a two-time Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion, continuing in college to win four-straight Nebraska Amateur titles, and holds the second-most wins in Nebraska Golf Association tournaments ever. He was the only Hawkeye to be voted Big Ten Player of the Year twice, only Hawkeye to be all-conference all four years, holds the lowest season scoring average yet, and holds three of the top four lowest 54-hole totals in university history.

The road to the U.S. Open wasn’t easy for Schaake. Before yesterday’s 44-hole marathon, he scraped his way through local qualifiers by birdieing his final three holes last month at Omaha Country Club. A 2-under first round at Springfield Country Club kept Schaake in contention, but it was a stellar second round that propelled Schaake to his playoff berth. One eagle and five birdies, four of which in the back nine alone, rounded out a 5-under 65 and a three-way tie for fourth in the standings.

He joined Dylan Wu and The Ohio State University’s Maxwell Moldovan in search of one of the two remaining spots. Wu clinched the first spot after birdieing the first playoff hole, but the battle between Schaake and Moldovan was only beginning. Matching scores for seven holes, Schaake finally broke away with a short birdie putt on the eighth hole to Moldovan’s par. It was a joyous scene as Schaake celebrated, clearly elated, in the dying evening light.

Schaake has earned his place at the 123rd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club (June 15-18) and the opportunity to compete with some of the best players in the world.

2023 Ann Griffel Scholars announced

June 6, 20230 commentsNews, Scholarships

The Iowa Golf Association (IGA) congratulates the 2023 recipients of the Ann Griffel (above right) Scholarship Award: Alexa Poppen, Emma Stock, Laura Klaessy, Maura Peters and Addison Berg. Each recipient will be awarded a one-year scholarship of $2,000. Since 1963, the Ann Griffel Scholarship Award has been helping students further their education. A total of 258 students have earned the honor of receiving this prestigious scholarship.

Alexa Poppen, of West Branch, is the daughter of Kami and Dave Poppen and plans to attend the University of Iowa to major in Management and Finance.

“I am grateful to have received this scholarship. I believe golf is a great way to connect with others and I look forward to playing the game for many years,” she said.

 

Emma Smock, of Oelwein, is the daughter of Todd and Deena Smock and will attend Wartburg College on the Pre-Physical Therapy track.

“I am very thankful and honored to receive this scholarship. The game of golf has taught me to be patient and relax in more than just golf but my everyday life in general. Having a few setbacks but finishing strong is another thing that golf has brought me. I have gained much knowledge and mental toughness for anything brought my way,” she said.

 

Laura Klaessy, of Grimes, is the daughter of John and Sara Klaessy and will study Elementary Education at Simpson College.

“Ann Griffel was an inspiration to many young women golfers, and it is a great honor for me to be a recipient of the Ann Griffel Scholarship. Golf has taught me to become mentally tough and become a student of the game and was an important part of my high school career. I look forward to continuing to play the game at Simpson College next fall,” she said.

 

Maura Peters, of Bettendorf, is the daughter of Benjamin and Jennifer Peters. She will be attending the University of Iowa to play on the women’s golf team and study biomedical engineering.

“I am so grateful to have been chosen as one of the 2023 Ann Griffel Scholarship recipients. The game of golf has helped mold me into the person I am today, teaching me all sorts of valuable lessons. I learned to problem solve, manage my emotions, be patient and most importantly, positive. I am so happy to have chosen a sport and hobby that has allowed me to form so many new relationships and friendships, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in this incredible game for the rest of my life,” she said.

 


Addison Berg, of Swisher, is the daughter of Aaron and Deana Berg. She will be attending the University of Northern Iowa with an undecided major at this time. She will also be a member of the golf team.

“Golf has been important to me from an early age. It has taught me so many important lessons such a as mental toughness. Golf is so unique because your always competing with yourself. You have to be able to put bad shots behind you, and you can’t play defense. You just have to go out and play the best you can every time,” she said.

The Ann Griffel Scholarship Award was established in 1963 as just one $350 scholarship awarded by the Iowa Women’s Golf Association (IWGA). The award has evolved into a $2,000 scholarship awarded to multiple high school senior girls who intend to further their education at an Iowa institution of higher learning, whether it be a college, university or trade school.

The Iowa Golf Association Foundation (IGAF) was established to preserve the game and develop more programs to promote the future of golf in Iowa. The IGAF awards the Ann Griffel Scholarship Award annually. This scholarship was named after the long-time IWGA President, Ann Griffel, who started the Girls’ State Junior, Forever 39 Match Play, State Wife-Husband and the Senior Women’s Championships in her 23-year term.

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