Professional Jeff Swegle (pictured above), of West Des Moines, grew up watching several of Iowa’s finest players win the Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises. Following a dazzling eagle-birdie-birdie finish, he has now joined their ranks, clinching the 71st Herman Sani Tournament victory after firing a final round of 66 (-6) for a 54-hole total of 204 (-12). 

“It feels great”, Swegle said. “I’ve grown up with a lot of guys who have had success at this tournament – the elder statesmen now. It’s awesome to come back and compete against them and be able to win. It’s a great feeling.”

Swegle found himself 4-under par on the day after 13 holes, before back-to-back bogies temporarily derailed his comeback bid. Swegle didn’t flinch. He holed out from the bunker for eagle on the par-4 sixteenth and followed it up with birdies on the final two holes to secure his victory. 

He stressed the importance of avoiding errors while taking advantage of the birdie opportunities that Hyperion Field Club presents.

“I didn’t really keep mistakes off the card today, but I was able to make the birdies I needed,” Swegle said. “I was just trying to stay away from mistakes.”

Iowa Golf Hall of Famer Jon Brown, of Adel, carded a bogey-free round of 67 (-5) on Sunday to win the Amateur Division and finish second overall in the Open Division with a 54-hole tally of 205 (-11). In a three-way tie for third overall at 208 (-8) were PGA Professional Sean McCarty (Solon), Jon Olson (Ankeny), and Nate McCoy (Ankeny). 

IGA veteran Joe Palmer, of Norwalk, captured his third Senior Division title for the third time in the event (2013, 2017, 2020) with his wire-to-wire victory, posting rounds of 69-71-72 for a 54-hole total of 212 (-4). Norwalk’s Terry Cook finished runner-up, carding a final round of 70 (-2) to finish four strokes off of the lead. 

West Des Moines’ David Studer sealed the deal in the Super Senior Division, posting a final round of 75 (+3) to win three-shots clear of the field with a 54-hole total of 217 (+1). Two-time defending champion Rob Christensen, of Marshalltown, finished runner-up with a three-day tally of 220 (+4).

Click here for a recap of scoring

Several players took advantage of moving day at the 71st Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppolla Enterprises, being held at Hyperion Field Club in Johnston.

Ben Pettitt, of West Des Moines, separated himself from the field by posting a bogey-free round of 66 (-6) for a 36-hole total of 135 (-9). Pettitt will be seeking his second Herman Sani Tournament title on Sunday, with his first victory coming back in 2001. One behind Pettitt is professional Sean McCarty, of Solon. McCarty carded a second round of 69 (-3) and is well positioned to make a run at his fifth Herman Sani Tournament title on Sunday. Nate McCoy, of Ankeny, is two back after a steady round of 70 (-2).

Joe Palmer, of Norwalk, continued his steady play in the Senior Division, posting a second round of 71 (-1) for a 36-hole total of 140 (-4). Palmer will carry a four-stroke advantage into the final round. Norwalk’s Gary Ellis is in second place after carding a second round of 71 (-1) and will be looking to make things interesting on Sunday.

West Des Moines’ David Studer found his rhythm on Saturday, making six birdies en route to shooting a round of 69 (-3) for a 36-hole total of 142 (-2). Two-time defending Super Senior Champion Rob Christensen, of Marshalltown, is seated five strokes back after a second round of 77 (+5).

Click here for a full recap of scoring

The leaderboard is jam-packed at Hyperion Field Club (pictured above) after the first day of play at the 71st Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises. Friday’s opening round yielded over a dozen subpar rounds, and several IGA veterans are in the mix heading into the weekend.

There is a five-way tie at the top with the following players carding rounds of 67 (-5): J.D. Anderson (Johnston), Jack Dumas (Le Claire), Sani Scholar Charles Jahn (Sperry), PGA professional Sean McCarty (Solon), and Nate McCoy (Ankeny). McCarty is seeking his fifth Herman Sani Tournament title, with his most recent victory coming in 2016. McCoy is looking for a hat trick after capturing two Herman Sani Tournament titles in 2011 & 2015.

2020 Herman Sani Scholarship recipient Cole Davis, of Marshalltown, fired a three-under par round of 69 (-3) to place himself inside the top 10. Davis’ fine play earned him the Frohwein Award, which is presented to the low-Sani Scholar after the first round of play. All scholarship recipients were honored at a dinner following Friday’s round.

Norwalk’s Joe Palmer leads the way in the Senior Division after posting a round of 69 (-3). Palmer is looking for his second senior title of the summer after capturing a victory at the IGA Senior Match Play Championship back in May. Two-behind Palmer is 2020 Fort Dodge Senior Amateur Champion Terry Cook, of Norwalk.

IGA veteran Rob Christensen put together a solid round of 70 (-2) to earn a three-stroke advantage in the Super Senior Division. West Des Moines’ David Studer sits in second place.

Click here for a recap of scoring

The 71st Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises is set for August 7-9, at Hyperion Field Club (pictured above), Johnston. Ricky Costello, the 2019 champion at Echo Valley Country Club returns to the field, as does Zach Steffen, winner of the 2018 event played at Hyperion Field Club.

Uniquely enough, both Costello and Steffen won their respective titles in a playoff. The ‘Sani’ tournament field is once again full of accomplished golfers and those looking to break on to the scene with a win at one of the most prestigious events held in Iowa.

The ‘Sani’ has a long and storied history at Hyperion Field Club, as the event was held there every year from 1953 – 2012. The event now rotates between Echo Valley Country Club and Hyperion Field Club featuring the state’s best amateur and professional golfers vying for the trophy.

The Herman Sani Scholarship Program, the benefactor of the yearly event, was established in 1958. Herman Sani, a Hyperion Field Club member, had a passion for golf and young people. Sani was the first director of the Iowa Golf Association and served the organization for over 30 years. This scholarship was created in his memory with the purpose to assist Iowa students to further their education. As of 2020, 187 college-bound students have been awarded this four-year scholarship.

Most of the scholarship money comes from the generous donations by individuals and corporate sponsors. Since 2013 the Coppola family of Norwalk has contributed $250,000 to the Herman Sani Scholarship Fund. The Iowa Golf Association and point events from around the state also make significant contributions to the fund. For more information about the scholarship visit our website at www.iowagolf.org/scholarships.