Author: iowagolf

Smith takes rollercoaster ride to 8th IGA Women’s Match Play title

June 26, 20190 commentsChampionships, Wmn's Match Play

Leanne Smith (pictured right) is the 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Champion – but it wasn’t easy. Smith, from Indianola, jumped out to an early 3 up lead through eight holes against Joy Chou, of Ames. Smith would stretch her lead to 4 up through 10 holes and would even be dormie through 16 holes.

That’s when things go interesting, or maybe to Smith a little unsettling. Chou would win holes 16-18 to square the match and send it to extra holes. Fortunately for Smith her birdie putt on the 19th hole found the bottom of the cup and end the match in her favor.

“I was three up to with three to play and had a little four-footer uphill,” Smith said. “I thought I would just slam it in the right side and it moved a little more than I thought it would, so on to the next (hole). Then I got caught in some rough on #17 and left it short. She’s (Chou) is a great player and she capitalized.”

Smith, who defeated Paige Seiser also in 19 holes to reach the finals, also commented that her early success with the putter in final match was key.

“I felt kind of streaky,” Smith said. “I could really see the line. I was just trying to hang in there and not mistakes.”

Smith, who had to win four matches in two days, thought playing an opening round match was helpful.

“I was really nervous in the first couple matches I played,” Smith admitted. “After I got into the finals I could breathe. I think playing in the first round helps me a lot.”

Click here to see a full recap of scoring and match results.

Moving day the IGA Match Play, IGA Women’s Match Play Championship

June 25, 20190 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, Wmn's Match Play

Four remain at 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship
It was moving day at the 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship at Tournament Club of Iowa. Joy Chou (Ames), Karli Kerrigan (Ankeny), Leanne Smith (Indianola) and Paige Seiser (Waukee) are all moving on to the semifinals tomorrow morning.

Chou, who earned medalist honors from stroke play qualifying, was a 4&3 winner over Joran Amelon, of Iowa City. Kerrigan dispatched Des Moines’ Anne Gradoville. Smith knocked off #2 seed Amelia Mehmet-Grohn 5&3 and Seiser won 2 up over Emily Snelling, of Clear Lake.

Click here to see a recap of today’s match results.

 

Sweet 16 at the 31st IGA Match Play Championship
The field is down to 16 players in the 31st IGA Match Play Championship at Tournament Club of Iowa after a marathon day of play. The Round of 64 and 32 were played on Tuesday under sunny skies for a majority of the day.

#1 seed, following his medalist effort yesterday, Tommy Doyle beat Jason Allen in the opening round 2 up and then defeated Caleb Peters in 19 holes to earn a spot into the Round of 16. Doyle will face Ezra Meyer tomorrow morning. Defending champion Jon Brown, who was the automatic #2 seed, also moved on to Tuesday. Brown defeated Corey Matthew (7&6) and Dusty Stewart (4&3). Brown will face Willis Gaer, of Des Moines, in the next round.

Battle for the top bunk – Kolby Chup defeated college roommate Noah Hartman in the Round of 32 by the margin of 1 up. Chup and Hartman attend Des Moines Area Community College and play golf for DMACC.

“I started off pretty hot,” Chup said. “I birdied three of the first four holes and got up quick. He battled back, so luckily I was able to hit it to a couple feet on #18 and made the putt.”

Click here to see a recap of today’s match results.

Brackets set at 31st IGA Match Play, 8th IGA Women’s IGA Match Play Championship

June 24, 20190 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, Wmn's Match Play

Seven players post 72 (+1), Brown earns automatic #2 seed
Players found Tournament Club Iowa as a firm test during stroke play qualifying of the 31st IGA Match Play Championship. In a day that saw no one break par, a total of seven players tied for medalist with 72 (+1). Ames’ Tommy Doyle earned the #1 seed via the tiebreaker. Defending champion Jon Brown automatically earned the #2 seed into match play.

Round of 64 matches will begin on Tuesday morning followed by Round of 32 in the afternoon, with the field being cut to 16 players by the end of the day.

Click here to review qualifying scores and view match play brackets.

Chou fires 70 (-1), earns #1 seed into match play
Iowa State University’s Joy Chou earned medalist during stroke play qualifying of the 8th IGA Women’s Match Play. Chou round of 70 (1) included a steady dose of pars (13) . Chou teammate Amelia Mehmet-Grohn posted a 76 (+5) of her own to earn the #2 seed into match play.

Click here to review qualifying scores and view match play brackets.

Huseman wins Fort Dodge Amateur, Bates & Campbell capture titles

June 24, 20190 commentsNews

In what could very well be his final Fort Dodge Amateur appearance, the 24-year-old Andrew Huseman (above right) left nothing to chance and grinded his way to a resounding five-stroke victory in the open division at the Fort Dodge Country Club’s 71st annual tourney.

Albia’s Joe Bates (above left) and Jim Campbell (above center) went wire-to-wire in the senior and super senior divisions, respectively, to secure titles as well. Bates posted a three-stroke victory over Bret Taylor; Campbell edged Joel Yunek in a playoff.

Motivated to fulfill a promise he made to himself — and his grandpa Dutch — years ago, Huseman closed with a steady two-under par 69 on Sunday. The home stretch of the final round is often tense and unrewarding, as Huseman himself can attest, but the Ankeny Centennial graduate posted plenty of birdies and avoided enough mistakes over the first two-and-a-half days to turn the back nine into a virtual victory lap.

Read more from Fort Dodge Messenger Sport Editor Eric Pratt by clicking here.

Click here for a full recap of scores.

Iowa’s Garside, Bowser grab U.S. Junior spots in Illinois

June 20, 20190 commentsUSGA, USGA Qualifiers

Bettendorf’s Matthew Garside (above left) and Urbandale’s Jarred Bowser (above right) grabbed two of the three qualifying spots at the U.S. Junior Amateur Sectional Qualifier held at Urbana Country Club, Urbana, IL on Thursday, June 20.

Garside earned medalist honors with a round of 69 (-3), which included a blistering 31 on the front nine. Bowser earned the third and final qualifying spot with an even par round of 72, which included a trio of birdies.

The U.S. Junior Amateur will be played at Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio, on July 15-20.

Click here to see a recap of all scores

Pittman wins by two at 2019 Iowa Junior Amateur

June 19, 20190 commentsChampionships, Iowa Junior

Nick Pittman (pictured above left), of Urbandale, put up another good score (73) in the final round of the Iowa Junior Amateur at Indianola Country Club to win by a pair of strokes over Clive’s Jake Calhoun, who posted 67 (-4) in the final round to almost catch Pittman, and Matt Gardside, of Bettendorf, who posted 70 in both rounds. Pittman, who opened with 65 (-6) in the opening round said he had a plan of attack before teeing it up at Indianola CC.

“I had a game plan coming into this tournament and I feel like I followed that well both days,” Pittman said. The first day everything was clicking really well. I was hitting the ball really well and my distance control was the best of anything. I gave myself so many birdie looks. Since I had the lead I did, I was able to stick with the plan I had to begin with and keep ahold of the lead.”

Pittman, who admitted he’s played Indianola CC a handful of times, was impressed with the condition of the course.

“I thought the course was in really good shape,” he said “I have played there 6-7 times and this is the best I have seen it.”

In the Boys’ 14-15 year Division Will Simpson (pictured right), of Pella, won by three over Collin Schmit, of Marshalltown, but three strokes. Simpson posted rounds of 74-78 (+10) over the two-day event.

Click here for a full recap of scoring

Patton wins 2019 Iowa Junior Girls’ Amateur by 13

June 19, 20190 commentsChampionships, Girls' Junior Amateur

Annika Patton (pictured above), of Aurelia, put together a pair of fine rounds of golf to win the 2019 Iowa Junior Girls’ Amateur by 13 shots. Patton, who posted 76 (+6) in the opening round, fired a 79 (+9) rounds to outdistance Allison Nuss, of New Hampton in the 16-18 year Division.

“I thought the course was in excellent shape with the opportunity to shoot low scores while also being challenged in all aspects of my game,” Patton said. “Overall, I was pleased with how I played despite letting a few strokes get away here and there.”

Patton commented that get the tee was a key to her success in Indianola.

“I drove it well off the tee which allowed me to go for the greens, however, some of my putts just didn’t seem to drop. All in all, the rounds I was able to put together and experienced gained turned out for a great win. I also want to thank the IGA for such a well run tournament.”

Rylee HeryFord, of Newton, posted rounds of 74-83 to win the 14-15 year Division by three strokes over Wakuee’s Kyle Carey (pictured right).

Click here for a full recap of scoring.

Iowa Junior, Girls’ Junior Amateur continues tomorrow at Indianola CC

June 17, 20190 commentsChampionships, Girls' Junior Amateur, Iowa Junior

Urbandale’s Nick Pittman fired a 65 (-6) to lead the Boys 16-18 Division of the Iowa Junior Amateur at Indianola Country Club. Pittman’s round was clean, no bogeys and six birdies. Matt Garside, of Bettendorf, is five off the pace at, after shooting a 70 (-1) of his own.

Pella’s Will Simpson leads the Boys 14-15 Division with 74 (+3) today. He leads by three of Luke Meyer, of Cedar Falls. Meanwhile, Rylee HeryFord, who shot 74, leads by 8 the Girls’ 14-15 Division and Annika Patton leads the 16-18 Division by 10 following a 76.

Final rounds for the Boys, Girls 14-15 and 16-18 divisions will be played on Tuesday.

Carson Korver, of Orange City, and C.T. Norris, of West Des Moines, shot 42 in the 11 & Under Division. They went to extra holes where ultimately Carson came out victorious with a par on the first playoff hole.

Lauren Nuss from New Hampton shot 49 to win the 11 & Under Girls’ Division.

In the Boy’s 12-13 Division, Joseph Currans, of Ames, shot 79 (+8) to outlast Evan Smith, Knoxville, by two. Tanner Wachtl finished third.

Lauren Briggs, Burlington, shot 87 to win the Girls’ 12-13 Division by five shots over Eden Lohrbach, of Ames.

Click here for a full recap of scoring from all divisions.

Champions crowned at IGA Father/Son, Parent/Child Championship

June 17, 20190 commentsChampionships, Father-Son / Parent-Child

A good time was had by all at this year’s IGA Father/Son & Parent/Child held at Jester Park Golf Course, Granger.

The duo of Brian and Burke Pitz captured the overall Father/Son title with an impressive round of 69 (-3). Their round included five birdies to help ease their only hiccup, a double bogey on #10. The teams of Jay and Robert Johnson, Neil and Robert Johnson and Gary and Nash Bucher all finished runner-up, shooting 71 (-1), two shots back of the lead.

In the Father/Son Young Adult Division, the team of Sam and Isaiah Zoske repeated as champions, firing a round of 71 (-1). Their round included a trio of birdies and only two bogeys, good enough for a 10-shot win over Nathan and Eric Boehlert. In the Parent/Child Open Division, Ben and Maura Peters posted a round of 79 (+7) to win by two shots over Brett and Paige Hoffman, who shot 21 (+9).

Neil and Ava Johnson captured the Parent/Child – Young Adult Division crown with a round of 84 (+12).

On the Jester Park GC Par 3 course champions were also crowned. Those included Anthony and Greyson Marlow in the Father/Son – Junior Division 8 & under with a score of 62, Ryan and Case Bishop in the Father/Son – Junior Division 9 & 10 years old with score of 59, Mikkell Baker and Kylin Baker in the Parent/Child – Junior Division 8 & under with a score of 74 and Nick and Maicy Baker in the Parent/Child – Junior Divsion 9 & 10 years old with a score of 62.

Click here to see a recap of scoring all division, which is broken down by Saturday and Sunday.

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