After the last putts dropped Sunday at the Ricoh Women’s British Open, the last calculations were made to finalized this year’s Solheim Cup teams. Captains Juli Inkster and Annika Sorenstam on-site at Kingsbarns Golf Links were on hand as their teams were confirmed and announced their captain’s picks for this year’s matches.
Click here to meet the 2017 U.S. Solheim Cup Team
Click here to meet the 2017 European Solheim Cup Team
Gilbert’s Britta Snyder (pictured above) left little doubt early on in the final round of the 93rd Iowa Women’s Amateur who would be hoisting the trophy at the end of the day. Her lead extended to 10 strokes after the first hole today at Hyperion Field Club and she never looked back.
“It was nice to make a putt (for par) on one and get some momentum going,” Snyder said. “I didn’t want to start with a bogey.”
Snyder, 15, who posted 73 (+1) to finish the championship at even par, became the youngest winner of the Iowa Women’s Amateur since Edith Estabrooks who won the tournament as a 14 and 15 year-old in the 1930s.
“I think sticking to my game plan worked,” Snyder said. “I didn’t very many drivers. I just tried to hit fairways and keep it under the hole on these greens. Today, I just hit a lot of shots to the middle of the green and two putted from there. It was boring, but good golf.
Adding her name to the Fladoos Trophy, brought a smile to her face after the final round.
“It feels pretty cool to win a tournament with such special history,” Snyder said. “I’m excited (to have won).”
Finishing in the tie for runner-up were Leanne Smith and first round leader Maddie Bartsch who both posted 229 (+13) for the three-day event.
In the Open Division, Janece Schwartzkopf held off Kari Manning to win by a single stroke.
Click here for a full recap of scoring.
Britta Snyder (pictured above), of Gilbert, knew she left more than a few shots out there yesterday during the 93rd Iowa Woman’s Amateur at Hyperion Field Club.
Today, she didn’t.
Snyder fired a sizzling 70 (-2) to take the lead by seven shots over opening round leader Maddie Bertsch. Snyder made a total of four birdies, all on the front nine (her second nine holes of the day).
“I made some putts today,” Snyder said. “Going into today I wanted to be under par, it’s out there on this course. It’s a challenge (out here), but you know there are birdie opportunities out there. I wanted to finish strong. I had a double bogey yesterday (on #4) and almost birdied that hole today. It was just a matter of figuring out a few things.”
The game plan for Snyder won’t change she said, no matter how big of a cushion she may have entering the final round.
“That doesn’t change (my mindset),” Snyder said. “(Today) I wanted to get the lead and increase it. I want to stick to my game plan, step on the gas and hopefully get the win.”
Sitting just a shot back of Bertsch in the race for the top three is a trio of players including Allison Olberding, Paige Van Dyk and Leanne Smith.
In the Open Division Kari Manning leads followed closely by several golfers looking to make a move in tomorrow’s final round.
Click here for a full recap of scores from today.
Pretty simple day.
That’s exactly what Maddie Bertsch (pictured above) made it look like in the opening round of the 93rd Iowa Women’s Amateur being contested at Hyperion Field Club, Johnston, under calm and scorable conditions.
Bertsch, from Robins, will be a senior at the University of Northern Iowa this fall. She made 14 pars on the day to go along with a pair of birdies and a pair of bogeys in route to 72 (E).
Gilbert’s Britta Synder sits just a shot back at 73 (+1), while Iowa State University golfer M.J. Kamin posted 74 (+2).
In in the Open Division, Kari Manning, a Hyperion Field Club member, opened with 78 (+6) and is followed by Kelly Grimes who shot 81 (+9).
Click here for a full recap of scoring.
It wasn’t the start Trevor Ullestad, trailing by three to start the day, was looking for in the final round of the 115th Iowa Amateur at Cedar Rapids Country Club, but the Jewell native kicked it in gear mid-way through his opening nine holes and held on to the lead the rest of the way.
“I topped a three wood on #2,” Ullestad said. “Not sure where that came from. Then I made a pretty bad bogey right after that. But I knew there were plenty of birdies out there. I made a lot of them this week. I tried to keep my head down and recover as best I could.”
Following an impressive, and must needed, eagle on #6, Ullestad birdied both #8-9 to turn in 34 and had erased the deficit to Broc Everett, who led after two rounds.
Three bogeys on the front nine for Everett left him chasing on the back nine holes. After a bogey on #14, Ullestad answered right back with back to back birdies on the next two holes to leave Everett and Bull will fighting for the lead.
A birdie putt on #18 by Everett slid by that would have put somewhat of pressure on Ullestad’s upcoming par putt. Needing only to two-putt from mid-range, Ullestad rolled in the par putt to claim the title.
“My eagle on #6 (was a turning point),” Ullestad said. “That really settled me down and thought I could make a few more birdies.”
Not out of the mix, opening round leader Dennis Bull put on a charge of his own, birding #9, 10 and 11 to get to -4 on the day and briefly tied for the lead. Bull (68) would par in from that point leaving him, along with Everett(74), two strokes off of Ullestad’s 206 (-10) total.
“I knew I had to get it to 10-under-par,” Ullestad said. “I love this course, it’ so important to know where to put the ball on the greens. It’s a great golf course.”
The 115th Iowa Amateur champion commented it was the big stick that was the key for him at CRCC. Ullestad, who plays college golf at Missouri and will be a senior this fall
“I hit driver really well” Ullestad said. “I hit a lot of fairways. My putting wasn’t great, but I made enough of them to make up for that.”
Click here for a full recap of scoring.
It was college day at the Cedar Rapids Country Club as four of the top five on the leaderboard will be buying books this fall in preparation for classes.
West Des Moines’ Broc Everett (pictured above) made the biggest statement, playing in the morning wave, of the second round of the 115th Iowa Amateur at CRCC.
Everett, who will be a senior on the golf team at Augusta University, matched Dennis Bull’s opening round 65 (-7) and leads the way at -10. His round included a total of seven birdies, an eagle and a pair of bogeys (bookends of a four birdie in a row stretch).
“I didn’t really have any expectations coming into the rounds,” Everett said. “I just tried to take it one shot at a time and early in the round I began to hit it really well. I was able to cruise my way in.”
By cruise he meant, continuing to add to his birdie count on the day.
“I had some kick-ins (on the back nine),” Everett said. “I made a couple nice putts as well. I know the course is going to play tougher tomorrow, which is great. I think we will see the Cedar Rapids Country Club we all expected tomorrow. On a Donald Ross course you have to stay below the hole and in the right spots. I hope for a carefree day tomorrow.”
Jewell’s Trevor Ullestad, who plays college golf at Missouri and will also be a senior this fall, posted another fine round of 69 (-3) to go along with his 68 yesterday and sits at -7.
Sitting at -5 and five strokes off the lead after two days is Alex Moorman (Centerville), who now plays at Iowa after transferring from Kansas this past spring.
Lurking at -4 is Frank Lindwall (Cedar Rapids), who will play for Iowa State beginning this fall. The lone ‘Mid-Am’ in the top five is opening round leader Dennis Bull (Norwalk), who is at -4 as well for the tournament.
The two-day cut was 153 (+9), which included the low 60 scores and ties.
Click here for a full recap of scores.
When the afternoon wave of the 115th Iowa Amateur arrived at Cedar Rapids Country Club and glanced at the leaderboard, some may of thought they were in Pamplona. However at CRCC, the Bull was out front and remained there throughout the day.
Playing in the morning group of tee times, Norwalk’s Dennis Bull made a run through the course in route to a sizzling 65 (-7). Bull’s round included 5 birdied, an eagle (#9) and no bogeys.
Cedar Rapids’ Jordan Even and Jewell’s Trevor Ullestad both posted fine scores, 68 (-4), to stay within striking distance of Bull. Even, an employee at CRCC, used his knowledge of the course to put six birdies of his own on the scorecard. Unfortunately he also made a pair of bogeys. Ullestad made six birdies of his own against two bogeys. A total of five players sit just four back of Bull’s lead at 69 (-3).
With the help of ideal scoring conditions, a total of 16 players broke par in the opening round. Play resumes tomorrow morning, where the field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties after the second round.
Click here for a full recap of scoring.
The 2017 Waterloo Open golf tournament is being contested at three Waterloo area golf courses over the weekend. You can follow all the action by clicking on the links below.
ANKENY, IOWA – Nate Dunn will be defending his Iowa Amateur title on home turf this year in a field of prestigious players. In addition to his win last year, he won the Iowa Amateur Championship in 2004 and 2014. Dunn was the Player of the Year in 2007 and won the IGA Match Play Championship in 2015.
The Iowa Golf Association is excited to come back to Cedar Rapids Country Club for the 115th Iowa Amateur Championship July 24 through July 26. Cedar Rapids Country Club hosted the Iowa Amateur in 1984, 1955 and 1929. Pairings for the first round of the 115th Iowa Amateur Championship were released on Tuesday and can be found at https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/899233.
This year’s field is full of decorated players who are seeking to add an Iowa Amateur to their list of Championship titles. The field was extended from 144 players to 156 players to accommodate the surplus of entrants.
The current field includes 51 players who have received exemption status due to their outstanding performances in past championships. On that list you will see names like Mike McCoy, Gene Elliott, Jon Olson, J.D. Anderson, Nate Dunn, Tripp Kinney, Andrew Wood and Jon Brown.
Tripp Kinney is going into his second year at Iowa State University and plays for the Cyclone Men’s Golf team. Kinney won the IGA Match Play Championship in June. Andrew Wood won the Iowa Junior Amateur in June as well. He just graduated from Linn-Mar High School and has committed to play on the University of Northern Iowa Men’s Golf team in the fall.
J.D. Anderson won the Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship last May. He also has an Iowa Four-Ball Championship title as well as multiple wins in sanctioned point events over the years. He is currently third in the 2017 Player of the Year point standings.
McCoy and Elliott teamed up to win the IGA Four-Ball in late May. McCoy has won five Iowa Amateur titles in addition to being Player of the Year an impressive eleven times. Elliott has won three Iowa Amateur Championships and four Player of the Year titles. Elliott has won Player of the Year for the last two years running and is currently second in this year’s standings, buoyed by a recent win at the Iowa Masters. Both McCoy and Elliott are Iowa Golf Hall of Fame members and are major competitors within and outside the state.
Brown is currently leading this year’s Player of the Year point standings by twenty points. He won Player of the Year titles in 2006 and 2004 and won the Iowa Amateur in 2006. He recently finished second to Elliott at the Iowa Masters.
Jon Olson won the Iowa Amateur Championship in 2012 and was the IGA Player of the Year in 2014. He also won the IGA Match-Play Championship in 2011 and has won the Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship three times (2011, 2014, 2015).
Play gets underway Monday at 7:30 a.m. All players will play two rounds and then the low 60 & ties will make the cut to the final round on Wednesday. You can follow live scoring here.
Jenny Heinz and Karli Kerrigan shot a 67 in the final round at the 7th IGA Women’s Four Ball to clench yet another championship title at Brown Deer Golf Club in Coralville. Heinz and Kerrigan shot a 65 in the opening round for a total of 132 (-10) and won the open division by six.
The duo won the Iowa Women’s Four-Ball last year at Jester Park Golf Course, where they won in extra holes. Heinz was IGA Women’s Player of the Year for 2016 and Kerrigan has just finished her freshman year at the University of South Dakota.
Katie Hansen and Kelly Nelson beat out Janelle Carter and Julie Buerman In the second round by three strokes by posting another 69 to finish runner-up.
Rose Kubesheski continued to show her great play along with her teammate Margene Grady to win the Senior Division by eight strokes. Kathy Fortune and Mary Sauter were only two strokes back going into the second round, but Kubesheski and Grady shot an impressive 69 to clench the title.
Kubesheski won the Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur at Clarinda Country Club last weekend. She also won the senior division of the Iowa Women’s Four Ball last year with teammate Robin Webb. Kubesheski was the Senior Play of the Year last year and is currently leading the senior women’s point standings for this year.
The next IGA event for women will be the Iowa Women’s Amateur that will be held at Hyperion Field Club in Johnston from July 31 – August 2. Registration deadline for that event is July 24.