After two rounds at the 72nd Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises, Bondurant’s Andrew Petersen (above) holds the lead by two shots over Jon Brown, of Adel, and the 2018 Herman Sani Tournament Champion, Zach Steffen. Petersen has recorded only one bogey through his 36-holes, and he carded two eagles. Rounds of 65 and 67 put Petersen in the lead heading into the last round at Hyperion Field Club.

Brown is currently the low amateur at ten-under par. In his round today, Brown recorded ten birdies and finished at seven-under to rocket up the leaderboard. Steffen had a quiet round today, but his 63 in the first round has him sitting in a tie for second place.

Joe Palmer, of Norwalk, maintains the lead heading into the final round. Palmer fired back-to-back under-par rounds with a one-under, 71 today. Jay Gregory, of Lineville, was down four shots, but managed to get two shots back on Palmer. Gregory shot three-under and is tied with Mike Gaul who had the lowest round by any senior today. Gaul posted a four-under 68 and made up three shots today. 

In the Super Senior division, Jim Madsen keeps his lead after two rounds. Madsen shot an even 72 in his round today and increased his lead to two. Robert Johnson holds second place with rounds of 74 and 73. Pat Ryan, who leads the Super Senior Player of the Year race, sits in third place at four-over par. 

The final round will continue tomorrow morning with the first tee-time beginning at 7:30. You can follow the live leaderboard using this link. 

Open Division (Overall)
1. Andrew Petersen (p) 65-67-132
T2. Jon Brown 69-65-134
T2. Zach Steffen 63-71-134
T4. Anthony Ruthey 67-68-135
T4. Tripp Kinney (p) 67-68-135
T4. Trent Lindenman 67-68-135
T4. Lachlan Barker 64-71-135

Senior Amateur
1. Joe Palmer 68-71-139
T2. Jay Gregory 72-69-141
T2. Mike Gaul 73-68-141
T4. John Evans 75-69-144
T4. Ron Peterson 73-71-144
T4. Curtis Holck 75-69-144

Super Senior Amateur
1. Jim Madsen 73-72-145
2. Robert Johnson 74-73-147
3. Pat Ryan 77-71-148
T4. Bill Tank 74-75-149
T4. Jamie Blackburn 74-75-149

The first round of the 72nd Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises at Hyperion Field Club has concluded and low scores were to be had. 2018 Herman Sani Champion Zach Steffen, of West Des Moines, fired a low 63 that included nine birdies and a bogey free round. Steffen, who is in the professional division, carded a 32 on the front nine and a 31 on the back nine.

Sitting in second place is Iowa State Universoty’s fifth-year senior, Lachlan Barker. With three birdies right out the gate, you could say Barker got off to a hot start. Barker is leading all amateurs at eight-under par after posting a 64 that also included nine birdies. 

Andrew Peterson, of Bondurant, turned in a seven-under 65 today with five birdies and an eagle on the third hole. Another Iowa State Cyclone, Jake Slocum, has put himself in contention with a six-under 66 and holds fourth place alone. 

Norwalk’s, Joe Palmer, holds a four-shot lead over Kirk Macumber after firing the only under-par round for the Senior Division at four-under. Palmer, who won the IGA Match Play and the IGA Senior Match Play and will give it his all to win the Senior Division at the Herman Sani Tournament. 

Jim Madsen, of Carroll, has the lead by one over three Super Senior Division after carding a 73 today. Bill Tank, Jamie Blackburn and Robert Johnson all sit in a three-way tie for second place at two-over par. To add to the ties in the close race for the Super Senior division, fifth place is owned by five different players. 

Congratulations to our four Herman Sani scholars and our five Ann Griffel scholars. They have all worked hard and have earned these prestigious awards. Each were honored during a banquet held following the opening round of play.

Herman Sani Scholars
Luke Meyer
Jaci Webb
Paige Hoffman
Jack Dumas

Ann Griffel Scholars
Anna Nacos
Amara Lytle
Madeline Streicher
Hannah Fangmann
Isabelle Schneidermann

Open Division (Overall)
1. Zach Steffen (p) -9 63
2. Lachlan Barker -8 64
3. Andrew Petersen (p) -7 65
4. Jake Slocum -6 66
T5. Anthony Ruthey -5 67
T5. Tripp Kinney (p) -5 67
T5. Lukas Pany -5 67
T5. Trent Lindenman -5 67
T5. Tyler Smith (p) -5 67

Senior Amateur
1. Joe Palmer -4 68
T2. Kirk Macumber E 72
T2. Jay Gregory E 72
T4. Andy Burton +1 73
T4. Tom Schill +1 73
T4. Ron Peterson +1 73
T4. Tim McKnight +1 73
T4. Mike Gaul +1 73

Super Senior Amateur:
1. Jim Madsen +1 73
T2. Bill Tank +2 74
T2. Jamie Blackburn +2 74
T2. Robert Johnson +2 74
T5. Randy Studer +4 76
T5. John Brown +4 76
T5. John Matovina +4 76
T5. Scott Hornstein +4 76
T5. Rob Christensen +4 76

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.

Ames’ Ricky Costello (pictured above) knew after his opening nine holes in the final round of the 70th Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises at Echo Valley Country Club he had nothing to lose.

Costello put together a bogey-free 33 (-3) on the back nine to get into a playoff with three others including Charles Jahn (Sperry), Frank Lindwall (Cedar Rapids) and Lachlan Barker (Ames), who all finished at 211 (-5) for the tournament. Costello, Lindwall and Barker are all teammates on the Iowa State men’s golf team.

Costello, who held the lead after the opening round with 68 (-4), admitted he wanted to play more aggressively in the final round. His aggressiveness paid dividends, after all four players made par on the first playoff hole (#18), as he almost drove the green on the second playoff hole (#11) and chipped up to tap-in range. His birdie was good enough to win and take home the title after birdie attempts failed from the other three players.

“The first day I had conservative approach to the course,” Costello said. “I made a lot of putts that day. Coming into today I told myself I am coming here to win. I wanted to play more aggressive than I had the first couple of days and I did. I tried to put confident swings on the ball. I figured I didn’t have much to lose (by hitting driver on #11 in the playoff).”

Costello, even after making a 25-foot birdie putt on #18 thought he was probably a shot or two short.

“I was able to make a couple birdies down the stretch to get it to -5,” Costello said. “I didn’t think it was going to be enough. I had a rough start (today) and was two-over par after seven holes. I was able to birdie #9 and I thought let’s see what we can do those last nine holes. I couldn’t of asked for anything more than that.”

In the Senior Division Gene Elliott (West Des Moines) put together rounds of 69-67-72 (-8) to win by three over Jon Brown (Adel). West Des Moines’ Joe Palmer and Terry Cook (-2) tied for third place.

Rob Christensen (Marshalltown) won his second Super Senior Division title in a row in this event with a five shot victory over Jim Campbell (Albia). Polk City’s Stephen Larson finished third, eight shots back of Christensen.

Jewell’s Trevor Ullestad (-3) finished at the low professional for the event.

Click here for a full recap of scores.

Sperry’s Charles Jahn, with rounds of 69-70 (-5), leads the 70th Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises. Jahn, who leads by a shot over Lachlan Barker (Ames) and Frank Lindwall (Cedar Rapids), made four birdies to vault into the lead during the second round at Echo Valley Country Club.

Barker and Lindwall play golf for Iowa State University, while Jahn, a 2016 Herman Sani Scholar, is a men’s golf team member at Bradley University.

Opening round leader Ricky Castello (Ames), professional Trevor Ullestad (Jewell), and Nick Pittman (Urbandale) sit just two shots back of Jahn’s lead at -4. Pittman is a 2019 Herman Sani Scholar. Ullestad posted a bogey-free 67 (-5) in the second round.

In the Senior Division Gene Elliott, of West Des Moines, fired a 67 (-5) that included eight birdies in his second round. Eillott sits at -8 for the tournament, one shot clear of Joe Palmer, of West Des Moines. Palmer shot 66 (-6) in the second round that included seven birdies against just a lone bogey. Jon Brown, Adel, sits at -2 through two rounds.

Rob Christensen (+3 overall), of Marshalltown, continues to lead the Super Senior Division following a second round of 76. Jim Campbell, of Albia, and Dave Sergeant, of Fort Dodge, are tied for second at +8, five shots off the lead.

The final round will will be played tomorrow with the field will be cut to the low 45 & ties in the Open Division, low 24 & ties in the Senior Division and low 9 & ties in the Super Senior Division after 36 holes.

Click here for a full recap of scoring.

Ames’ Ricky Costello put together a fine round of golf, posting 68 (-4) to lead after the opening round of the 70th Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises being played at Echo Valley Country Club. The Ridge and Creek rotation are being used for this year’s event.

Costello, who will be a junior on the Iowa State men’s golf team this fall, made five birdies to go against just a single bogey. Following closely behind Costello, just a shot off the pace, include amateurs Charles Jahn (Sperry), Nick Pittman (Urbandale), Dylan Ellis (Parkersburg), Cody Holck (Grimes) and professional Darin Fisher (Albia). A trio of players sit at -2, just two back of the lead.

Pittman, a 2019 Herman Sani Scholarship recipient, captured the Frohwein Award for the low score after the first round of the scholarship winners, who play as a group to start the tournament. All scholarship recipients were honored at a dinner following the opening round.

In the Senior Division, Terry Cook shot 68 (-4) to lead by a shot over Gene Elliott and Jon Brown by two shots.

Rob Christensen (Marshalltown) leads the Super Senior Division at -1, four shots ahead of Jim Campbell (Albia). John Kinsey (Alleman) is tied by Stephen Larson five strokes off the lead. Kinsey’s opening round included three eagles on the day.

Round two will be played tomorrow with the field will be cut to the low 45 & ties in the Open Division, low 24 & ties in the Senior Division and low 9 & ties in the Super Senior Division
after 36 holes.

Click here for a full recap scoring.

It came down to who was going to hit a great shot to capture the 69th Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises.

Zach Steffen (pictured above), a professional from Des Moines, was the one who answered the bell, even though it didn’t look promising before he hit the shot of the tournament, which came in a playoff.

Steffen, who posted the low score of the day with 66 (-6) just to get into a playoff with Broc Everett and J.D. Anderson, hit a towering wedge shot from the rough under one tree, over another that nearly went in the hole on #18 at Hyperion Field Club.

Steffen’s ball would settle above the hole and he would convert the birdie after Everett’s chip from just short of the green narrowly missed and Anderson’s putt slid by the hole for birdie. Steffen commented after the round it wasn’t as easy as it looked.

“I knew I needed some help going into today,” Steffen said. “If Broc shoots 63 again I would have no chance. I knew I needed to keep making birdies and go as low as possible. Especially on the back nine, I knew I needed to keep the pressure on (Everett and Anderson).

Even tough his tee shot in the playoff, at first glance didn’t look ideal, he was in a position he felt comfortable with.

“In regulation I hit three wood and was too close to the green to spin it,” Steffen said. “In the playoff I hit hybrid and hooked it a little. I got break where I was at and could get under one tree and over the next. I have practiced that shot a lot and can hit a really high 60 degree (wedge). I had a good number and ball hit the front and almost went in they said. I was hoping it wasn’t six feet above the hole because I know how fast it is, but I was fortunate enough to make it.”

Steffen’s day included seven birdies, all in a 13-hole stretch, and just a lone bogey.

“I wanted to give myself as many chances as possible today,” Steffen said. “I love these greens. It gives me a lot of confidence. I have played well here in the past.”

In the Senior Division, Joe Palmer charged back with a 68 (-4) to finish two shots clear of Robert Dickerman. Palmer come home in 33 (-3), including a pair of birdies in the last four holes.

In the Super Senior Division (new in 2018), Rob Christensen won by four strokes over Dave Sergeant. Christensen shot rounds of 74-69-74 to finish at 217 (+1).

Click here for a full recap of scoring.