Team Iowa Golf Association took control following lunch on Thursday and will a five point lead, 12.5 – 7.5, into tomorrow Singles matches at the 56th Iowa Cup hosted by Hyperion Field Club.

Following a 5.5 – 4.5 lead by Team Iowa Section PGA after morning Four-Ball matches, the amateurs won a total of eight points, of a possible 10, in the afternoon Foursome session.

“It’s hard not to play well at Hyperion Field Club,” Ethan Mechling, who was on the winning side of both his matches on Thursday, said. “We (Team IGA) loves this place and it showed today, especially in the afternoon Foursomes session.”

Tee times will begin Friday morning at 8 a.m., with a total of 20 points up for grabs to decide the match.

Click here for full results

ISPGA Honorary Captain Mark Egly (left) and IGA Honorary Captain Bill Dickens (right) pose for a photo with the Iowa Cup.

The Iowa PGA Section claimed the win over the Iowa Golf Association in the 54th Edition of the Iowa Cup Matches. The Iowa PGA Section was firing on all cylinders this week at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown.

Yesterday, the Iowa PGA Section got off to a quick lead after the Four-Ball session of matches in the morning. The IGA was only able to score two points and the Iowa PGA Section was able to play with the lead for the remainder of the tournament. 

Connor Peck and Ryan Horner took down Chad Proehl, who is in the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2021, and John Shawver. Peck and Horner won the match 2 Up and tacked on the Iowa Golf Association’s first points. 

Elmwood Country Club members, Kelly Brown and Cole Davis, defeated Iowa Golf Hall of Famers, John Bermel and Sean McCarty. Brown and Davis claimed the match with a 1 Up victory and put the second point on the board for the IGA.

The IGA lost ground quickly and went into the Foursome session with a six-point deficit. Brian Allison and Trent Lindenman were able to get it going, winning their match 1 Up over Davis Sutton and John Shawver.

Jeff Collet and Dusty Stewart claimed a win over Matt Erger and Ben Montgomery to give the IGA another point. Dave Gaer and Ron Peterson knocked off Todd Fowler and Bryan Luedtke. Gary Ellis and Terry Cook gave Iowa their fourth point of the round, beating Jeff Smith and Dave Ranney. 

With an eight-point advantage going into the Singles Matches, the Iowa PGA Section’s confidence continued to grow. 

Jeff Smith, of the Iowa PGA Section, gave his team the first points of the day after knocking off Gary Ellis 5&4. The IGA continued their push and tacked on a point after Jamie Faidley defeated David Lawrence, 1 Up. 

Ryan Horner tied the Iowa Golf Hall of Famer, John Bermel and both sides added half of a point on to their totals. Dave Gaer took down Bryan Luedtke, 1 Up to give the IGA the lead in the Singles Matches total. 

The Iowa PGA Section kept their foot on the pedal and added two quick points with Todd Fowler’s win over Ron Peterson and the new Iowa Golf Hall of Famer, Judd Gibb’s win over Brian Allison. 

Connor Peck was able to add a point after besting another Iowa Golf Hall of Famer, Sean McCarty. Jeff Schmid took the match over Aaron O’Brien, but Terry Cook kept it going on the IGA’s side with a win over Dave Ranney. 

Needing to win the remainder of their matches, the IGA’s hopes of making the spectacular comeback were swept away with a big run by the Iowa PGA Section. Tracy Vest knocked off Jeff Collett and Matt Erger took down Cody Holck for two points.

Joe Palmer was able to interrupt their run with a win over Darin Fisher, but Davis Sutton and Jay Giannetto continued to score for the Iowa PGA Section. Sutton defeated Cole Davis and Giannetto claimed the win over Dusty Stewart. 

After the Iowa PGA Section’s run was completed, it was time for the IGA’s run. Four-straight points were added to the side of the IGA. Scot Cook won his match over John Shawver 2&1 and Ethan Mechling beat Chad Callan 2 Up in his match. 

Elmwood Country Club member, Kelly Brown, continued his good play and topped Mark Atchison in a match that ended 4&3. Iowa Golf Hall of Famer, Jon Brown, took the win over Chris Black for the fourth-straight IGA point. 

With two matches remaining, the Iowa PGA Section already had the win sealed up. Ben Montgomery added one more point to their total with a win over Trent Lindenman. The final match of the day between Luke Miller and Chad Proehl, who is in the 2021 Iowa Golf Hall of Fame class, ended in a tie. 

The IGA was able to match the Iowa PGA Section in the Singles Matches, but it wasn’t enough. The Iowa PGA Section’s outstanding performance yesterday was all they needed for the most part to claim the 54th Iowa Cup.

Score Summary
Iowa PGA Section: 24 points
Iowa Golf Association: 16 points

Four-Ball Matches
Jay Giannetto + Chad Callan def. Jon Brown + Scot Cook 3&2
Mark Atchison + Matt Erger def. Ethan Mechling + Trent Lindenman 1 Up
Davis Sutton + David Lawrence def. Dusty Stewart + Cody Holck 5&4
Judd Gibb + Darin Fisher def. Joe Palmer + Brian Allison 6&5
Connor Peck + Ryan Horner def. Chad Proehl + John Shawver 2 Up
Kelly Brown + Cole Davis def. John Bermel + Sean McCarty 1 Up
Tracy Vest + Chris Black def. Jeff Collett + Aaron O’Brien 3&1
Ben Montgomery + Jeff Schmid def. Luke Miller + Jamie Faidley 5&3
Todd Fowler + Dave Ranney def. Dave Gaer + Gary Ellis 4&3
Jeff Smith + Brian Luedtke def. Ron Peterson + Terry Cook 2&1

Foursome Matches
Chad Proehl + Judd Gibb def. Jon Brown + Ethan Mechling 2 Up
Mark Atchison + Chad Callan def. Jamie Faidley + Luke Miller 1 Up
Brian Allison + Trent Lindenman def. Davis Sutton + John Shawver 1 Up
Chris Black + Darin Fisher def. Scot Cook + Cole Davis 4&3
Jay Giannetto + Jeff Schmid def. Connor Peck + Kelly Brown 3&2
Tracey Vest + Sean McCarty def. Joe Palmer + Cody Holck 1 Up
Jeff Collett + Dusty Stewart def. Matt Erger + Ben Montgomery 2&1
David Lawrence + John Bermel def. Aaron O’Brien + Ryan Horner 2&1
Dave Gaer + Ron Peterson def. Todd Fowler + Brian Luedtke 2&1
Gary Ellis + Terry Cook def. Jeff Smith + Dave Ranney 3&2

Singles Matches
Jeff Smith def. Gary Ellis 5&4
Jamie Faidley def. David Lawrence 1 Up
Ryan Horner tied John Bermel
Dave Gaer def. Bryan Luedtke 1 Up
Todd Fowler def. Ron Peterson 1 Up
Judd Gibb def. Brian Allison 4&3
Connor Peck def. Sean McCarty 4&3
Jeff Schmid def. Aaron O’Brien 2&1
Terry Cook def. Dave Ranney 2&1
Tracy Vest def Jeff Collett 2 Up
Matt Erger def. Cody Holck 2&1
Joe Palmer def. Darin Fisher 4&3
Davis Sutton def. Cole Davis 6&4
Jay Giannetto def. Dusty Stewart 2 Up
Scot Cook def. John Shawver 2&1
Ethan Mechling def. Chad Callan 2 Up
Kelly Brown def. Mark Atchison 4&3
Jon Brown def. Chris Black 3&2
Ben Montgomery def. Trent Lindenman 2&1
Luke Miller tied Chad Proehl

Thursday marked the 54th Edition of the Iowa Cup Matches held at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown. The Iowa PGA Section has been victorious more times than not recently, and they continued their dominance over the team representing the Iowa Golf Association today.

The Iowa Cup Matches consist of Four-Ball Matches, Foursome Matches and Singles Matches. In the morning round, the players competed in Four-Ball Matches after a shotgun start. The Iowa PGA Section earned eight points, while the IGA only totaled two.

Connor Peck and Ryan Horner took down Chad Proehl, who is in the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2021, and John Shawver. Peck and Horner won the match 2 up and tacked on the Iowa Golf Association’s first points.

Elmwood Country Club members, Kelly Brown and Cole Davis, defeated Iowa Golf Hall of Famers, John Bermel and Sean McCarty. Brown and Davis claimed the match with a 1 up victory and put the second point on the board for the IGA.

Heading into the Foursome Matches, the IGA was down eight to two and needed a spark. Brian Allison and Trent Lindenman were able to get it going, winning their match 1 up over Davis Sutton and John Shawver.

Jeff Collet and Dusty Stewart claimed a win over Matt Erger and Ben Montgomery to give the IGA another point. Dave Gaer and Ron Peterson knocked off Todd Fowler and Bryan Luedtke. Gary Ellis and Terry Cook gave Iowa their fourth point of the round, beating Jeff Smith and Dave Ranney.

With an eight-point advantage going into the singles matches, the Iowa PGA Section has confidence. The Iowa Golf Association will need to battle to get back into contention, but they too have confidence after totaling four points in the second round.

You can follow the final round of the 54th Iowa Cup Matches tomorrow. Will the Iowa Golf Association make the comeback, or will the Iowa PGA Section take yet another win? We shall see!

Ace Alert – John Bermel has a hole in one on #12 to start the afternoon foursome session on Thursday – He used a pitching wedge from 125 yards. This marked his 15th career ace.

Score Summary
Iowa PGA Section: 14.00
Iowa Golf Association: 6.00

Four-Ball Matches
Jay Giannetto + Chad Callan def. Jon Brown + Scot Cook 3&2
Mark Atchison + Matt Erger def. Ethan Mechling + Trent Lindenman 1 Up
Davis Sutton + David Lawrence def. Dusty Stewart + Cody Holck 5&4
Judd Gibb + Darin Fisher def. Joe Palmer + Brian Allison 6&5
Connor Peck + Ryan Horner def. Chad Proehl + John Shawver 2 Up
Kelly Brown + Cole Davis def. John Bermel + Sean McCarty 1 Up
Tracy Vest + Chris Black def. Jeff Collett + Aaron O’Brien 3&1
Ben Montgomery + Jeff Schmid def. Luke Miller + Jamie Faidley 5&3
Todd Fowler + Dave Ranney def. Dave Gaer + Gary Ellis 4&3
Jeff Smith + Brian Luedtke def. Ron Peterson + Terry Cook 2&1

Foursome Matches
Chad Proehl + Judd Gibb def. Jon Brown + Ethan Mechling 2 Up
Mark Atchison + Chad Callan def. Jamie Faidley + Luke Miller 1 Up
Brian Allison + Trent Lindenman def. Davis Sutton + John Shawver 1 Up
Chris Black + Darin Fisher def. Scot Cook + Cole Davis 4&3
Jay Giannetto + Jeff Schmid def. Connor Peck + Kelly Brown 3&2
Tracey Vest + Sean McCarty def. Joe Palmer + Cody Holck 1 Up
Jeff Collett + Dusty Stewart def. Matt Erger + Ben Montgomery 2&1
David Lawrence + John Bermel def. Aaron O’Brien + Ryan Horner 2&1
Dave Gaer + Ron Peterson def. Todd Fowler + Brian Luedtke 2&1
Gary Ellis + Terry Cook def. Jeff Smith + Dave Ranney 3&2

The year was 1968 and the Iowa Cup was born that fall. In what was then a stroke play event, both the Iowa Section PGA and Iowa Golf Association met at newly-minted Des Moines Golf & Country Club. The amateurs would capture the cup that year – by the margin of one stroke.

Fast forward to 2021 – the Iowa Cup continues for the 54th time and is now a match play, Ryder Cup style event. It will be contested this fall at Elmwood Country Club (pictured above) in Marshalltown on Sept. 23-24. The Iowa Golf Association and Iowa PGA Section, winners of the last four matches, will name honorary captains for their teams.  Bill Dickens has been named the captain of the IGA squad while the Iowa PGA captain will be Mark Egly.

Dickens was the longtime Executive Director of the IGA, serving in that capacity from 2001 until 2016, where he transitioned into more of an advisory role until his full retirement at the end of 2020.

Egly is consistently ranked as one of the “Best Golf Instructors” in the Midwest and in the United States by all the major golf publications, including being Golf Digests #1 Ranked instructor in Iowa for a decade as well as earning the PGA of Iowa’s Teacher of the Year multiple times.

The Iowa Cup Matches’ schedule will be as follows
-Thursday (Sept 23) morning – Four-Ball Matches
-Thursday afternoon – Foursome Matches
-Thursday evening – Player’s dinner
-Friday (Sept 24) – Singles matches
-The Cup will be presented to the winning team following play on Friday

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING

Team IGA
Jon Brown
Connor Peck
Ethan Mechling
Trent Lindenman
Kelly Brown
Scot Cook
Luke Miller
Brian Allison
Cody Holck
Jeff Collett
Joe Palmer
Cole Davis
Dusty Stewart
Aaron O’Brien
Jon Olson
Ryan Horner
Dave Gaer
Gary Ellis
Ron Peterson
Terry Cook

Team ISPGA
Mark Atchison
John Bermel
Chris Black
Chad Callan
Matt Erger
Darin Fisher
Jay Giannetto
Judd Gibb
David Lawrence
Sean McCarty
Ben Montgomery
Chad Proehl
Jeff Schmid
John Shawver
Davis Sutton
Tracy Vest
Todd Fowler
Bryan Luedtke
Dave Ranney
Jeff Smith

Due to heavy rain Friday morning’s Singles Matches of the Iowa Cup were canceled. With the score knotted at 10-10 after yesterday’s Four-Ball and Foursome play, as winners of last year’s event the Iowa PGA Section retains the Iowa Cup. This is the fourth year in a row the ‘Pros’ have won the Iowa Cup.

Click here for full results from play at Crow Valley Golf Club

After morning Four-Ball and afternoon Foursome play the 52nd Iowa Cup Matches, between the Iowa Golf Association and Iowa Section PGA, are deadlocked at 10 points a piece.

A trio of players for the IGA side were part of two winning points, including Jay Thornbrugh, Ben Epperly and Dusty Drenth. Brian Johnson, Chris Black, Jeff Schmid and James Henry were all part of wins in both the morning and afternoon for the Iowa Section PGA.

Singles matches will be contested in the morning at Davenport’s Crow Valley Golf Club with pairings being posted online soon.

Click here for a full recap of today’s action.

The year was 1968 and the Iowa Cup was born that fall. In what was then a stroke play event, both the Iowa Section PGA and Iowa Golf Association met at newly-minted Des Moines Golf & Country Club. The amateurs would capture the cup that year – by the margin of one stroke.

Fast forward to 2019 – the Iowa Cup continues for the 52nd time and is now a match play, Ryder Cup style event. It will be contested this fall at Davenport’s Crow Valley Golf Club (pictured above) on Sept. 26-27. The Iowa Golf Association and Iowa PGA Section, winners of the last three matches, named honorary captains for their teams – Bill Eby (IGA) and Mark Lemon (Iowa PGA), who both have served their respective associations in many ways. Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Member Lonnie Nielsen (Class of 2010), a tremendous amateur and professional golfer originally from Belle Plaine, will serve as an overall honoree of the matches.

Eby is the current Vice President of the IGA and has worked as a volunteer course rater for nearly a decade. He currently chairs the IGA’s Handicap Committee and was awarded the Sean Flanders IGA Volunteer of the Year award in 2014.

Lemon has been a member of the PGA for over 36 years. He was the longtime PGA professional and owner of Airport National Golf Course in Cedar Rapids and is a veteran Iowa Cup Matches participant. Mark has served on various Iowa PGA committees throughout the years. He has also served on the IGA’s Herman Sani Scholarship selection committee for numerous years.

“Many of us IPGA Pros developed our tournament skills and passion for golf while playing in the fun and competitive IGA events as amateurs before turning pro,” Lemon said. “Both organizations promote and grow golf through many ‘golf related programs & tournaments’.

Nielsen grew up playing on sand greens and went on to attend the University of Iowa. He won several amateur events in Iowa, including the 1975 Iowa Amateur, and was named Iowa Player of the Year that year. He turned pro in 1976 and competed for a brief time on the PGA Tour highlighted by two top ten finishes before pursuing a career as a club pro. Nielsen was a dominant player in the Western New York Section PGA winning its Section Championship nine times and the Match Play Championship 10 times from 1984 through 2002

Nielsen played the PGA Champions Tour full time beginning in 2006 winning two titles and has amassed almost $5 million in winnings. Nielsen’s best year was 2008 when he finished 11th on the money list with over $1.2 million in cash.

Nielsen will be unable to attend the matches this year was quite thrilled when hearing of the honor.

“Fifty-two years of the Iowa Cup Matches – wow,” Nielsen said. “That says something right there. I am very humbled to be chosen as the overall honoree of the 2019 Matches.”

Nielsen commented that Iowa will always be special to him.

“Even though we left Iowa in 1984, Iowa has never left my heart,” Nielsen said. “When people ask me where I’m from, I still proudly say Iowa! Sometimes I think of playing on sand greens at the Belle Plaine Country Club – never dreaming I would win twice on the Champions Tour. I want to wish both teams good luck. The Iowa Cup Matches represent the best of what golf is about.”

Eby, who will lead the charge for the IGA and is from Davenport, said he is looking forward to welcoming players and staff from both sides to his side of the state.

“I feel fortunate to represent the IGA in this event as Captain,” Eby said. “I am excited to welcome the IPGA And IGA representatives to Eastern Iowa. We appreciate everyone making the trip and I look forward to visiting the players and staff from both sides.”

The Iowa Cup Matches’ schedule will be as follows:
-Thursday (Sept 26) morning – Four-Ball Matches
-Thursday afternoon – Foursome Matches
-Thursday evening – Player’s dinner
-Friday (Sept 27) – Singles matches
-The Cup will be presented to the winning team following play on Friday

IGA Team
Aaron OBrien
Andrew Huseman
Ben Epperly
Dusty Drenth
Dusty Stewart
Ethan Mechling
J.D. Anderson
Jay Thornbrugh
Jon Brown
Jon Olson
Jordan Even
Nate McCoy
Matthew Weeks
Sam Zoske
Scot Cook
Sterling McIlravey
Bret Taylor (Senior)
Joe Bates (Senior
Ron Peterson (Senior)
Terry Cook (Senior)

IPGA Team
Aaron Krueger
Ben Montgomery
Brian Johnson
Brian Lorenz
Chad Callan
Chad Proehl
Chris Black
Darin Fisher
Davis Sutton
Jay Giannetto
John Panek
Judd Gibb
Matt Erger
Michael Scott
Ryan McClintock
Tracy Vest
Bryan Luedtke (Senior)
Jeff Schmid (Senior)
Jeff Smith (Senior)
Jim Henry (Senior)

Follow the 2019 Iowa Cup Matches online here: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/2200196