While the sun has set on day two of the 47th Iowa Senior Amateur championship, the battle to crown a pair of champions has only just begun. With three players atop the Championship Division leaderboard each carding a second round 71 (E) and many in the hunt in the Super Senior Division, today’s final round is set to be a dogfight to the finish. 

In the Championship Division, Joe Palmer of Norwalk, Jon Brown of Adel (above), and Brian Verduyn of Polk City fared the elements to maintain their share of the lead.

Brown highlighted the day with a hole-in-one on the second hole.

“Second hole of the day and the wind’s howling right to left…Went in on the second bounce. Pretty cool,” expressed Brown. 

For the remainder of the field, the road to spotless rounds was far from easy. The players’ biggest adversary? The wind. With gusts up to 25mph, the links-style golf course left a trail of carnage. Triple-bogeys and worse plagued countless scorecards, and birdies became few and far between. 

“It was a two to three club wind out there today,” shared Gary Ellis of Norwalk. “I just had to trust my swing and trust the club and had to take some chances out there with the wind.”

Ellis shared the Championship Division low-round of the day with a 71 (E). 

Also carding a 71 was Ben Peters of Bettendorf. Making a strong comeback after a round one score of 74 (+3), Peters leads the entire field in birdies with a total of six so far. 

“I made quite a few nice putts today. When I’m getting the ball in play I’m able to score, I’m just hoping to get the ball in play more often,” Peters said.

The Super Senior Division was highlighted by Dave Gaer of Des Moines’ low-round of 70 (-1). As the only player with an under-par round today, Gaer made up some ground after an opening round of 76 (+5). 

“I hit 15 greens today which left me a lot of birdie putts. I avoided a lot of the fescue which certainly helps out here,” Gaer noted. “Heading into tomorrow, I’m really just looking to get the ball in the fairway and play smart.”

Jim Butler of Fort Madison shot 75 (+4) in round two which brings his two-day total to 145 (+3) and keeps him at the top of the leaderboard in the Super Senior Division. Following close behind is Gaer (+4) and a trio of golfers, Jim Madsen of Carroll, Tony Malizia of Humboldt, and Paul Wielage of Clive at (+6). 

With impending thunderstorms forecasted for tomorrow’s championship round, the entire field will begin play with an 8:30 a.m., shotgun.

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A crowded leaderboard highlights the opening round of the 47th Iowa Senior Amateur at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames, with five players tied for the lead at even-par 72. Sharing the top spot are Jon Brown (pictured above), Brian Verduyn, Joe Palmer (right), Kirk Macumber and Sean Davis.

While scoring opportunities were available, many players found consistency hard to come by—birdies often offset by bogeys or worse. Four competitors sit just one stroke back at 73 (+1), with seven more close behind at 74 (+2), all still in strong contention heading into Monday’s second round.

In the Super Senior Division, Jim Butler turned in a standout performance, carding a 70 (-1) — two strokes better than his age.

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Butler said after his round.

Tony Malizia trails Butler by just two shots, while four additional players sit tied at 73 (+2), keeping the division wide open.

After Monday’s round, the field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties, including anyone within 10 shots of the lead. The cut will reflect a ratio of entries between divisions — 35 spots allocated to Seniors and 25 to Super Seniors.

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In the end it was enough.

Jon Brown (right), who posted a 217 (+1) total, held on for victory at the 46th Iowa Senior Amateur hosted by Bent Tree Golf Course. With an opening rough 65, Brown admitted that was the difference in Council Bluffs.

“The first day everything went right,” Brown said. “I didn’t make many mistakes the next day (round two), but today, it’s hard playing with the lead. The conditions were really challenging (today). I missed some short putts early and the set the tone.”

After opening with a 39 (+3) on the front nine in the final round, Brown knew he needed to get to work as Joe Palmer and Chris Kramer, who would tie for runner-up when the dust had settled, gave chase.

“I found myself just trying to hang on,” Brown said. “I didn’t look at the leaderboard until the 18th tee. I knew what my group was doing, but not really anyone else. I just tried to do my best. Today was just one bad break after another and nothing was going right. I knew I needed to buckle down. Today with the wind it was tougher to drive the ball. The course felt tighter than the first two days. If you get out of position, with the greens being so fast, you all of sudden you have a downhill chip running away from you.”

Driving the ball and finding the fairways at the links-style layout of Bent Tree GC was the key to success according to Brown.

“I was able to put myself in positions to be aggressive and my speed with the putter was good,” Brown said. “Today, I had 5-6 footers that you had to be careful with or you could have 6-7 feet coming back. It was one of those days (today), it’s a little bit embarrassing shooting 79 to win, but I am thrilled I had a cushion. Chris Kramer played well today and I’ve had some many battles with Joe. I was never comfortable until I hit the 18th green.”

In the Super Senior Division Dave Gaer chased down the lead thanks to a final round 73 (+1) that included four birdies, good enough for a 222 total and a one shot win over Dave Waugh. Gaer commented that Bent Tree GC was a layout that you had to pick you spots of when to be aggressive and when to throttle down.

“This golf course you can’t force it,” Gaer said. “I got off to a good start today, that helped. I hit a lot of greens on the back nine. The wind blew steady all day and this is a good golf course. You have to use all your clubs in the bag. You get so many more chances here if you drive the ball well. It was a lot of fun (this week).

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It’s not always easy.

Many say following up a sensational round of golf on top of playing with the lead, knowing there are plenty of good golfers chasing you, might be two of the toughest hurdles in golf.

Jon Brown (right), who sizzled around Bent Tree Golf Course in the opening round of the 46th Iowa Senior Amateur with 10 birdies, managed only a lone birdie on the card in the second round, grew his lead to seven shots over Joe Palmer and Chris Kramer.

Mission accomplished.

Brown, in a second round that saw him collect 15 pars, will look to add a Iowa Senior Amateur title to his Iowa Golf Hall of Fame resume heading into the final round on Wednesday.

A similar story can be found in the Super Senior Division.

Rob Christensen finds himself ahead by six over a trio of players, following a steady round that also included 15 pars. A late-round bogey and double bogey for Christensen were all that left the Marshalltown golfer even farther out in front looking ahead to the final round.

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Early and often.

Jon Brown wasted little time climbing the leaderboard at the 46th Iowa Senior Amateur hosted by Bent Tree Golf Course, Council Bluffs. Brown, who was off early as one of the first handful of groups of the day, made a total of 10 birdies on the day, good enough for a 65 (-7) round.

Brown needed only 30 strokes on his back nine on Monday morning, including six birdies in those nine holes.

Joe Palmer finds himself chasing Brown after an up and down round of 71 (-1) of his own, while Sean Davis and Terry Cook posted 72s (E).

In the Super Senior Division, Rob Christensen (-1) leads by a pair of strokes over Dave Gaer and Tom Norton.

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Ben Peters (left) joins his father, John, as an Iowa Senior Amateur champion. John won titles in 1998, 2004 and 2007.

Ben Peters survived.

Both the hot conditions as well as the difficult challenge Dubuque Golf & CC offered during the 45th Iowa Senior Amateur. Closing with a pair of 68s, Peters admitted it was the birdies coming home in the opening round after a rocky start that was the key to the week for him.

“It was a rough start for me on the first day,” Peters said. “I settled down with the putter a little bit and ball striking got better each day. It was a fun, hot week. I didn’t expect my second round score (68) to leapfrog me up the leaderboard as much as it did. It was such a difficult day. Those birdies coming in on the first day made the difference.”

Peters, who knew he had to stay patient at Dubuque G&CC, played his final 41 holes of the championship at -7, good for a three shot victory.

“Sometimes good shots here don’t turn out as well as you might think they should,” Peters said. “You have to stay below the hole. It’s a fun, old golf course.”

The heat, reaching into the triple digits at times, was also a hurdle for the field.

“The first day was more of a shock to the system,” Peters said “I was a little more prepared the second day. You knew what you were going to face (with the weather).”

With a two-shot lead heading into the final round over Ron Peterson, Peters knew he wasn’t going to have the luxury of coasting to the finish line.

“It was a back and forth most of the day with Ron,” Peters said. “I was able to make a couple nice putts out there. I knew I was going to need to make a birdie to make sure it went my well and I was able to on 17.”

Peters now joins his father, John, as an Iowa Senior Amateur champion. John won the event a total of three times – in 1998, 2004 and 2007. Peters also becomes the first person not names Elliott, McCoy or Palmer to win the event going back to 2013.

“This is a special for both of us to have out name on the trophy,” Ben said when asked about adding his name to the trophy along this his father.

Ben’s daughter, Maura, added a victory early in the summer at the Iowa Junior Girls’ Amateur, so Ben might of been feeling a little pressure to have a spot for his own trophy at home.

“You never know what is around the corner,” Peters said.

In the Super Senior Division, Tom Norton (right) played steady – posting 71 all three days of the event, with was good for a four shot win over Dave Baer.

“With the heat and these greens are severe enough I was happy with my score,” Norton said.

The coursed was something that looked good to Norton’s eye and he took advantage.

“This course suites me well, it’s tight and not long,” Norton said. “I just tried to keep it in the fairway. I didn’t three putt a bunch. I had the good fortune of making a few birdies the first two days. None today, but I had 17 pars. I never felt stressed today, it got within shot, but I was comfortable making pars.”

Figuring out the tough greens at Dubuque G&CC was also a key for Norton.

“You have to read greens well to have success here. This is my first stroke play victory. I have been second to Gene (Elliott) a few times, which is nothing to hang your head about, but I was happy to get it done.”

Norton admitted he took special precaution with the heat during he week and didn’t show up unprepared for the conditions.

“About 10 years I had a heat stroke, so I have to be careful. I kept an ice cooler with me and stay hydrated enough. The body felt better during the last round (with the weather not being as hot).”

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One more day.

It’s a packed leaderboard at Dubuque Golf & CC after two days of play at the 45th Iowa Senior Amateur. Players battled steamy, unpleasant at times conditions again during the second round of play, but Bettendorf’s Ben Peters found a recipe for success – good enough for a 68 (-2) to vault him into the lead by one heading in the final round.

Opening round co-leader Chris Kramer sits just a shot back of Peters’ lead, as does Ron Peterson. Peterson turned in a fine second round score himself – 70 (E). Another five players find themselves all within no more than five shots off the pace, including opening round co-leader Bill Matzdorff, who will start the final round +5.

A pair of 71s from Tom Norton put him into the lead in the Super Senior Division. Norton leads by a pair of strokes over Dave Baer and Bob Brooks. Rob Pomerantz, who fired a spectacular 67 (-3) in the second round, is just four shots back of the lead and will look to make a move up the leaderboard in the final round.

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Bill Tank surveys his next shot during the opening round of the 45th Iowa Senior Amateur hosted by Dubuque Golf & CC.

Battling the hot, at times unbearable conditions most of the day was the true test during the opening round of the 45th Iowa Senior Amateur hosted by Dubuque Golf & CC.

West Des Moines’ Chris Kramer and Ankeny’s Bill Matzdorff found the most success posting rounds of 71 (+1). Kramer’s round included a pair of birdies to offset a trio of bogeys. Meanwhile, Matzdorff made three birdies aginst four bogeys on the day. Two players, Gary Ellis (Norwalk) and Dustin Hall (Monticello) sit just a shot back at +2. Three players give chase as well at +3.

In the Super Senior Division, Dave Gaer, of Des Moines, turned in the round of the day with 69 (-1). Gaer was able to make three birdies and only make a pair of bogeys during his round. Gaer commented he was pleased with his round and was glad to be inside and out of the heat after turning in his scorecard.

Muscatine’s Tom Norton fired 71 (+1) and is just a shot back of Gaer’s lead. Sam Aossey (Cedar Rapids) shot 72 (+2), while Bob Brooks (West Des Moines) and Mark Wessels (Dyersville) both finished with 73 (+3) and are well within reach of the lead.

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