The 59th Senior Women’s Amateur Championship contested at Stone Creek Golf Club in Williamsburg, ended in picture perfect fashion for one player who’s been chasing an individual victory for several seasons. 

Jesup’s very own Michelle Klein (right) put on a clinic during the final round. She carded a smooth 70 (-1) finishing at 143 (+1), and could not be more ecstatic about her first solo tournament win.

“I am excited that this was my first win as an individual,” Klein said.

With past IGA tournaments have been held at Stone Creek GC, Klein knew to stay patient, have a positive mindset and to have fun. 

“This 9-hole course has been a favorite of mine. I just had a positive mindset, shots were coming, and I was making a lot of putts,” Klein mentioned.

She has been living in the shadows watching her fellow competitors and friends win, but knew this was her time to shine.

“My husband and I always joke that I am the bridesmaid, I don’t want to be that anymore. But now I get to finally be the bride that I won,” Klein added.

Runner-up belonged to Kim Kieckhaefer shooting a 36-hole total of 148 (+6) and only two shots behind her in solo third was Geri Huser. 

Kathy Fortune of Rockwell City delivered the win today in the Super Senior Division carding a respectable 76 (+5). Fortune ended the tournament at 156 (+14) and won by three shots. Coming in runner-up was Janece Schwartzkopf, sitting in solo third at 161 (+19) was Janis Owens.

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The first round of the 59^th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship featured high temps and low scores as the state’s best senior women worked their way through Stone Creek Golf Club in Williamsburg. By the time the day ended, two players rose to the top of the leaderboard as Kim Kieckhaefer and Laura Leszczynski posted matching rounds of (+1), 72.

Kieckhaefer’s scorecard featured consistent play from start to finish. Thanks to a birdie on the par five ninth, she opened up the championship with an even-par 36. A birdie on the par-three 14^th helped offset back-to-back bogeys as the Cedar Rapids resident closed with four-straight pars for her second straight 36. Ten years removed from her lone Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur title, Kieckhaefer will look to once again hoist the trophy.

Co-leader Leszczynski had a much different go of the nine-hole track. Opening the championship with a triple bogey eight on the first, she rebounded nicely, playing her final 17 holes in two under par. Rolling in six birdies, including two on the final three holes, the three-time defending champion put herself in contention to become the first player since 2005 to capture four straight Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur titles.

Just behind the past champ is Jesup’s Michelle Klein who earned a final round pairing following a two-over-par round of 73.

In the Super Senior Division, Creston’s Janis Owens leads the way following her opening round of (+5), 76. Going out in 41, Owens steadied the ship and reeled off nine straight pars to post an even-par 35 on her closing nine. Just behind Owens sits defending Super Senior Champ Jennifer Corkrean after posting (+7), 78. Rounding out the top three is Janece Schwartzkopf of Sebring with a solid round of (+8), 79.

Final round action gets underway this morning,

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Laura Leszczynski (above), of Saint Mary’s, wins her third consecutive and fourth career Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, this time at Prairie Links Golf Club in Waverly. Leszczynski, who had claimed a seven-stroke lead after the first day, beat Dubuque’s Rose Kubesheski in a one-hole playoff to clinch her title. Both competitors finished at (+16) 160.

“The squirrel in me showed up (in the final round),” Leszczynski said. “It was a restless night. I was so excited to play. (In round one) I forced myself to stay focused on one shot at a time. Staying dry. Swinging in a rain suit   Keeping my grips dry. That’s it.”

Leszczynski began her final round with a front-nine 46 while Kubesheski fired a 38, putting the two neck-to-neck. Leszczynski mustered out a back-nine 40 to force a playoff en route to her win.

“After nine holes, I stopped myself,” Leszczynski said. “I tried to slow down my pace physically and mentally.  Deep breathes and get myself refocused. I put my mental blinders on. My biggest takeaway from victory is knowing I need to be good to me while out there. Stay positive, let thing go and look at only the shot in front of me. Believe in me and tell myself I got this. I was inspired by a good friend, who had just shot 68 a week ago.”

Not far behind was a three-way tie for third at (+17) 161 between Altoona’s Geri Huser, Ankeny’s Jennifer Corkrean, and Des Moines’ Kelly Grimes. Corkrean won the Super Senior Division and was only one stroke away from joining the Senior Division leaders at the top. Grimes took home the Net Division title with a net score of (+3) 147.

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Iowa’s three U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship qualifiers, Laura Leszczynski, Rose Kubesheski (above) and Michelle Klein are on top of the first-round leaderboard at the 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Lake Panorama National Golf Course in Panora. 

Defending champion, Leszczynski, tied Kubesheski for the lowest round of the day with a five over 77. With 13 pars on the day, Leszczynski’s consistent play might be enough to take down the current leader for the Senior Women’s Player of the Year, Kubesheski. 

Kubesheski is looking for her eighth Senior Women’s Amateur Championship title, and she set herself up well after round one. After a quick double bogey on the first hole, Kubesheski played the following 12 holes at even par. 

Klein snuck up on the leaders and will put the pressure on in the final round. Klein recorded 10 pars and one birdie to find the top-three on the leaderboard. Her round of 78 will be enough for Leszczynski and Kubesheski to keep an eye on. 

On the penultimate hole, Kelly Grimes knocked in a long birdie to place her inside the top-five.  Grimes finished with a par on the 18th hole to post an 82 and finds herself five shots behind the leaders, Leszczynski and Kubesheski. 

Kelly Grimes’ partner in crime, Sue Harmon, rounds out the top-five with an 11-over round. Harmon’s 40 on the back nine pushed her into contention and out of the two-way tie for sixth place.  

The final round of the 57th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship will begin Tuesday morning. Follow the ladies using our live scoring feature to find out who will be crowned the Senior Women’s Champion.

Championship Division
T1. Laura Leszczynski +5 77
T1. Rose Kubesheski +5 77
3. Michelle Klein +6 78
4. Kelly Grimes +10 82
5. Sue Harmon +11 83

Net Division
1. Sue Harmon -2 70
T2. Kelly Grimes -1 71
T2. Rose Kubesheski -1 71
T2. Ardrae Parmenter E 72
5. Michelle Klein +1 73

Laura Leszczynski (above right) fought off the ‘home course’ pressure and claims the 56th Iowa Senior Women’s Championship at Indianola Country Club. Leszczynski’s 78 in the first round, which set her back four shots going into the final round, but that did not rattle her. 

“I thought about how I was approaching it yesterday and I was getting way ahead of myself,” Leszczynski said. “I was looking at the scores, but today I promised myself I wouldn’t look at the scores. I hit one shot at a time and just get it on the green and then putt. Just one at a time.”

Leszczynski (right) knew how to win the championship after capturing the title at this event in 2018. She kept her cool the entire round and managed to birdie two par threes. Leszczynski only recorded only two bogeys throughout her final round and capped off a special week at her home course. 

“I thought if I couldn’t win here, I am not going to win it again,” Leszczynski said. “It felt good to win here and I am very proud to be able to do it here at my home course.”

Stuart’s Janece Schwartzkopf (above left) was the overall second place finisher but was the low Super Senior this week. Schwartzkopf carded a 76 in round one and a 73 in the final round to put herself into contention.

There was a tie for third place between Michelle Klein, of Jesup, and Noreen Christians, of Urbandale. Klein fired a 73 in her final round that consisted of five birdies. Christians posted a 75 in the first round and a 77 in her final round. Janis Owens, of Creston, claimed fifth place with rounds of 80 and 74.

56th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur
1. Laura Leszczynski 78-70-148
2. Janece Schwartzkopf 76-73-149
T3. Michelle Klein 79-73-152
T3. Noreen Christians 75-77-152
5. Janis Owens 80-74-154

After the first round of the Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur at Indianola Country Club, Cedar Falls’ Carol Phillips leads at four-over par. Phillips, who has super senior status, played a consistent round of golf, recording only four bogeys and 14 pars in her round of 74.

Urbandale’s Noreen Christians fired a 75 and recorded four birdies. Christians got off to a hot start and carded three birdies in her first four holes. Janece Schwartzkopf holds the third-place spot alone after posing a 76 today.

Kathy Fortune’s round of 77 sits in fourth place. Fortune had a 39 on the front and a 38 on her back nine. St. Mary’s Laura Leszczynski and the 2020 defending champion, Rose Kubesheski of Dubuque, are in a tie for fifth place at eight-over (78).  

Christians leads in the Stroke Play Net division at three-under. Phillips is in second place at two under and Schwartzkopf and Fortune are tied for third place at one-over.  

The final round will begin tomorrow morning. You can follow our live leaderboard by clicking this link. 

56th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur
1. Carol Phillips 74
2. Noreen Christians 75
3. Janece Schwartzkopf 76
4. Kathy Fortune 77
T5. Laura Leszczynski 78
T5. Rose Kubesheski 78

History seems to repeat itself – sometimes a lot.

Dubuque’s Rose Kubesheski (pictured above left) has found the secret at the Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur – now for the seventh time in her career after pulling away from the field at the 55th edition of the event today.

Kubesheski admitted that this year’s title wasn’t easy and her steady play on the back nine holes of Carroll Country Club was the key to success. Kubesheski posted rounds of 77-75 (+10) for the two-day event.

“I parred #10 today and got lucky on the ‘water’ hole,” she said. “My putts were going in and it’s just amazing (to win this championship).”

Kubesheski, who has battled an injury the last couple of years mentioned that this year’s victory tastes a little sweeter than other in the past.

“I am coming off an injury the last couple of years,” Kubesheski said. “I am still trying to work through that. But coming off the injury it means a lot this year to win, more so than other years because of that.”

Rockwell City’s Kathy Fortune (pictured above right), who finished just three back of Kubesheski, took home the Super Senior Division title, with rounds of 79-76 (+13). Janece Schwartzkopf, of Stuart, won the Net Division with rounds of 73-70 (+1).

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It’s a battle at the top of the leaderboard at the 55th Iowa Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.

Six-time champion Rose Kubesheski, of Dubuque, and 2019 IGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year Kelly Grimes, of Indianola, both posted rounds of 77 (+6) today at Carroll Country Club. Sitting just two shots back of the leads include 2009 champion Kathy Fortune, Rockwell City, and Kathy Nelson, Denison.

Both leaders made a pair of birdies and will look to add to that total in tomorrow’s final round. Cooler temperatures in the morning welcomed the ladies before windy conditions took over as the theme for the day.

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It took extra holes, but Margene Grady (pictured above) of Cedar Falls made history.

Grady captured her first Iowa Women’s Senior Amateur title. Grady found herself tied with first round co-leader Beth Duenow, of Saint Ansgar, and Kathy Fortune, of Rockwell City, with a two-round total of + 10, 154. A par on the first playoff hole was all Grady had to do as both Duenow and Fortune made bogey.

Along with the Iowa Women’s Senior Amateur title, Grady also captured the Super Senior Division title. This was her second Super Senior Division title and marked the first time in Iowa Women’s Senior Amateur history where the same woman won both division titles.

Finishing in a tie for fourth, at +13, 157, were defending champion Laura Leszczynski, of Saint Mary’s, Michelle Klein, of Jesup, and Jeanette Fredericksen, of Cedar Falls.

Both Duenow and Fortune were members of the Super Senior Division, as they finished tied for second. Finishing fourth in the Super Senior Division was Frederickson, with Janis Owens, Creston, finishing in 5th place at +15 159.

Janis Owens won the net portion of the tournament with a two-day total of -11, 133.

Complete results can be viewed by clicking here.