Preston Bily (above right) charged up the leaderboard to take the lead and the 2022 Iowa Junior Amateur Championship title. Bily came into the day five-shots behind Cale Leonard, but a final round 68 gave Bily a two-shot victory over Leonard. 

“Cale played some great golf all week,” Bily praised. “I had a five-shot deficit going into the final round, but it didn’t feel like I was playing to beat him.”

In his final round, Bily recorded five birdies and four of them came on the front nine. On the back nine, Bily birdied the 11th hole and finished with seven-straight pars to claim the Iowa Junior Amateur trophy.

“The shots just started coming,” Bily said. “I shot a 33 on the front nine and I made a lot of putts. I knew I just had to make pars at that point and it was a good week and hopefully I will keep playing well.”

Leonard, who led the way during the first two rounds, earned second place with rounds of 71, 69 and 75. During the week, Leonard recorded 13 total birdies with four of them coming from the final round, but bogeys found a way onto his card during the last day.

Cooper Hanson takes over third place with a commanding round of 67 that consisted of seven birdies. Coming into the final round, Hansen was 10-shots off the lead, and with a late push he finished only four back. 

Calen Bishop had a strong week, finishing in fourth place. Bishop posted rounds of 74, 72 and 73 for a 219 tally. Hayden Moore placed one shot behind Bishop and earned a top-five finish with a 220 total. 

Back-to-back dominating performances from the recently crowned IGA Four-Ball Champion, Bella Pettersen (above left), along with rounds of 77, 70 and 76, led to a run away win in the Iowa Junior Girls’ Championship. 

“I spent half an hour watching videos and working on my putting,” Pettersend said. “That helped me shoot my two-under in the second round. My ball striking helped me get in good places to make par and birdie. It was just a really good week.”

Coming into the final round, Pettersen had an eight-shot lead and felt comfortable and confident. That eight-shot lead turned into an 11-shot victory after a solid four-over round of 76 that consisted of three birdies. 

Lauren Briggs and Maura Peters tied for second place at 18-over par. Peters carded a 78 in her final round and Briggs posted a 77 to jump into the tie. Pettersen’s Four-Ball partner, Addison Berg, earned fourth place at 22-over par. Jane Petersen rounded out the top-five with an 81 in the last round and a 242 tally.

Next week the Iowa Golf Association hosts the 34th IGA Match Play Championship and the 10th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship at Talons Golf in Ankeny.

Iowa Junior Amateur Championship
1. Preston Bily 73-72-68=213
2. Cale Leonard 71-69-75=215
3. Cooper Hansen 77-73-67=217
4. Calen Bishop 74-72-73=219
5. Hayden Moore 75-72-73=220

Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship
1. Bella Pettersen 77-70-76=223
T2. Maura Peters 80-76-78=234
T2. Lauren Briggs 82-75-77=234
4. Addison Berg 77-78-83=238
5. Jane Petersen 78-83-81=242

Cale Leonard turned his one-shot lead into a five shot lead going into the final round of the Iowa Junior Amateur Championship, held at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. Leonard sits at the top of the leaderboard at four-under par after a 69 in the second round.

“I have been hitting the ball well and hitting a lot of greens,” said Leonard. “Trying to stay below the hole as much as possible here and making a few putts. I am just playing well out here.”

Out of both division, Leonard (right) is currently the only player under par this week. With a five-shot cushion, Leonard is just going to try and continue his consistent play and hold his ground. 

“I am not going to try to change anything, just keep hitting fairways and making putts and make the best score I can,” shared Leonard. “It’s not terribly hard (here) off the tee, thee greens are definitely the toughest. You have to make sure you get the right number on your approach shot and keep it below the hole.”

Preston Bily, of Indianola, jumped up to second place after carding an even par round. Bily is five shots behind Leonard but ended his day going three-under in his last 11 holes. Calen Bishop and Owen Howe are tied for third place at two-over par. Hayden Moore rounds out the top-five after a 72 in today’s round. 

Everything is going right for Bella Pettersen (pictured at top of page) this week as she leads the Girls’ Division by eight shots. The Finkbine native carded a two-under 70 in the second round that included three birdies and only one bogey. 

“My ball striking has been working well for me this week. I have been working hard to get it back to where it was since my arthritis,” shared Pettersen. “My putting is probably my biggest downfall, but I really pulled it together today.”

Ball striking and putting are very important at Finkbine, and with a little home course advantage, Pettersen was able to take advantage of her opportunities. 

“This being my home course, I know how it plays each day and what pin locations you can go after and which ones you can’t. You just have to pick the spots that you really want to hit at and you know you can make those putts.” 

Addison Berg, who recently won the IGA Women’s Four-Ball Championship with Pettersen, finds herself in second place at 11-over par. Berg got off to a slow start in round two, but was able to get it back with a two-under 34 on her back nine. 

The IGA Parent-Child Champion, Maura Peters, finished day two in third place after recording a four-over 76. Lauren Briggs, of Burlington, pushed herself into the top-five with a 75 in today’s round. Erika Holmberg holds fifth place going into the final day at 15-over par. 

The final round of the Iowa Junior Amateur Championship at Finkbine Golf Course will begin Wednesday morning.

Iowa Junior Amateur Championship
1. Cale Leonard 71-69=140
2. Preston Bily 73-72=145
T3. Owen Howe 73-73=146
T3 Calen Bishop 74-72=146
5. Hayden Moore 75-72=147

Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship
1. Bella Pettersen 77-70=147
2. Addison Berg 77-78=155
3. Maura Peters 80-76=156
4. Lauren Briggs 82-75=157
5. Erika Holmberg 80-79=159

Cale Leonard is the first-round leader at the 2022 Iowa Junior Amateur Championship, held at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. Leonard, of Ottumwa, carded the only under-par round of the day as he leads the field by one shot. The 2020 IGA Junior Player of the Year is looking to add an Iowa Junior Amateur title to an already impressive junior resume. 

Reid Hall, of Cedar Rapids, will head into the second round in second place. Hall, who is one-back of Leonard, recorded five birdies in his opening even-par round. Hall can make birdies quickly and will put the pressure on Leonard during tomorrow’s round. 

Preston Bily, of Indianola, and Owen Howe, of Des Moines, carded rounds of 73 and are tied for third place. A four-way tie for fifth place is between Braeden Nelson, Brock Seiser, Calen Bishop and Thomas Peters. These four players posted rounds of 74 and are four shots off the lead. 

Recently crowned IGA Women’s Four-Ball champions, Addison Berg and Bella Pettersen (pictured right) continue their hot-streak as they both sit at the top of the Girls’ Division. Berg, of Swisher, and Pettersen, of North Liberty, carded rounds of 77 and will head into the second round tied for the lead. 

Jane Petersen, out of Cedar Rapids, finds herself one shot off the lead with after a 78 in round one. The two Bettendorf natives, Erika Holmberg and Maura Peters finished in a tie for fourth place with rounds of 80. 

Follow the second round of the Iowa Junior Amateur Championship at Finkbine Golf Course Tuesday morning.

Iowa Junior Amateur Championship

1. Cale Leonard 71
2. Reid Hall 72
T3. Preston Bily 73
T3. Owen Howe 73
T5. Braeden Nelson 74
T5. Brock Seiser 74
T5 Calen Bishop 74
T5 Thomas Potter 74

Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship

T1. Addison Berg 77
T1. Bella Pettersen 77
3. Jane Petersen 78
T4. Erika Holmberg 80
T4. Maura Peters 80