Birdie on final hole allows McCoy to edge state high school champion Andrew Johannsen
Four-time Iowa Amateur of the Year Nate McCoy (right) read a 4-foot putt on the last hole on Sunday afternoon at the Lake Creek Amateur and told himself to simply, “Have fun with this.”
McCoy rolled the putt into the back of the cup for a birdie that gave him a 1-shot victory over Andrew Johannsen in the 2026 edition of the Lake Creek Amateur at BVU Lake Creek in Storm Lake. For the 35-year-old McCoy, the final birdie on his 12-under-par effort marked a redemption of sorts as he has fished runner-up at Lake Creek on a number of occasions.
“I remember missing what was probably a 7-foot putt a few years ago and lost by one stroke,” said McCoy, an Ankeny resident who serves as Director of Handicapping and Course Rating for the Iowa Golf Association. “After missing that putt, on the drive home I began to ask myself, ‘Will I ever be able to win the Lake Creek Amateur?’”
The tournament is a favorite on his schedule as he began traveling to Storm Lake to caddy for his father, 4-time Lake Creek Amateur champion Mike McCoy, many years ago.
“I caddied for my dad back in something like 2005, and then I played in the tournament as a teen,” said McCoy. “I love coming back here because the course is such a great test and the people who put on the tournament at BVU Lake Creek do everything so well.”
Ninety golfers from as far as away as Keokuk, Muscatine, Omaha, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Australia ventured to Storm Lake for the Memorial Day weekend tournament, a points event for the Iowa Golf Association’s Iowa Amateur of the Year sweepstakes. Henry Sobaski, of Fairfax, won the Junior Division; Tom Schill, of Gowrie, captured the Super Seniors title; Bill Matzdorff, of Cumming, won the Seniors event; and Alta’s Sally Krause, who played collegiately at Southwest Minnesota State University, shot 79-75 to claim the crown in the inaugural BVU Lake Creek Women’s Amateur.
Four past Lake Creek Amateur champions in Jake Weissenburger, Aaron Clausen, J.D. Anderson, and Ron Peterson were included in the field.
“We were thrilled to feature a competitive field in each division as we work to keep growing the Lake Creek Amateur,” said Evan Krause, a former Buena Vista University golfer who directed the event. “It’s fun to see a number of our members competing against and alongside several of the state’s top golfers on our championship layout.”
Two-plus inches of rain in the week leading up to the tournament had the course playing a little longer, but greens remained receptive and true. Those trademark winds at Lake Creek weren’t a factor until midday Sunday.
Southerly gusts of up to 25 miles per hour played a role on the final hole as McCoy, who was tied with the longer-hitting Johannsen, a state champion last fall for Johnston High School, picked driver and teed it low, allowing the ball to carry 300 yards to 108 yards from the pin in the middle of the No. 18 fairway.
“I told myself that with the wind it would be playing 87 yards,” McCoy said.
McCoy hit the middle of the green and his ball came to rest four to five feet from the pin, giving him a birdie putt that moved slightly right.
“I worked on Friday night on a lighter grip pressure in my putting stroke,” McCoy said. “That plus a little longer stroke was working for me. I told myself to trust those mechanics and just have fun with the putt.”
Johannsen, who will compete for the University of Iowa in the fall, said he had fun the entire way on Sunday, playing in the last foursome in his first BVU Lake Creek Amateur appearance. The left-hander took a two-stroke lead after chipping in for eagle on No. 13, rolling in his chip from 15 yards in front of the green. Unfortunately, bogeys on Nos. 14 and 15 placed him back in a tie with McCoy.
Johannsen caught flier out of the rough on No. 14 and missed the green long. He failed to get up-and-down and settled for a five. He then made a bad putt on the par 3 No. 15, ending up taking a four.
“It was just a bad stroke on my part on that putt,” he said.
Johannsen would rebound with a great up-and-down for birdie on No. 16, sinking an eight-footer to keep pace with McCoy who was eyeing an almost sure bet in a two-footer.
“Andrew made a great birdie on No. 16,” McCoy said.
Alta’s Sally Krause, who played collegiately at Southwest Minnesota State University, shot 79-75 to claim the crown in the inaugural BVU Lake Creek Women’s Amateur.
After both men parred No. 17, it came down to the final hole. After McCoy’s drive found the middle of the fairway, Johannsen hit a 4-iron off the tee. His lift foot slipped a bit on his downswing, and he caught the ball on the toe of the clubface. From the right rough, his approach came to rest 20 to 25 feet from the pin. His birdie putt narrowly missed, which set up McCoy’s putt for the victory.
“I came here to play because I wanted to be able to play against some of the best players in the state, guys like Grant Smith (2025 Iowa Amateur of the Year), Jake Weissenburger (two-time BVU Lake Creek Amateur champ), and Nate McCoy,” Johannsen said. “And that’s just what happened. I was able to play in the final group with those guys, and we had a lot of fun. They’re all great guys.”
Johannsen was pleased his May schedule allowed him the opportunity to return to the Buena Vista University Golf Course at Lake Creek (BVU Lake Creek), where he last played in 2024 during the Iowa Amateur Qualifier. He shot even par on that day to qualify. His 11-under-par two-day total during the 48th edition of the Lake Creek Amateur showed his game and name should be among the top amateurs in Iowa for years to come.
“I like Lake Creek because you can’t just overpower it,” said Johannsen, who plans to study finance at Iowa. “You have to use every club in the bag. Plus, the greens roll very true.”
Evan Krause joined McCoy, Johannsen and other golfers in lauding the efforts of BVU Lake Creek Superintendent Josh McCormick and his staff in readying the links after a cool spring that was largely devoid of rain until this week. Following the completion of “The Am,” BVU Lake Creek now sets its sights on the IGA’s Iowa Amateur Qualifier (West) slated for July 9.
Past Open Division Champions, Lake Creek Amateur
2026 – Nate McCoy, Ankeny (132)
2025 – Mason Weeks, Spirit Lake (138)
2024 – Jake Weissenburger, Clive (141)
2023 – Jake Weissenburger, Clive (137)
2022 – Aaron Clausen, Storm Lake (141)
2021 – Brenden Bassing, Sioux Falls (143…36 holes)
2020 – Jack Evans, Brainerd, Minn. (144…36 holes)
2013 – Matt Weeks, Spirit Lake (213)
2012 – Gene Elliott, West Des Moines (207)
2011 – Kirby Pettitt, Carroll (206)
2010 – Justin Schulte, West Des Moines (207)
2009 – J.D. Anderson, West Des Moines (209)
2008 – Jon Brown, Urbandale (205)
2007 – Kyle Ritchie, Corning (211)
2006 – J.D. Anderson, West Des Moines (204)
2005 – Mike McCoy, West Des Moines (209)
2004 – Scott Quandt, Mt. Carmel (204)
2003 – Ron Peterson, Urbandale (141)
2002 – Ron Peterson, Urbandale (210)
2001 – Kevin Johnson, Urbandale (215)
2000 – Steve Smith, Johnston (207)
1999 – Jim Curell, Boone (205)
1998 – Jason Knutzon, Ames (207)
1997 – Nate Dunn, Manchester (67)
1996 – Ben Pettitt, Carroll (206)
1995 – Mike McCoy, Des Moines (172)
1994 – Mike McCoy, Des Moines (206)
1993 – Jon Brown, Urbandale (209)
1992 – Mike McCoy, Des Moines (206)
1991 – Jay Horton, Ames (207)
1990 – Al Pottebaum, Le Mars (208)
1989 – Mike Dunphy, Perry (207)
1988 – Todd Sapp, Lincoln (220)
1987 – Bill Manske, Algona (218)
1986 – Steve Winkel, Algona (215)
1985 – Ned Zachar, Ames (210)
1984 – Greg Tebbutt, Bettendorf (213)
1983 – Dean Kain, Algona (283)
1982 – Gary Claypool, Marion (278)
1981 – Jim Curell, Boone (242)
1980 – Dean Kain, Algona (288)
1979 – Jim Curell, Boone (287)
1978 – Bill Manske, Algona (277)
1977 – Chuck Null, Cedar Rapids
1976 – Julius Boros, Iowa City (139)
1975 – Lon Nielsen, Belle Plaine
1974 – Roger Null, Cedar Rapids
1973 – Larry Castagnoli, Fort Dodge
In the girls’ division, Stella Roemer (right) of Bettendorf found herself atop the leaderboard after posting a nice 73 (+2). Roemer found her stride on the par-threes, going two-under total on those holes.
The 63rd playing of the Iowa Women’s Forever 39 was contested at Ridge Stone Golf Club in Sheffield. Over two days, competitors battled pristine fairways and greens, along with thick, penalizing rough. In the end, one name rose to the top: Geri Huser (right) of Altoona.
Defending super senior champion Dave Gaer (right) of Des Moines returned with a dominating presence after posting a 73 (+1) to lead the division. After a slow start with three bogeys on the front nine, Gaer found his footing and made two birdies on the back nine to secure his spot atop the leaderboard.