Category: Championships

Des Moines Golf & CC wins IGA Club Team, Prairie Links GC takes Net Division

From left – Ben Herrera, Alex Bair, Luke Miller and Patrick Breitbach.

Conditions were tough at the 12th IGA Club Team Championship at Blue Top Ridge at Riverside.

Des Moines Golf & CC (2) edged their fellow club members by a single shot 218-219. The team of Luke Miller, Ben Herrera, Patrick Breitbach and Alex Bair formed the winning team from DMG. Ottumwa Country Club finished in third place at 219 (+3). In the Gross Division, won my DMG (2), is scored by counting the low three scores of the four on each team.

In the Net Division, Prairie Links Golf Course shot 209 (-7) to win by three over Dyersville Country Club (2). Prairie Links GC’s team consisted of Chris Wagner, Patrick Sexton, Tony Wagner and William Buss. In the Net Division, the three low scores (net) on each hole are counted towards the team total.

Just Pansegrau, of St. Andrews Golf Course, was the low individual with a 69 (-3), including a sizzling 31 on the back nine.

Click here to see a full recap of scoring.

Burkholders win Wife-Husband title by eight shots

Forest City’s Julianna and Reed Burkholder (pictured above) played 36 holes of fantastic golf to win the 57th Iowa Wife-Husband Championship contested at Lake Panorama National Golf Club. The Burkholders posted back-to-back rounds of 69 to win by eight strokes over Jeff and Molly Cleven of Cumming (+2 overall). Chris and Peggy Garrett and Aaron and Julie Stevens tied for third place at 149 (+5)

Following their opening round 69 (-3), which included six birdies, the Burkholders got off to a quick start in round two, going birdie-eagle on the first two holes. From there the couple cruised to their eventual six-shot victory. This marks the first outright victory in the event for the Burkholders as they shared the title in 2015.

In the Super Senior Division, Jeanette and Raymond Fredericksen (pictured above) defeated Char and Steve Maaske on the first hole of a playoff for the title. The Fredericksens posted consistent rounds of 79-80 (+15). Opening co-round leaders, Carroll and John Dethrow finished third at +18.

Click here to see a full recap of scores from the event.

Elliott posts final round 66, wins third Iowa Senior Am title overall

West Des Moines’ Gene Elliott (pictured above) got off to a hot start and never looked in the rear view mirror until late in the day in the final round of the 39th Iowa Senior Amateur. Elliott blistered Burlington Golf Club for a 66 (-6) to win by eight shots over Burlington’s Scott Briggs and Muscatine’s Tom Norton.

“I played very well today,” Elliott said. “I have played nine days in a row (counting rounds at the U.S. Senior Amateur in Minnesota). That’s a lot of golf for me. I am not a guy who does that, but that’s the way things worked out.”

Truth be told, Elliott, after being defeated in the round of 32 on Tuesday at the U.S. Senior Amateur, forgot he was actually still entered in the Iowa Senior Amateur, which began on Wednesday.

“I almost wasn’t here for several different reasons,” Elliott admitted. “I totally forgot it (Iowa Senior Amateur) after I got beat. I was so shellshocked from losing my match. If I would of won that match I wouldn’t of been here. My wife and a good friend John Harris told me to just come down here and get it out your system and forgot about what happened up in Minneapolis. Fortunately things worked out.”

The win marks a second consecutive victory, third overall for Elliott in this event.

“I felt good about my game all day,” Elliott said. “I missed a couple of birdie putts that I thought I made or made good putts on. I got on a roll and felt like I could birdie every hole, which was nice. I didn’t check the leaderboard until the 16th fairway. I saw a good lead and figured just stay upright and I would be ok.”

In the Super Senior Division Marshalltown’s Rob Christensen held off a charging Jim Butler (Ft. Madison) to win. Christensen posted a 73 (+1) in the final round to finish at 220 (+4) for the one stroke victory.

Click here for a recap of scoring

Briggs take lead at 39th Iowa Senior Amateur

A packed leaderboard is what you’ll find at Burlington Golf Club after two rounds of the 39th Iowa Senior Amateur Championship. A total of 5 players are within three or less shots of the lead.

In the lead is Burlington’s Scott Briggs (pictured above) at 143 (-1). Chasing him going into tomorrow’s final round is Gene Elliott (144), John O’Neill (145) Joe Palmer (146), Terry Cook (146) and Tom Norton (146). Briggs and Palmer shared low round of the day with 69 (-3). Briggs’ round included five birdies today, while Palmer made four birdies and an eagle.

It’ll be a race to the finish you could say as Palmer, Elliott and Cook represent the top three in the IGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year race.

In the Super Senior Division a trio of golfers share the lead at 147 (+3). Tied at the top are Jim Butler (Ft. Madison), John Peters (Muscatine) and Rob Christensen (Marshalltown), who will battle for the title in tomorrow’s final round. Ft. Dodge’s Dave Sergeant sits four back of the lead.

Sergeant and Christensen represent 1st and 2nd in the IGA Super Senior Men’s Player of the Year standings.

Click here for a full recap of scoring.

John O’Neill makes his par on #17 during the second round.

Joe Palmer will look to catch Scott Briggs in tomorrow’s final round.

Elliott makes six birdies, leads 39th Iowa Senior Amateur

West Des Moines’ Gene Elliott (pictured above), fresh off an appearance in the Round of 32 at the U.S. Senior Amateur, didn’t let off the gas in the opening round of the 39th Iowa Senior Amateur at Burlington Golf Club. Elliott’s opening round 69 (-3) leads by one shot over Burlington’s own John O’Neill. Gary Ellis (Norwalk) and Tom Norton (Muscatine) shot 72 (E) and are three strokes back of the pace.

Elliott was able to string together a total of six birdies on the day, including 4 in a ten-hole stretch.

O’Neill, who grew up just a pitching wedge away from the first hole at BGC, put that ‘knowledge’ of BGC to work. His day began with 13 straight pars and included 16 pars overall mixed in with a pair of birdies.

In the Super Senior Division (65 and older) another ‘local’ is atop the leaderboard. Fort Madison’s Jim Butler put together a 71 (-1) round of his own that included five birdies. Butler managed only three pars on the front nine, but still turned in 35 (-1) thanks to four birdies. John Peters (Muscatine) sits just three back of Butler at 74 (+2).

Click here for a recap of scoring.

BGC welcomes 39th Iowa Senior Amateur

The 39th addition of the Iowa Senior Amateur Championship begins today (Aug. 30) at Burlington Golf Club.

BGC is a Packard designed championship golf course that has hosted several state amateur events in the past. According to those who have played the course, it is fun for the eye as it winds up and down the hills of the Mississippi River bluffs. Many of the holes at BGC demand approach shots to slightly elevated greens. The course also includes a handful of risk/reward holes.

Defending champion Gene Elliott is in the field as well as many other of the top players from the IGA Senior Player of the Year race. Last year, Elliott chased down Jay Gregory at Ames Golf & Country Club to win this event. Elliott arrives at BGC from a Round of 32 appearance at the U.S. Senior Amateur earlier this week.

Click here to follow scoring updates from the event.

Anderson, Cook take titles at Briarwood Amateur

J.D. Anderson and Terry Cook were the victors at the 2017 Briarwood Amateur.

Anderson, of Johnston, won the Open Division by three shots over David Combs of West Des Moines and Brian Allison of Norwalk.  Anderson opened the 36-hole event with a 5-under-par 67 then closed with a 68 to finish at 9-under 135.  Combs went 71-67 while Allison reversed that with 67-71 as they both finished at 6-under-par 138.

The win moves Anderson into first place in the IGA Player of the Year points race.  He currently has an 85 point lead (1005 to 920) over Gene Elliott of West Des Moines.

On the Senior side, Cook, of West Des Moines, played impressively over the two days.  He fired an even-par 72 to open then finished strong with a 3-under 69.  His 3-under total of 141 was two shots clear of Jay Slings of Ankeny and Ron Peterson of Urbandale.  Cook is currently 3rd in a tight race for the IGA Senior Player of the Year.

Click here to view full results of the 2017 Briarwood Amateur.

Mauchaza wins 84th Iowa Open

The winner of the 84th Iowa Open held at Blue Top Ridge at Riverside Casino & Golf Resort was Nyasha Mauchaza (pictured above) of Port St. Lucie, Florida. Nyasha posted rounds of 65-70-67 (-14, 202 total). His winning score was one better than Nathan Yankovich’s three-day total.

Low amateur for the event was Ames’ Nick Voke of Ames, who posted a 207 total (-9), which was two better than Jeff Swegle.

Click here to see full results and to view each division’s recap (drop-down menu).

Voke storms back to win 68th Herman Sani Tournament

You would expect a Cyclone to storm back.

New Zeland’s Nick Voke (pictured above), who just completed his eligibility at Iowa State University this spring, stormed back to win the 68th Herman Sani Tournament at Echo Valley Country Club.

Voke, who posted an impressive 66 (-5) in the final round,  shot 204 (-9) over the three-day event to win by three over former teammate Denzel Ieremia.

“I struck the ball pretty well all week,” Voke said. “I did a little bit of work before today’s round trying to get the speed of the greens.”

Voke admitted that he didn’t even play a practice round, let alone have any prior experience at EVCC.

“I walked the course before round one,” Voke said. “I had a good gameplan and was able to come away with (the win).”

Voke birdied three of the last four holes to pull away.

“I was able to make a nice putt on #17,” Voke said. “Then I made a seven-footer on #18 to finish.”

In the Senior Division Joe Palmer, who won the Senior Division in 2013, made birdie on the last hole to take home the title by a shot over Curtis Holck and Rob Dickerman.

Palmer finished at 210 (-3) for the event.

Click here for a full recap of scoring.

Jennings grabs lead to himself at Herman Sani Tournament

The weather was basically perfect and it was a day for scoring at the 68th Herman Sani Tournament.

Players found favorable conditions at Echo Valley Country Club today as many birdies were to be had. First round co-leader Matthew Jennings (pictured above) followed up his opening round 66 with a 68 (-3) and sits at 134 (-8) through two days. Zach Steffen, who fired the round of the day (65), sits just one back of Jennings. Denzel Ieremia, who co-led with Jennings after yesterday’s round, posted 69 (-2) and is also at 135 total along with Steffen.

A total of 7 players are under par after two days of play in the Open Division.

In the Senior Division Joe Palmer (140) took the lead thanks to his 68 (-3) today. He leads Curtis Holck by one shot. Terry Cook and Rob Dickerman are just two shots off the lead. Dickerman shot 67 (-4) today to climb back into the chase.

Click here for scoring recap.

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