Mason Weeks adds to family lore with championship
Mason Weeks (above) came to the Buena Vista University Golf Course at Lake Creek over the weekend intent on adding to the family hardware collection. He did all that and more in securing the 2025 Lake Creek Amateur title after shooting rounds of 68 and 70, then downing a fellow collegiate competitor in a one-hole playoff.
“My brother, Matt, won the Lake Creek Am in 2013,” said Weeks, as he shared a laugh. “Our dad, Paul, has never let us forget it.”
Weeks rose to the challenge and will now give his father reasons to seek other motivational means. He said his father gave him some advice as they texted on Saturday evening.
“My dad told me to stick to my process,” said Weeks, a recent graduate of the University of Sioux Falls and a two-time all-conference selection for the Cougars. “I knew that at Lake Creek, I needed to stay patient and not get too aggressive. I relied heavily on my irons and tried to hit as many greens as possible.”
Weeks had birdies on Nos. 4, 7, and 9 in the opening nine holes on Sunday, an outward side featuring a lone bogey on No. 5, where he had tree trouble off the tee and missed the green.
“I then had bogeys on both No. 11 and No. 12 and had a little talk with myself,” he said. “I knew some guys would be charging, so I had to get at least one more.”
He ended up making birdie on both par 5s at Nos. 13 and 16, holes he birdied the previous day. But when a 30-footer just slid left on No. 18, Weeks had to watch as Hogan Hansen, of Waverly, lined up a 7-foot birdie effort for the victory. When Hansen’s effort slid past, leaving both at 6-under par for the weekend, Weeks geared up to play No. 18 again, against Hansen in a sudden-death playoff.
In the playoff, Hansen reached the green from some tree trouble on the right. His birdie putt from 45 feet scooted past the hole, leaving him about six feet for par. After Weeks two-putted for his par, Hansen, an Iowa Hawkeye, saw his par putt miss right, which put the trophy into Weeks’ hands.
“I grew up playing with Hogan and Jake (Weissenburger, the two-time defending champion at BVU Lake Creek), and they are great golfers,” Weeks said. “Hogan played a great round today, and had two eagles, but just missed a putt at the end. It was so much fun playing in the last group with Hogan, Jake, and J.D. Anderson, who is one of the top names in Iowa amateur golf.”
Weissenburger and Ethan Mechling, of Des Moines, finished at two-under, good for fourth place. Anderson, a champion here in 2006 and 2009, finished at even par in eighth place. Nate McCoy, a second-place finisher at Lake Creek on a number of occasions, shot Sunday’s low round of 68, but would finish one shot back, in third place. The Ankeny resident and four-time defending IGA Men’s Player of the Year missed an eight-foot birdie putt on the last hole that could have put him in the playoff.
McCoy eagled No. 13 and birdied No. 16 to briefly pull him into a tie at the top.
“I try not to look at the scores, but when Nate made those numbers, I knew I had to keep charging,” Weeks said.
Weeks, who has been the medalist of the Iowa Amateur Qualifying event at Lake Creek in the past, plans to return to Storm Lake for this qualifier. The confidence forged in this victory should serve him well as he continues his summer schedule in advance of a fifth year of collegiate eligibility that will likely find him continuing his play at an NCAA Division I institution.
Seventy-nine golfers competed in three divisions during the Lake Creek Amateur. Golfers came from as far away as Keokuk to vie for honors in the Open Division, Senior Division, and Super Senior class. Urbandale’s Ron Peterson, a two-time Lake Creek Amateur Champion, edged Bill Matzdorff, of Cumming, by shooting 72-72 for an even par 144 total.
Sean Davis (Council Bluffs), Tony Newkirk (Des Moines), and Steve Eddie (Storm Lake) finished third through fifth.
Tony Malizia, of Humboldt, enjoyed a six-shot cushion in winning the Super Senior Division at 141 (three-under par). Steve Jordan (Johnston), David Studer (Keokuk), James Blackburn (Des Moines), and Bill Corrick (Fairfield) rounded out the top five.
“We had a great field from all over the state of Iowa, representing every corner of the state,” said Evan Krause, a former Buena Vista University golfer who organized and helped oversee the tournament at BVU Lake Creek. “Mother Nature cooperated with decent temperatures and the trademark winds that make Lake Creek a good test. We are thankful for our grounds crew for working to get the course ready for competition during a week in which we received more than three inches of rain.
“Of course, we couldn’t do this without the support we receive from Chad Pitts and the IGA, who show their faith in Lake Creek each year,” Krause continued. “We can’t wait to see Mason Weeks and many of these great amateur golfers back again as BVU Lake Creek hosts the Iowa Amateur Qualifying Tournament on July 9.”
Past Open Division Champions, Lake Creek Amateur
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
Same course, two different stories.
In the Boys’ Division, Aiden McGreen (left) of West Des Moines made a major move in round two. After an opening 73, McGreen shot a 67 (-5) on Tuesday, highlighted by an eagle, to take a one-shot lead over Jonathan Ward of Waukee, who shared the overnight lead after round one.
Marion’s Morgan Rupp (right) delivered a sensational round, carding an 8-under 64 to take a commanding five-shot lead in the Iowa Girls’ Junior Amateur over Sumner’s Chloe Bolte.
“My ball striking was really solid today,” said Ward (right). “I made a lot of two-putt pars, and I knew par would be a good score with the wind. I got into a good rhythm on the back nine. There are a lot of birdie chances out there—you just have to take it one shot at a time.”
