Category: Wmn’s Match Play

Sixteen remain at IGA Match Play, Women’s Match Play Championship

iowagolfJune 30, 20220 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, Wmn's Match Play

The Round 16 matches are set as day two wrapped up at the IGA Men’s and Women’s Match Play Championships. The No. 1 seeds, Dylan Ellis and Leanne Smith advanced to the Round of 16 with two victories on the day.

Ellis came into the championship with high levels of confidence and that has only continued to grow as he moves closer to the final round. After knocking off Gary Elli, 3&1, he defeated Shayne Allan, 3&2 and will face off against Chad Tracy tomorrow.

Smith won her first match in dominating fashion over Rebecca Schroeder, 8&7. The three-time defending champion will move on to the round of 16 and take on Janece Schwartzkopf, who won her match over Des Moines, Kelly Grimes.

The men’s championship will feature a rematch between defending champion, Joe Palmer and Jon Brown. Palmer bested Brown in the quarterfinal round at the Senior Match Play. The match went to the 19th hole where Palmer made par to take the victory. Brown looks to get his revenge over Palmer during tomorrow’s round.

Connor Peck, the 2020 IGA Match Play Champion, advanced to the round of 16 where he will take on Sam Vertanen. Peck claimed wins over Cooper Hanson and Garrett Tighe to push him closer to another match play title.

Last year’s runner-up, Anna Jensen, knocked off Carroll Dethrow to inch closer to that final round. Jensen will play Kathy Fortune, who defeated Jen Nemmers in a close match that was decided on the 17th hole.

The No. 3 seed Christi Imsland won her match over Jennifer Judge and is set to play Ann Slechta tomorrow. Coming off an NCAA Championship appearance, Ruby Chou advanced to the round of 16 with a win over Cindy Morrison. Chou is set to take on the No. 20 seed, Taylor Sedivec.

Both men and women will be playing the Round of 16 and the quarterfinal rounds Thursday morning. You can follow the matches for the IGA Match Play Championship and the IGA Women’s Match Play Championship using our live scoring feature.

Men’s, Women’s IGA Match Play bracket set

iowagolfJune 29, 20220 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, Wmn's Match Play

The stroke play portion of the IGA Match Play Championship concluded Tuesday evening. One half his year’s Four-Ball Champion team, Dylan Ellis, took home medalist honors and the No. 1 seed for the match play tournament with a five-under round of 67.

Ellis recorded five birdies in his first nine holes. At the turn, Ellis made a double on the hole one, but that did not stop him. In his final eight holes, Ellis went two-under par to take a three-shot lead over the field.

Defending champion Joe Palmer will receive the No. 2 seed. Connor Peck, the 2020 champion, will go into the 64-player bracket with the No. 3 seed. Christ James will take the No. 4 seed and Joshua Manske rounds out the top-five.

Anna Jensen and Leanne Smith shared stroke play medalist honors after firing rounds of 77. Last year, Smith defeated Jensen in the final round to earn her third-straight IGA Women’s Match Play Championship.

Christi Imsland earned the No. 3 seed with a 79 and Ruby Chou grabbed the No. 4 seed. The 2021 IGA Girls’ Player of the Year, Paige Hoffman holds the No. 5 seed to finish the top-five.

The men will play the round of 64 and the round of 32 on Wednesday. The women will only play their first round. Follow the matches at the IGA Match Play Championship and the IGA Women’s Match Play Championship using the live scoring feature.

Men’s Stroke Play Medalist
Dylan Ellis -5 67

Women’s Stroke Play Medalist
Anna Jensen +5 77
Leanne Smith +5 77

IGA Match Play, Women’s Match Play returns to Talons Golf

iowagolfJune 27, 20220 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, Wmn's Match Play

The prestigious 34th IGA Match Play Championship begins this week at a venue like no other, Talons Golf located in Ankeny. This event is a place where many of the best amateur golfers in the state compete for one of the most sought-after titles in Iowa, to be named the IGA Match Play Champion.

The event consists of an 18-hole stroke play portion on Tuesday to decide the 64-player field. The Round of 64 begins on Wednesday with the Round of 32 to follow. The Round of 16 and the Quarterfinal Matches are set to take place on Thursday, with the Semifinal and Championship Matches to be played on Friday.

Many questions remain coming into this week. Will Joe Palmer defend his title? Does Iowa Golf Hall of Famer Jon Brown capture his fourth victory at this event? Can the 2021 IGA Player of the Year, Nate McCoy take home his first IGA Match Play trophy?

With one of the strongest fields the championship has ever seen, the 2022 IGA Match Play title could end up in anyone’s hands. To keep up with one of the best amateur competitions in the state, use our live scoring feature for the 34th IGA Match Play Championship.

A strong field is set for the 10th IGA Women’s Match Play. Coming off an NCAA Championship appearance, YiTing (Ruby) Chou is a force to be reckoned with. Chou will be paired alongside the 2021 IGA Junior Girls’ Amateur Champion, Tatum Depuydt. The three-time IGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year, Paige Hoffman will also be competing this week, and she is searching for her first IGA Women’s Match Play title.

The 2021 IGA Women’s Player of the Year, Leanne Smith is ready to make it four-straight IGA Women’s Match Play victories. Since 2019, Smith has yet to lose a match in the tournament. Last year, Smith defeated Anna Jensen to claim her third match play title, but Jensen is in the field again and is looking for redemption.

Smith and Jensen have been paired together in the stroke play portion, along with the 2022 IGA Women’s Mid-Am Series Event #1 winner, Fiona Watson. You can follow this powerful group and many other strong competitors using our live scoring feature during the 10th IGA Women’s Match Play.

Defending IGA Match Play Champion
Joe Palmer

Defending IGA Women’s Match Play Champion
Leanne Smith

Smith wins 10th Iowa Women’s Match Play, defends her crown

iowagolfJuly 2, 20210 commentsChampionships, News, Wmn's Match Play

Leanne Smith (pictured above) did it again at the 10th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship at Talons Golf in Ankeny. Smith has now won the last four IGA match play events she has entered (2019, IGA Women’s Match Play, 2020 IGA Women’s Match Play, 2021 Forever 39 Match Play and now the 2021 IGA Women’s Match Play).

“I really enjoy match play,” Smith said. “I know that I am going to mess up some holes and that I can recover on the next hole, so I just take it one hole at a time.”

The journey to back-to-back titles was not easy for Smith. In her earlier matches, she defeated Jolee Belzung, Kelly Grimes and Laura Leszczynski. Smith continued to dominate the competition as she made her way around the course.

Up next after dispatching Leszcynski on Thursday afternooon, Smith had to play two young competitors, Hannah Bermel and Anna Jensen, in her last two remaining matches. Smith was able to save par on the 18th hole to close out the match against Bermel in the morning after a back and forth battle.

“Hannah was so fun to play with and it is fun to watch her, and other players grow into who they are now,” Smith said.

After the match against Bermel, Smith knew would be playing Anna Jensen (right), who was the youngest player in the field (19). Jensen won her match against the No. 1 seed and stroke play medalist, Brooke Newell, and advanced to the final round.

The Smith and Jensen match started to heat up right away after Jensen won the first hole. This showed Smith that Jensen was there to compete, and that was exactly what she did. The two players battled back-and-forth all the way to the 16th hole where Smith made par to seal the victory and win her second straight IGA Women’s Match Play.

“Anna is super talented and will be a tough competitor for a long time and she is great for Iowa golf,” Smith said.

Smith’s match play record continues to grow in a positive manner, as she has added three new trophies to her collection in the last two years. However, her match play record is not the only thing growing as the Iowa Golf Association continues to host more and more talented women golfers.

Next up on the IGA schedule will be the U.S. Amateur Qualifier at Lake Panorama Golf Course in Panora This event will take place on Tuesday, July 6th with the IGA Women’s Four-Ball to follow.

Semifinal matches set at 10th IGA Women’s Match Play, 33rd IGA Match Play Championship

iowagolfJuly 1, 20210 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, News, Wmn's Match Play

Only four players are left at the IGA Women’s Match Play at Talons Golf in Ankeny. The stroke-play medalist’s chances are still alive in Brooke Newell, who defeated Niki Clayton and Ardrae Parmenter today.

Newell will face off against Anna Jensen who claimed victories over Janece Schwartzkopf and Tabitha Schumacher in the round of 16 and the quarterfinal round. Jensen, the No. 4 seed, had a back-and-forth with Schumacher, but made par on 18 to close out the match.

Defending Champion, Leanne Smith secured wins over Kelly Grimes and Laura Leszczynski today. Smith will have the opportunity to take on University of Northern Iowa’s fifth-year senior, Hannah Bermel. Bermel won her two matches over Renee Buckner and Mikayla Olson.

The final day of the IGA Women’s Match Play Championship will begin tomorrow morning and you will be able to follow live scoring by using this link.

Players Advancing
Brooke Newell
Anna Jensen
Leanne Smith
Hannah Bermel

One day is left remaining at the IGA Match Play at Talons Golf in Ankeny. The round of 16 and quarterfinals concluded this afternoon, and four players remain. Nate Vance, the No. 5 seed, is the highest remaining seed left in the field.

Vance took down Scot Cook this morning and followed it up with a win over Scott Hart in the quarterfinal round. In both matches, Vance was down going into the back nine. He caught fire towards the end of both his matches and claimed two victories.

Willis Gaer will be Vance’s opponent tomorrow, after defeating Bret Taylor and Felipe Pedraza. Gaer, the No. 8 seed, got off to a quick start in both of his matches. This helped Gaer seal two victories and make his way into the semi-final round.

Kelly Brown, the No. 39 seed, will play this year’s Senior Match Play Champion and No. 30 seeded, Joe Palmer. Brown had to play a tough stretch of competitors to make it to the semi-final round. Brown knocked off the defending IGA Match Play Champion, Connor Peck in the round of 16, and followed it up with a win over the red-hot Ben Epperly in the quarterfinals.

Palmer is marching in uncharted territory as he has a chance to win the Senior Match Play and the IGA Match Play in the same season. Palmer defeated the No. 14 seeded Dennis Bull in the round of 16 and then had to face J.D. Anderson in the quarterfinals. Anderson’s last two matches went into extra holes with his match yesterday finishing on the 26th playoff hole.

The final day of the IGA Match Play Championship will begin tomorrow morning and you will be able to follow live scoring by using this link.

Players Advancing
Willis Gaer
Nate Vance
Kelly Brown
Joe Palmer

Smith wins second consecutive IGA Women’s Match Play title

iowagolfJuly 2, 20200 commentsChampionships, Wmn's Match Play

Indianola’s Leanne Smith (right) was in familiar territory entering Thursday’s semifinal match at the 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship.

Smith, who won the title last year at Tournament Club of Iowa, was in the hunt for another title in 2020 at Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny. Following a 5&3 up victory over Ankeny’s Karli Kerrigan, Smith met 2018 IGA Women’s Match Play Champion Sydney Eaton, of Mason City.

Eaton, who prevailed in her morning semifinal match against Samantha Knight (3&2) got off to a quick 2 up advantage early in the final match. Smith, who admitted she was ‘searching’ for her game most of the week leading into Thursday’s play, rallied to win three of the last holes on the front nine to take a 1 up lead and command of the match.

“I didn’t really find my game until today,” Smith admitted. “The greens are quick and the rough was thick – I was all over the place. I knew if I stuck with it, I could make some things happen.”

Smith, who won 7 of the last 9 holes of the match before closing out Eaton 4&3, commented she wished more events were match play – they seem to suit her well.

“You always know you have the next hole (in match play),” Smith said. “I try not to get too down or up emotionally. You can have a blow-up hole and still get the next one. As long as you keep yourself together you can come back.”

With the win, Smith hopes her success will continued into next week’s Iowa Women’s Amateur being held at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown.

“I have played there a few times,” Smith said. “They have narrow fairways and lots of trees, so I need to get some work in on the range.”

Click here to view Smith’s post-round interview

Click here to review the complete
9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship bracket

Things move quick at 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship, Semifinals set

iowagolfJuly 1, 20200 commentsChampionships, Wmn's Match Play

Things moved quick at Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny on Wednesday as Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches took place in the 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship.

Mason City’s Sydney Eaton, who won this event in 2018, did the ‘quickest’ work on Wednesday as she defeated Carroll Dethrow, of Nevada, 6&5 and then dismantled Indianola’s Kelly Grimes 8&7 in the afternoon. Eaton, the #1 seed, will face Onawa’s Samantha Knight, the #5 seed, in the semifinals, who quickly defeated Ila Gilbert 9&8 and then bested Brooke Newell 1 up to move into Thursday’s semifinal.

The other semifinal match will see Indianola’s Leanne Smith, the defending champion, who defeated Margene Grady (7&5) and Nicki Clayton (2&1), face off against Karli Kerrigan, of Ankeny. Kerrigan took down Jan Sewright in the Round of 16 (5&4) and then battled Jordan Amelon, coming out on top after a marathon 22 hole fight in the afternoon. Smith earned the #2 seed as defending champion and Kerrigan earned the #3 seed following stroke play qualifying.

Click here to view the brackets

9th IGA Women’s Match Play sees mixed bag of results in Round of 32

iowagolfJune 30, 20200 commentsChampionships, Wmn's Match Play

With the top seven seeds earning byes in the the Round of 32 of the 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship, a mix bag of results was the story of the day – some close matches and some lopsided victories at Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny.

In the category of nail-biters – Carroll Dethrow (2 up), Ila Gilbert (1 up) and Jan Sewright (1 up) all earned wins into the Round of 16 to be played on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile Kelly Grimes (8&6), Kathy Fortune (9&8), Leighann Larocca (5&4), Margene Grady (8&7), Nicki Clayton (9&8) and Rose Kubesheski (9&7) has less stress to deal with in earning their spot in the Round of 16.

Click here to see Round of 16 matches

Smith takes rollercoaster ride to 8th IGA Women’s Match Play title

iowagolfJune 26, 20190 commentsChampionships, Wmn's Match Play

Leanne Smith (pictured right) is the 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Champion – but it wasn’t easy. Smith, from Indianola, jumped out to an early 3 up lead through eight holes against Joy Chou, of Ames. Smith would stretch her lead to 4 up through 10 holes and would even be dormie through 16 holes.

That’s when things go interesting, or maybe to Smith a little unsettling. Chou would win holes 16-18 to square the match and send it to extra holes. Fortunately for Smith her birdie putt on the 19th hole found the bottom of the cup and end the match in her favor.

“I was three up to with three to play and had a little four-footer uphill,” Smith said. “I thought I would just slam it in the right side and it moved a little more than I thought it would, so on to the next (hole). Then I got caught in some rough on #17 and left it short. She’s (Chou) is a great player and she capitalized.”

Smith, who defeated Paige Seiser also in 19 holes to reach the finals, also commented that her early success with the putter in final match was key.

“I felt kind of streaky,” Smith said. “I could really see the line. I was just trying to hang in there and not mistakes.”

Smith, who had to win four matches in two days, thought playing an opening round match was helpful.

“I was really nervous in the first couple matches I played,” Smith admitted. “After I got into the finals I could breathe. I think playing in the first round helps me a lot.”

Click here to see a full recap of scoring and match results.

Moving day the IGA Match Play, IGA Women’s Match Play Championship

iowagolfJune 25, 20190 commentsChampionships, IGA Match Play, Wmn's Match Play

Four remain at 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship
It was moving day at the 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship at Tournament Club of Iowa. Joy Chou (Ames), Karli Kerrigan (Ankeny), Leanne Smith (Indianola) and Paige Seiser (Waukee) are all moving on to the semifinals tomorrow morning.

Chou, who earned medalist honors from stroke play qualifying, was a 4&3 winner over Joran Amelon, of Iowa City. Kerrigan dispatched Des Moines’ Anne Gradoville. Smith knocked off #2 seed Amelia Mehmet-Grohn 5&3 and Seiser won 2 up over Emily Snelling, of Clear Lake.

Click here to see a recap of today’s match results.

Sweet 16 at the 31st IGA Match Play Championship
The field is down to 16 players in the 31st IGA Match Play Championship at Tournament Club of Iowa after a marathon day of play. The Round of 64 and 32 were played on Tuesday under sunny skies for a majority of the day.

#1 seed, following his medalist effort yesterday, Tommy Doyle beat Jason Allen in the opening round 2 up and then defeated Caleb Peters in 19 holes to earn a spot into the Round of 16. Doyle will face Ezra Meyer tomorrow morning. Defending champion Jon Brown, who was the automatic #2 seed, also moved on to Tuesday. Brown defeated Corey Matthew (7&6) and Dusty Stewart (4&3). Brown will face Willis Gaer, of Des Moines, in the next round.

Battle for the top bunk – Kolby Chup defeated college roommate Noah Hartman in the Round of 32 by the margin of 1 up. Chup and Hartman attend Des Moines Area Community College and play golf for DMACC.

“I started off pretty hot,” Chup said. “I birdied three of the first four holes and got up quick. He battled back, so luckily I was able to hit it to a couple feet on #18 and made the putt.”

Click here to see a recap of today’s match results.