Anderson wins third career Southeast Iowa Amateur title
Johnston’s J.D. Anderson (right) won the neck-to-neck 2023 Southeast Iowa Amateur at The Preserve on Rathbun Lake in Moravia, feeding on a strong first round performance. Anderson withstood a strong challenge by West Des Moines’ Grant Smith, who carded the lowest final round score, to win by one.
Six birdies and only one bogey gave Anderson the solo lead heading into the final round at a 5-under 67. West Des Moines’ Gene Elliot and Minnetonka’s Conor Schubring also made the final pairing with a pair of first-round 68’s, but were unable to match their performance on Sunday.
In the end, the battle was between Anderson and Smith. Smith went on a roll early with four birdies in the first six holes, but ended up 1-over during the rest of his round. Anderson exchanged birdies and bogeys on his scorecard, ultimately finding a birdie on the final hole to clinch the win and avoid a playoff.
In the Senior Division, Tony Newkirk of Des Moines defended his tournament title, winning by one over Norwalk’s Terry Cook. Newkirk and Cook finished the weekend (-6) 138 and (-5) 139, respectively. Bob Brooks, of West Des Moines, continues his domination this season with his third straight win in the Super Senior Division, setting a new Super Senior tournament record with his (-10) 134. Brooks finished seven strokes ahead of runner-up David Studer, of West Des Moines. Defending champion Marshalltown’s Pat Ryan finished third, firing (-1) 143.
Mike McCoy (right), who later this year will captain the United States’ Walker Cup team in competition against Great Britain-Ireland at The Old Course in St. Andrews, has positioned himself high atop the leaderboards at recent Florida Senior Amateur and Florida Senior Open championships. 
Norton (right) captured the 2023 Florida State Golf Association’s Super Senior Championship in dramatic fashion. A Muscatine resident who spends the winter months in Reunion, FL., Norton fired rounds of 71-73-75 for a 219 total to tie Mike Barkley of Belleaire, FL. He then sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to capture the title, contested in late March at the Country Club of Ocala in Ocala, FL. Norton saw a four-shot lead evaporate during the final round, but hung on by parring the final eight holes in regulation to earn the playoff berth. “I kept myself in position and managed to avoid any big numbers, which is the key to being competitive in a 54-hole stroke play tournament,” said Norton. “I wound up making six birdies against nine bogies while maintaining a positive frame of mind throughout the event.”
A regular feature column written by IGA Foundation board member Mark Gambaiana, Up and Down the Iowa Golf Scene is designed to take the reader beyond the headlines and scoreboards to share stories of those who help make Iowa golf so rich and rewarding. Profiles will spotlight those who advance the game through volunteerism, service, extraordinary achievement, competition, human interest and the many other dimensions of golf in Iowa.
The Iowa Golf Association was informed that volunteer IGA Course Rater and tournament player Jane Suiter passed away on Tuesday, January 24.
Palmer’s record speaks for itself. He is a winner of four ‘Open Division’ IGA point events, which includes the 2004 IGA Four-Ball, 2004 Iowa Mid-Amateur and a pair of IGA Match Play titles, his second coming in a remarkable run in 2021 to win the event as a Senior.
He had a homemade swing that produced outstanding results. He was a three-time winner of the Lake Creek Amateur (1979, 1981, 1999), twice a champion at the Northwest Amateur (1982, 1988) and low amateur at the Iowa Open (1992). Curell also was victorious at the 1980 Tournament of Champions and 1987 Iowa Mid-Amateur. Curell earned IGA Player of the Year honors in 1979.
Dunakey, then 13 years-old, opened with a first round 69 at the Waterloo Open which earned him a final round pairing with former Masters champion Bob Goalby. Following wins at the Iowa Junior Amateur (1981), IGA Match Play (1985) and Iowa Amateur (1987) Dunakey turned professional and eventually made his way onto the PGA Tour.
Beard’s ‘Operation State Champ’ program for junior golfers began in 1997 and was designed to improve the performance of golfers in the area to the point that they would be able to qualify and compete for a state championship. The program involved both summer and winter golf activities, with indoor practice throughout the winter as the biggest change in their practice routine.