Champions crowned at 26th IGA Four-Ball Championship
Holding a two shot lead entering the final round, the side of Dylan Ellis / Tyler Sansgaard (pictured above) never flinched.
Following an opening round 60 (-11), the duo didn’t backdown to the challenge, posting a 64 (-7) in windy conditions to claim a five-shot victory at the 26th IGA Four-Ball Championship hosted by Ames’ Coldwater Golf Links.
“We were able to make a lot of birdies and countered each other well,” Ellis said. “We never made bogey on the same holes, so that’s always good. We actually hit it a lot closer today than we did yesterday.”
Finishing runner-up was the side of Brian Allison / Dennis Bull (-13), who got off to a quick start with an eagle at the first to inch closer to the leaders, which they were paired with in the final round. But just when Allison / Bull would get within earshot of the lead, Ellis / Sansgaard would make a birdie to extend the lead. Two untimely bogeys to start the back nine left Allison / Bull a deficit that they simply couldn’t overcome.
The champions had nothing but praise for the runner-up team.
“Playing against good competition keeps you focused and dialed in,” Ellis said.
Finishing in third place (-12), six shots back of the lead, was the side of Marc Gladson / Nate Dunn who will head to Alabama for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball later in the week. There was a three-way tie for fourth place at -11.
From the start Ellis and Sansgaard though that the course would set up well for them.
“We both knew we could make some birdies here,” Sansgaard said. “It feels good to win an event like this.”
In the Senior Division, opening round leaders Curtis Holck / Kirk Macumber (pictured left) notched a -7 total and a two-shot victory over defending champions Joe Palmer / Terry Cook. But it wasn’t easy as the course played much more difficult during the final round compared to Friday.
“Today was a grind,” Macumber said. “There was a lot more holes, today, where a par was a great score. We just wanted to both have chances for birdied as many times as we could. Today we just battled. We made some good pars today that kept us a stroke or two up”
Holck echoed Macumber’s thoughts on the final round.
“The weather was completely different and the course was too,” Holck said “The fairways were really running out. We made some long putts on Friday.”
A tie for third place in the Senior Division saw Jay Slings / Tim McKnight and Robert Dickerman / Todd Higtgen finish at -4.
In the Super Senior Division the side of David Studer / Tom Schill (pictured right) won the title in a playoff over Dan Dalziel / Steve Kahler, with a par on the first extra hole. Finishing just a shot back of the playoff was Jim Butler / Rob Christensen who finished at -2 for the tournament.