In her Iowa golf debut, Pimkwan Chookaew of Ames claimed the IGA Women’s Player of the Year title in dominating fashion. From outstanding collegiate play to a remarkable showing at the state amateur, the Iowa State Cyclone made a name for herself this season.

Chookaew’s incredible performance began in May with a postseason run at the Big 12 Conference Championship where she notched an individual top-five finish and helped her team secure a spot in the NCAA Lubbock Regional. From there, she finished inside the top-ten and led her team to a national championship berth.

After wrapping up her college season, Chookaew set her eyes on the Iowa Women’s Amateur Championship contested at Wakonda Club, Des Moines in early August. She fired rounds of 69-70-71 (-6) to claim the victory after edging her teammate Keeley Marx in a playoff. Chookaew’s victory marked the third time in the last five years that a Cyclone has hoisted the coveted Fladoos Trophy.

With her senior season already in full swing, Chookaew has continued to display incredible play at the highest level. She opened the fall by winning an individual title at the Wolverine Invitational with scores of 69-67-72 (-5) and secured two top-five finishes at the Schooner Fall Classic and the Windy City Collegiate Classic. She is currently ranked 20th in the nation.

Chookaew’s IGA Women’s Player of the Year victory is a well-earned accolade for her decorated year of golf.

In her first year eligible, Julie Buerman took the senior women’s division by storm and claimed IGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year honors. With two victories, two runner-up finishes, and one top-five finish, Buerman proved that she’s a competitor.

Buerman’s outstanding season began in May at the IGA Women’s Mid-Am Series Event #1 contested at Irv Warren GC, Waterloo. She earned 45 points in the stableford format which was good for fifth place. Her top-five finish was only a preview of what was to come in the following months.

Throughout June and July, Buerman went on a tear. She began by claiming runner-up honors at the IGA Women’s Forever 39 Match Play Championship contested at Grinnell College GC, Grinnell. She then kept the momentum going at the IGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship held at Rice Lake GC, Lake Mills where she emerged victorious, shooting rounds of 73-74 (+5) to win by a landslide.

If these performances weren’t incredible enough, Buerman added a runner-up finish in the Open Division at the Iowa Women’s Amateur Championship at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, and capped off the season with another victory at the IGA Women’s Club Team Championship at Bos Landen GC in Pella.

Buerman made her presence known throughout the Iowa senior women’s golf scene, and her IGA Player of the Year title proved just that.