Five Iowans are set to tee it up at the 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship this week. There are only seven states that have more qualifiers than Iowa this year. The prestigious championship is being played at The Kittansett Club (above) in Marion, Massachusetts from August 27 – September 1. 

Gene Elliott will look to defend his title after dealing with injuries this summer. Last year, Elliott defeated the No. 9 seed, Jerry Gunthorpe, in the final round to claim the 2021 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. 

Currently, Elliott ranks as the second best senior amateur according to World Amateur Golf Rankings. He also finds himself ranked inside the top-500 for amateurs in the world. 

Mike McCoy, your 2023 United States Walker Cup Captain, has his eyes set on completing the same feat Elliott accomplished last year. McCoy dominated the field overseas at the 2022 British Senior Amateur Championship earlier this summer, and looks to keep that momentum going.

During last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, McCoy fell in the Round of 32 to Elliott. As the fourth ranked senior amateur according to WAGR, McCoy’s expectations are at an all-time high. 

Recently crowned as the 44th Iowa Senior Amateur Champion, Joe Palmer is set play alongside his fellow Iowans this week. Known for his match play performances, Palmer will likely make some noise in Massachusetts. 

As a senior amateur, Palmer ranks inside the top-15 according to WAGR. With momentum coming off a come-back victory at the Iowa Senior Amateur Championship, Palmer looks forward to more competition. 

Jon Brown, the ‘youngster’ of the group, is set to compete in the first U.S. Senior Amateur Championship he is eligible for. Brown cracked the top-25 age-eligible points leaders in WAGR and will be the youngest player in the field. Coming off his 13th career Des Moines Men’s City Championship victory, Brown has some positive momentum as he heads into next week. 

Qualifying out of Hyperion Field Club, in Johnston, was the Ankeny native, Curtis Holck. With two victories on the year coming at the IGA Four-Ball and The Classic in Marshalltown, Holck could make a run this week. 

The format for the championship includes a 36-hole stroke play qualifier to decide the 64-player match play bracket. The last senior standing will be crowned the 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur Champion.