The 2008 Iowa PGA Tour Edge Pro-Assistant was held at Finkbine Golf Course and Brown Deer Golf Club on Monday, August 25th, 2008. The format for this event was one best ball of two gross with two professionals from the same facility forming teams. The Iowa Section PGA would like to thank Tour Edge for this title sponsorship along with Tim Doherty (Finkbine Golf Course) and Sean McCarty (Brown Deere Golf Club) for hosting the event.
From Left: Derek Birt, Mark Morrissey (Tour Edge), Sean McCarty
Team Division Results
1st
Team 108**
Sean McCarty
64
65
129
-14
$525.00
Derek Birt
$525.00
2nd
Team 104
Kevin Kwak
68
61
129
-14
$455.00
Adam Turner
$455.00
3rd
Team 105
Kevin *Kwak
68
62
130
-13
$385.00
Michael Scott
$385.00
4th
Team 114
Jim Webb
68
66
134
-9
$280.00
Chad Proehl
$280.00
5th
Team 112
Matt Nice
68
67
135
-8
$52.50
Brian Lorenz
$52.50
Team 115
Bryan Haas
68
67
135
-8
$52.50
Bryan Luedtke
$52.50
** Sean McCarty and Derek Birt won a sudden death playoff on Hole #1
This is the awards ceremony from the 2008 First American Bank Iowa Open. Click HERE for tournament results and video interviews associated with this event.
In Sean McCarty’s perfect world, a golf course would play to a par of 90. Every hole would be a par 5.
"That would be my dream golf course, I’ll tell you that," McCarty said after winning his third Iowa Open golf championship Saturday at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club.
McCarty finished three shots in front of Jason Knutzon after a final-round 74 and a 54-hole total of 9-under-par 210. McCarty also collected a first-prize check of $5,482.
Known for his prodigious length off the tee, McCarty was 11 under par for the championship on the South Course’s five par-5 holes.
"It’s obviously a benefit if you can bomb them out there and keep them in play," said McCarty, 35, the head pro at Brown Deer in Coralville.
McCarty had two eagles and eight birdies on the 15 par-5 holes he played. He also had four pars and one bogey, when he lost his drive right on No. 16 during the second round and was penalized stroke and distance.
McCarty, who also won the Iowa Open in 1997 and 2005, added the title to the Herman Sani Invitational championship he won earlier this month.
McCarty won both with a heavy heart. His mother, Mary, died of cancer in December. His father, Mike, died of a heart attack in May.
"Every good shot I hit, I thank them," Sean said.
McCarty, a father of four, got some help from his 9-year-old daughter Grace, who rode in the golf cart with him all three days and showed a talent for filling divots.
"It was fun to have her along," he said. "When we were on No. 13, she already had drawn up a plan for me on No. 16. She said, ‘Let’s hit it down the middle, not over there by that house (like Friday).’ She was looking out for me."
McCarty started the final round with a three-shot lead over Knutzon and six over defending champion Jon Olson. All three spent most of the day treading water.
"It didn’t seem like any of us could get anything going," McCarty said.
Knutzon, who also closed with a 74 and won $4,386, came to the first tee in white pants his wife wanted him to wear.
"I ruined them on the first hole," Knutzon said.
His first drive went left, nearly landing in a creek. He tried to hit a shot from a soggy lie, knocked it in a hazard and stepped in the water after losing his balance. Knutzon made double bogey. McCarty three-putted for bogey.
McCarty’s lead fluctuated between three and five shots over Knutzon and Olson, who finished third at 215.
Supporting Sponsor – Riverside Casino and Golf Resort
The 2008 First American Bank Iowa Open Golf Championship was held at Des Moines Golf & Country Club (South Course) on August 21st -23rd. This 54-Hole Iowa Section PGA administered event serves as Iowa’s premiere golf championship open to both amateur and professional golfers who reside in Iowa or attend college full time in the state.
Click HERE for important tournament details and pairings for the first two rounds. Click HERE for pre-tournament press release.
IOWA PGA FIRST AMERICAN BANK IOWA OPEN ON DEMAND VIDEO
Rick Tegtmeier, the director of grounds at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club, was having lunch in the maintenance building Friday when he had an unexpected visitor.
"I looked up and there was Sean McCarty," Tegtmeier said.
McCarty tried to give his drive on the par-5 16th hole a little extra juice during the second round of the Iowa Open golf championship. The ball landed somewhere near the maintenance shop just off the 16th fairway of the South Course.
"I was just coming over to check on them and see what they were doing," McCarty joked.
McCarty never found his ball. The stroke-and-distance penalty led to his only bogey in an otherwise spectacular 6-under-par 67 that gave the 35-year-old pro a three-shot lead heading into today’s final round.
"For the most part, it was a good, solid round," said McCarty, whose closest pursuer is Jason Knutzon.
McCarty, who opened with a 69, is at 10-under 136.
"I drove it about as good as I can," McCarty said. "And then I tried to get a little greedy (on No. 16)."
Knutzon shot 70 after opening with a 69. Defending champion Jon Olson of Ankeny is in third, six shots back, after rounds of 68-74.
"I’ve got a chance to catch him," said Knutzon, 32, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. "Ten-under is a good score for him, and I’m sure he’s happy. I’m happy with 7-under. Hopefully we’ll have a good match (today)."
McCarty, who successfully defended his Herman Sani Invitational title earlier this month, is trying to win a third Iowa Open. He also claimed the title in 1997 and 2005.
He’s moved into a commanding position this week because of his dominance on the par-5 holes.
McCarty played the South Course’s five par-5 holes in 5-under par during Thursday’s first round. He was 4-under par on the three front-nine par-5 holes Friday – two birdies and an eagle on No. 8.
But it was an uncharacteristic back nine for McCarty. He parred the par-5 13th hole and then bogeyed No. 16 after his wayward drive.
"I was trying to cut it around the corner hard and get it way down there," McCarty said.
He interrupted Tegtmeier’s lunch instead.
"He hit one in my shop," Tegtmeier said.
Knutzon has a hill to climb, but he’s not backing down from the challenge.
"I’d rather be three up," Knutzon said. "I’m sure he’s had many three-shot leads. I’ve had a few myself. It is different playing with the lead. We’ll just have to go play golf."
Playing a par-73 course doesn’t do much for a golfer’s ego.
"(A round) doesn’t look as good," Jon Olson said. "Not quite as sexy. But hey, that’s OK."
Olson opened defense of his Iowa Open championship by shooting a 5-under-par 68 on the South Course of the Des Moines Golf and Country Club on Thursday.
"I’ll take it," said the Ankeny pro, who finished a shot ahead of two-time Iowa Open champion Sean McCarty and Asian Tour veteran Jason Knutzon.
Olson said Thursday was a perfect day for him. He left himself with yardages that he was comfortable with, adding confidence to his recent success.
"Everything set up perfectly for full swings," Olson said.
His best example came at the par-3 15th hole, where Olson hit a 5-iron to 2 inches and tapped in for birdie.
Olson started his round on the back nine and had five birdies in the first seven holes. He shot 32 on the back nine after a bogey at the 17th, then came home in 36 with two more birdies and a bogey.
McCarty, the Iowa Open winner in 1997 and 2005, played the South’s five par-5 holes in 5 under par.
"Thank God for par-5s," said McCarty, who was paired with Olson.
McCarty eagled No. 13 with a driver, a 5-iron and a 20-foot putt. He also birdied three of the other four par-5s. McCarty had just one bogey, at No. 18.
Knutzon was playing his first competitive round since missing the cut at the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill., the second week of July. The Altoona pro had surgery on his left shoulder in May.
"I’m probably at 80 percent," said Knutzon, 32.
Knutzon said that he worked so hard to get ready for his PGA Tour opportunity that he might have put too much strain on that shoulder.
He had a strain-free front nine Thursday, carding four birdies to make the turn in 4-under 33.
"I faltered a little bit coming in," Knutzon said. "I got it to 5 under after No. 11, but I didn’t birdie either of the downwind par-5s (13, 16) coming in and made a bogey at the (par-3) 17th."
Knutzon has won twice on the Asian Tour, and he plans to return there this fall.
"My wife (Rustina) is expecting in a few weeks," Knutzon said. "I’ll return to Asia a few weeks after that, assuming everything is OK."
Knutzon will return from Asia for the first stage of qualifying for the PGA Tour in late October.
The Iowa Open field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after today’s second round. The final round will be played Saturday.
IOWA CITY – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson will headline an exhibition at the University of Iowa’s Finkbine Golf Course on Friday, Sept. 12, that will raise funds for disaster relief across the state of Iowa.
The Zach Johnson Iowa Disaster Relief Challenge presented by AEGON USA will feature Johnson, a native of Cedar Rapids and a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Chris DiMarco, and Quad Cities-area native Todd Hamilton in a nine-hole challenge that will also feature three of professional golf’s rising stars.
Name: Ian Nicoll
Age: 39
College/University: Westfield State College
Year Turned Pro: 1992, Class A in 1998
Facility: TPC Deere Run
Career Low Round/Course: 67/ Tekoa Country Club
What was your motivation to become a PGA Professional?
I always enjoyed golf growing up and it only made sense to couple that with a Business Degree.
What was your greatest moment in golf?
Hole in one on #16 at Tekoa Country Club, and becoming General Manager at TPC Deere Run.
What clubs are currently in your bag?
Titleist D-2 Driver, Titleist 585*H 17°, Titleist 2B Irons, Vokey SW, Studio Stainless Newport 2.5 Read more
Nationally known golf trick shot artist, Dennis Walters made a stop in Riverside, IA at Riverside Casino & Golf Resort on Tuesday, August 19. The Dennis Walters Golf Show is a one hour combination of golf mastery and human inspiration. It is great golf, great fun, and a great message. Dennis Walters was injured in an accident thirty-four years ago and the injury left him paralyzed from the waist down. Dennis’ one-hour trick shot performance at Riverside Casiono & Golf Resort provided attendees with laughs, surprises and inspiration. Attendence was free to the public and the audience included veterans from the G.I.V.E Foundation, junior golfers & parents, and members of the local community. Below are photos from the Dennis Walters Golf Show.
The 2008 Iowa PGA Harris Golf Cars Pro-Director was held at Short Hills Country Club in East Moline, IL on August 18, 2008. Thirty-two teams comprised of one professional and one amateur competed in this event. The format was 18-Hole Low Professional and Team One Best Ball of Two Net with amateurs receiving 90% of their current Handicap Index. A special thank you to Harris Golf Cars who sponsored this event and their support of the Iowa Section PGA. Also, the Iowa Section PGA would like to thank Matt Nice, Head PGA Professional at Short Hills Country Club and his staff for hosting.
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