The 2009 Genesis Pro-AM was held on Monday, August 31st at Davenport Country Club and TPC Deere Run.  Forty-seven Iowa PGA Professionals teamed up with three amateurs supplied by Genesis Medical Center to compete in this event.  The team format was 1 Best Ball of 2 with the professional playing their own ball and amateurs playing a scramble, along with a Professional Open and Senior Division.  28 teams teed it up at Davenport CC and 25 teams competed at TPC Deere Run.  The Iowa PGA would like to thank Deb Hughes, Genesis Medical Center, John Panek, Head PGA Professional at Davenport CC, and Andy Stoterau, Head PGA Professional at TPC Deere Run.

The 2009 Cleveland Golf / Srixon Iowa PGA Pro-Senior sponsored by Cleveland Golf / Srixon was held on Monday, August 24th at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.  Forty-three teams competed in this event where one professional teamed with three amateurs who were fifty years of age or older.  The team format was Two Best Balls of Four Net and there was also an Individual Open and Senior Division for the professionals.

Congratulations to Brian Wernimont, Head PGA Professional at Elks Country Club in Iowa City, IA for scoring a hole-in-one.  Brian hit a 8-iron on Hole #2 which played 151 yards.  This was Brian’s third career hole-in-one.  Believe it or not, this was not the only hole-in-one on Hole #2 on Monday.  Joe Schafer, Head PGA Professional at Willow Creek GC aced #2 as well.  Joe hit a 8-iron for his first career hole-in-one.

Left: Pat Dunphy, Darin Fisher, Jim Campbell, Kevin Kness, Kevin Halbmaier

The Iowa Section PGA would like to thank Pat Dunphy of Cleveland Golf / Srixon for sponsoring this event.  Pat also provided prizes for the winners of each flag event.  The Iowa Section PGA would also like to thank Dave Schneider, General Manager / Director of Golf and Ryan Rinnels, Head PGA Golf Professional, and the entire staff at Wakonda Club for hosting this event.

2009 Iowa Open Golf Championship
Sponsored by Riverside Casino and Golf Resort
Blue Top Ridge
Thursday, August 20 – Saturday, August 22

The 2009 Iowa Open Golf Championship sponsored by Riverside Casino and Golf Resort was held at Blue Top Ridge at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort on August 20th -22nd.  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.  Iowa Section PGA Professionals residing in Illinois are also eligible to compete in this annual championship.   This year’s event is comprised of 86 of the best golfers in the state of Iowa and Iowa Section PGA boundaries.  After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low seventy and ties for the final round.  The Iowa Section PGA would like to thank Riverside Casino and Golf Resort for sponsoring this year’s championship.  This is the second consecutive year that Riverside Casino and Golf Resort has sponsored this event.  Special thanks to owners Dan Kehl & Bobby Kehl, General Manager Joe Massa, Director of Golf Bryan Haas, and the entire staff at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort.

From Left: Vince India (Champion), Bryan Haas (Director of Golf)

Day 1 Recap: With soggy conditions and strong wind gusts, Thursday welcomed players with tough scoring conditions.  Day 1 leaders included amateur Brian Verduyn of Clive, IA with a solid even par, 72.  Jordan Weber from Bernard, IA posted a 1-under-par, 71.  Tracy Vest leaded the race, battling the wind and finishing with an impressive 2-under-par, 70.

Day 2 Recap: Friday was close to an exact repeat of Thursday, plus isolated rain.  Strong winds and on and off rain challenged the players once again to a difficult test.  After all was said and done, University of Northern Iowa graduate Jordan Weber stayed atop the leaderboard, posting a 3-over-par score of 147 after 2 days.  Judd Gibb of West Des Moines, IA and Assistant Golf Coach at Iowa State University finished with a 36 hole total score of 2-over-par, 146 and is alone in 2nd place heading into Saturday’s round.   Tracy Vest of Waukee, IA and Teaching Professional at Des Moines Golf & Country Club seperated himself from the field by posting a 2nd round score of 71, which included 4 birdies.   At 3-under-par, 141 Tracy has a 5-shot lead going into Saturday’s championship round.

Day 3 Recap: Saturday greeted the players with sunny skies and better scoring conditions.  Congratulations to Vince India from Deerfield, IL and a member of the University of Iowa Golf Team for winning the 2009 Iowa Open Golf Championship.  Vince rolled off 5 birdies in his final round to post a tournament best, 4-under-par, 68 and come from 11 shots back to capture the 2009 title.   Vince is the 2nd amateur in the past 5 years to win the Iowa Open trophy.

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Click the leaderboard below to view complete results from the Iowa Open

The 2009 Iowa PGA Harris Golf Cars Pro-Director was held at Geneva Golf & Country Club in Muscatine, IA on August 17th, 2009.  Twenty-eight 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, Scott Harris, Terry Harris, and Steve Haldeman who sponsored this event and their support of the Iowa Section PGA.  Also, the Iowa Section PGA would like to thank Stephen Hutton, Head PGA Professional at Geneva Golf & Country Club and his staff for hosting.

Congratulations to the teams of Stephen Hutton and Jeanette Neeld from Geneva Golf & Country Club and Greg Mason and Doug Snook of Waverly Municipal Golf Course.  Both teams finished with a 7-under-par 64 and tied for 1st place.  The team of Hutton and Neeld won the scorecard playoff to receive 1st place plaques.

From Left: Jeannette Neeld, Stephen Hutton

From Left: Greg Mason, Doug Snook

The 2009 Iowa Section PGA McGladrey Team Championship was held on Monday, August 10th at Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City, IA.  Eighteen teams competed for the chance to advance to the national finals which will be held at Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, N.C. October 26-28, 2009.  The format for the event was Two Best Balls of Four Net.

Amateurs competing in the event qualified by advancing through a local qualifier.  The host PGA Professional of the local tournament then joined the winning team following the local qualifier to form the four-person teams.  The Iowa Section PGA would like to thank RSM McGladrey for their continued support of this tournament.  A huge thanks also goes out to Clark Smith, Head PGA Professional and Pat Franklin, General Manager and the staff at Tournament Club of Iowa for hosting this event.

Congratulations to the team from The Preserve on Rathbun Lake, Darin Fisher, Jim Campbell, Joe Bates, and Kevin Pickerell for winning the 2009 Iowa Section McGladrey Team Championship.  With their 18-under-par, 124 team score, they advanced on to the National Championship held at Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, N.C. October 26-28, 2009.

From Left: Susan Davis, Darin Fisher, Jim Campbell, Kevin Pickerell, Joe Bates, Lindsay Schwarte