Brown set to defend Iowa Amateur title
By Barry Poe Journal sports writer | Posted: Sunday, July 22, 2007
Jon Brown, one of the state's top amateur golfers for a number of years, finally broke through to win his first Iowa Amateur Championship last summer at Sioux City's Whispering Creek Golf Club.
Now, the Urbandale resident takes aim at a repeat title at one of his favorite courses starting on Monday, when the 105th Iowa Amateur unfolds at The Harvester Golf Club near Rhodes. Competition for the oldest and most prestigious title conducted by the Iowa Golf Association runs through Wednesday.
"My number one goal in 2006 was to win the Iowa Amateur," said Brown. "And I accomplished that goal."
Brown shot 1-under 215 last year at Whispering Creek, topping Jeremy Danilson of Johnston by two strokes.
The IGA held the Iowa Match Play Championship at The Harvester in 2003 and 2004. Brown won the crown in 2003 and lost a legendary 23-hole final to Jeremy Lyons in 2004. He won the Match Play title again in 2006 en route to his second IGA player of the year award.
"I had a great run at The Harvester in '03 and '04," said Brown. "While I don't know if the course necessarily suits my game more than anyone else's, it is one of my favorite tracks in Iowa and I have a lot of positive memories to draw from."
The list of challengers is long and includes Brian Verduyn of Clive, the 2005 Iowa Amateur champion. Nate Dunn of Cedar Rapids, the 2004 winner, is also in the field along with Cory Braunschweig of West Des Moines, last year's Iowa Open winner.
Justin Schulte of Waukee is another player to watch. Schulte won the Iowa Mid-Amateur in early May and partnered with Dunn to win the State Four-Ball two weeks later.
A host of younger players, led by this year's Match Play champion Mike Oimeon of Clear Lake, could also make their mark. Other youngsters expected to challenge are 2006 Iowa Masters champ Nathan Leary of Waterloo and recent Memphis University graduate Kyle Ritchie of Bedford, who won the Lake Creek Amateur at Lake Creek Country Club in Storm Lake last week.
Ritchie shot 5-under 211 at Lake Creek to edge Mike McCoy of West Des Moines by a shot. Bill Manske of Algona, a former Lake Creek champion, was another shot back at 213 while Kirby Pettit also broke par with a 1-under 215.
Northwest Iowa will be well represented at The Harvester.
Todd Sapp of Sioux City, who tied for sixth in last year's tournament at Whispering Creek, is paired with Braunschweig and Manske in the first two rounds. Dan Freed of Hinton, the defending Men's City champion who wound up third in the River-Cade at Green Valley last weekend, is also in the field.
Other Sioux Cityans entered are Cam Jacobs, Jared Kvidera, Pat Schiltz and J.R. Trembly. Andy Berg of Storm Lake, Todd DeWeerd of Rock Rapids and Gary Jacobson of Estherville are also part of the field.
Now, the Urbandale resident takes aim at a repeat title at one of his favorite courses starting on Monday, when the 105th Iowa Amateur unfolds at The Harvester Golf Club near Rhodes. Competition for the oldest and most prestigious title conducted by the Iowa Golf Association runs through Wednesday.
"My number one goal in 2006 was to win the Iowa Amateur," said Brown. "And I accomplished that goal."
Brown shot 1-under 215 last year at Whispering Creek, topping Jeremy Danilson of Johnston by two strokes.
The IGA held the Iowa Match Play Championship at The Harvester in 2003 and 2004. Brown won the crown in 2003 and lost a legendary 23-hole final to Jeremy Lyons in 2004. He won the Match Play title again in 2006 en route to his second IGA player of the year award.
"I had a great run at The Harvester in '03 and '04," said Brown. "While I don't know if the course necessarily suits my game more than anyone else's, it is one of my favorite tracks in Iowa and I have a lot of positive memories to draw from."
The list of challengers is long and includes Brian Verduyn of Clive, the 2005 Iowa Amateur champion. Nate Dunn of Cedar Rapids, the 2004 winner, is also in the field along with Cory Braunschweig of West Des Moines, last year's Iowa Open winner.
Justin Schulte of Waukee is another player to watch. Schulte won the Iowa Mid-Amateur in early May and partnered with Dunn to win the State Four-Ball two weeks later.
A host of younger players, led by this year's Match Play champion Mike Oimeon of Clear Lake, could also make their mark. Other youngsters expected to challenge are 2006 Iowa Masters champ Nathan Leary of Waterloo and recent Memphis University graduate Kyle Ritchie of Bedford, who won the Lake Creek Amateur at Lake Creek Country Club in Storm Lake last week.
Ritchie shot 5-under 211 at Lake Creek to edge Mike McCoy of West Des Moines by a shot. Bill Manske of Algona, a former Lake Creek champion, was another shot back at 213 while Kirby Pettit also broke par with a 1-under 215.
Northwest Iowa will be well represented at The Harvester.
Todd Sapp of Sioux City, who tied for sixth in last year's tournament at Whispering Creek, is paired with Braunschweig and Manske in the first two rounds. Dan Freed of Hinton, the defending Men's City champion who wound up third in the River-Cade at Green Valley last weekend, is also in the field.
Other Sioux Cityans entered are Cam Jacobs, Jared Kvidera, Pat Schiltz and J.R. Trembly. Andy Berg of Storm Lake, Todd DeWeerd of Rock Rapids and Gary Jacobson of Estherville are also part of the field.
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