Campbell wins match play title
By Barry Poe, Journal sports writer | Posted: Monday, June 16, 2008
CHEROKEE, Iowa -- Jeff Campbell lives in Niles, Ohio, these days, but the Cherokee native has spent countless hours at Cherokee Golf & Country Club.
The experience paid off on Sunday as Campbell defeated Kent Schroeder of Mapleton, Iowa, in the championship match of the 74th Sioux Valley Amateur Match Play Championship.
Campbell lagged a putt to within 18 inches and tapped in for par to defeat Schroeder 1-up after a nearly identical 1-up victory over Tom Bohnenkamp of Aurelia, Iowa, in a semifinal. Schroeder, who shot the lowest qualifying round ever in this tournament with a 66, beat Bill Mathers of Correctionville, Iowa, in the other semifinal.
"It's an honor to win this tournament in my home town," said the 47-year-old Campbell. "I take a lot of pride in this tournament. It is run exceptional and the people who run the course do a spectacular job.
"It really means a lot to me since I grew up here."
Campbell, an employee of Lowe's in Niles, located 15 minutes from Youngstown, has been returning to his hometown for the last 13 years to compete in Iowa's oldest match play tournament.
"I wouldn't miss this thing for anything," said the 1978 Cherokee Washington graduate. "I brought the trophy back home to stay at least for another year.
"I played really steady both days. This is one course where if you get too far off line you're done."
Jeff and his wife, Janet, have five children so he said the victory was a perfect Fathers Day gift.
Campbell's win earned him a leg up on the Frank Greenwood Memorial Trophy. The late Mike Jividen of Sioux City won the title six times and is the last person to retire the trophy with three victories in succession.
Campbell, by the way, is the last Cherokee native to win this tournament since Mark Northcraft in 1977. Campbell beat Nick Dreckman of Le Mars, Iowa, 6 and 5 and James DeVos of Cherokee 3 and 2 on Saturday. DeVos eliminated defending champion J.D. Anderson of West Des Moines 2 and 1 in the first round, holding off a late Anderson comeback.
Cam Jacobs of Sioux City defeated Denny Nelson of Cherokee 2 and 1 to claim the first flight title. Championship and first flight matches were 18 holes and the rest of the flights consisted of nine-hole matches.
Lance Platz of Iowa City beat Colin Christensen of Cherokee 2-up in the second flight final. Bill Weathers of Aurelia downed Jim Johnson Cour de lene, Idaho, 3 and 2 in the third flight.
Mike Noah of Sioux Falls topped Dana Braunschweig of Des Moines 2 and 1 in the fourth flight. The fifth flight title went to Phil Mair of Omaha with a 1-up win over Heath Hagberg of Cherokee. Zach Mathers of Sioux City defeated Ed Spindler of Greeley, Colo., 4 and 3 in the sixth flight. Scott Finneman of Urbandale, Iowa, bested Josh Cedar of Cherokee 2 and 1 in the seventh flight.
The experience paid off on Sunday as Campbell defeated Kent Schroeder of Mapleton, Iowa, in the championship match of the 74th Sioux Valley Amateur Match Play Championship.
Campbell lagged a putt to within 18 inches and tapped in for par to defeat Schroeder 1-up after a nearly identical 1-up victory over Tom Bohnenkamp of Aurelia, Iowa, in a semifinal. Schroeder, who shot the lowest qualifying round ever in this tournament with a 66, beat Bill Mathers of Correctionville, Iowa, in the other semifinal.
"It's an honor to win this tournament in my home town," said the 47-year-old Campbell. "I take a lot of pride in this tournament. It is run exceptional and the people who run the course do a spectacular job.
"It really means a lot to me since I grew up here."
Campbell, an employee of Lowe's in Niles, located 15 minutes from Youngstown, has been returning to his hometown for the last 13 years to compete in Iowa's oldest match play tournament.
"I wouldn't miss this thing for anything," said the 1978 Cherokee Washington graduate. "I brought the trophy back home to stay at least for another year.
"I played really steady both days. This is one course where if you get too far off line you're done."
Jeff and his wife, Janet, have five children so he said the victory was a perfect Fathers Day gift.
Campbell's win earned him a leg up on the Frank Greenwood Memorial Trophy. The late Mike Jividen of Sioux City won the title six times and is the last person to retire the trophy with three victories in succession.
Campbell, by the way, is the last Cherokee native to win this tournament since Mark Northcraft in 1977. Campbell beat Nick Dreckman of Le Mars, Iowa, 6 and 5 and James DeVos of Cherokee 3 and 2 on Saturday. DeVos eliminated defending champion J.D. Anderson of West Des Moines 2 and 1 in the first round, holding off a late Anderson comeback.
Cam Jacobs of Sioux City defeated Denny Nelson of Cherokee 2 and 1 to claim the first flight title. Championship and first flight matches were 18 holes and the rest of the flights consisted of nine-hole matches.
Lance Platz of Iowa City beat Colin Christensen of Cherokee 2-up in the second flight final. Bill Weathers of Aurelia downed Jim Johnson Cour de lene, Idaho, 3 and 2 in the third flight.
Mike Noah of Sioux Falls topped Dana Braunschweig of Des Moines 2 and 1 in the fourth flight. The fifth flight title went to Phil Mair of Omaha with a 1-up win over Heath Hagberg of Cherokee. Zach Mathers of Sioux City defeated Ed Spindler of Greeley, Colo., 4 and 3 in the sixth flight. Scott Finneman of Urbandale, Iowa, bested Josh Cedar of Cherokee 2 and 1 in the seventh flight.
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