J.D. Anderson, Dennis Bull and Niel Doak are tied for the lead
(Iowa Golf Association Photo)
CEDAR FALLS, IA (May 8, 2017) - A host of players are within shouting distance of the lead after the opening round of the 32nd Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship at Beaver Hills Country Club, Cedar Falls. Mostly sunny skies along with off and on windy conditions gave players a good test of golf on Monday.
Leading the pace is Johnston’s J.D. Anderson, Norwalk’s Dennis Bull and Waterloo’s Niel Doak with 71 (-1). Anderson posted three birdies against a pair of bogeys, while Bull and Doak each made four birdies and 3 three bogeys. All three are chasing their first career Iowa Mid-Amateur title.
Anderson commented that being in position to have good looks with the putter was critical on day one.
“Getting the ball in position on the greens (was the key),” Anderson said. “There are some tricky greens out there today. It was a solid day, I was in a lot of fairways and had a lot of opportunities. I realized mid-round that even par was a good score today. There aren’t a ton of birdies out here and pars are good.”
Doak said he had nothing but positives to take from today’s round.
“On the first tee I would of taken 75 or 76,” Doak said. “I have only played eight time so far this year. The putts went in today, that’s for sure. I tried to stay out of my own way. I was three-under through 12 holes. I knew where I was at. Even with bogeying 16 and 18 I don’t care. I am still happy. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, this is a somewhat new position for me in a statewide amateur tournament.”
Bull said he spun his wheels a little at the start, but got going after a trio of birdies on the front nine.
“I played ok,” Bull said. “I got off to a slower start than I wanted to. I made birdies on 5, 8 and 9 and got going. Then I made bogey on 10. It was great, it wasn’t bad. I had a good group, it was fun. I thought the greens were awesome. If you were out of position you could make bogey out there today.”
Lurking just two off the pace (73) is Scott Hart (West Des Moines). No less that 13 players are with four strokes of the lead. With course conditions nearly perfect in the opening round, a shoot-out on Tuesday is a distinct possibility.
In the Senior Division, David Studer (West Des Moines) and Ron Peterson (Urbandale) share the lead with 73 (+1). Tim Ward (Waterloo) is just a shot back after his 74 (+2)
A bunched leaderboard in the Senior Division sees a total of 10 players within three shots of the lead.
View results for Iowa Mid-Amateur
ABOUT THE Iowa Mid-Amateur
54-hole stroke play championship with Mid-Amateur
(25+), Senior (50+) and Super Senior (65+) divisions.
Eligible entries
must be amateur golfers as defined by the USGA
rules, must be a resident of the State of Iowa and
must
have reached their 25th birthday by the start of the
tournament.
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