InstagramXFacebook
  LOGIN  |  JOIN  |  INFO  |  BENEFITS

Iowa Mid-Am: Elliott Comes Up Big on 18
14 Sep 2009
see also: View results for Iowa Mid-Amateur, Bos Landen Golf Club

SHARE:   
From L: Caddie Tom Tillinghast, Mike McCoy and Jeff Panek<br>look on as Gene Elliott watches his tee shot
From L: Caddie Tom Tillinghast, Mike McCoy and Jeff Panek
look on as Gene Elliott watches his tee shot

AMES, IA (September 14, 2009)--West Des Moines residents Gene Elliott and Mike McCoy have had countless battles on the golf course over the years. The past two days at the 24th Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship presented by GolfTec was no different.

Only when Elliott rolled in an 18-footer for birdie on the final hole at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames was the outcome sealed.

“It was a battle all day,” stated Elliott. “It was a lot of fun, Mike and Jeff were great to play with and both really played well.”

Elliott and McCoy paired with Jeff Panek of Urbandale in the final grouping and the three went back and forth all day. McCoy, who started the day two strokes back of leader Elliott and one back of Panek, made the turn at 2-under. That put him in a tie for the lead with Elliott and one ahead of Panek who carded nine pars on his front side.

The trio continued to trade blows through the first few holes on the back nine. When McCoy and Elliott both birdied the fourteenth they found themselves tied for the lead, two ahead of Panek and a red-hot Sam Aossey of Cedar Rapids who was in the middle of a four-under par round of 67.

All three players in the final group would suffer a bogey at the difficult par-4 15th, then Panek bogeyed the par-3 16th. That put the leaders three clear of Panek and one ahead of Aossey, who had just finished the 18th hole. Panek would come back with a birdie on the 17th to climb back within two and give himself a chance on the final hole.

McCoy, teeing off first on the final hole, pulled his tee shot and the ball wound up in the lateral hazard. McCoy’s ball was found in the hazard and, after Elliott had played his second safely to 18 feet, McCoy advanced the ball as far as he could, leaving 150 yards for his third. He would play to 15-feet for par while Panek had played his second 30 feet short and left of the hole. Panek went first and rolled in the unlikely birdie putt, finishing at two-under par. That’s when Elliott sealed the deal with his 18-footer for birdie. All of a sudden, McCoy’s putt didn’t mean that much and he calmly two-putted for bogey and joined Panek and Aossey in a tie for second.

Coldwater Golf Links provided a great venue for the 24th Iowa Mid-Amateur presented by Golftec. Players raved about the condition of the course, which is inspired by the links courses overseas.

“There are just enough humps and bumps to give you something to think about out there,” said Elliott. “Its really fun to play because its not really like any other course in Iowa.”

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.

View Complete Tournament Information

Latest in 

Amateurgolf.com, Inc.
6965 El Camino Real 105-631
Carlsbad, CA 92009

Instagram X Facebook YouTube