Gene Elliott wins his 6th Iowa Mid-Amateur at age 59

Gene Elliott (W. Des Moines, Iowa) has been a mid-amateur for 34 years. But the 59-year-old is still the top mid-amateur in his home state, winning the Iowa Mid-Amateur for the 6th time at Finkbine Golf Club in Iowa City.

It was impressive enough that Elliott was the defending champion in the event, having shot a final-round 67 last year for a comeback win at Sunnyside Country Club at the age of 58.

There were no 67s to be had this year at Finkbine -- in fact the lone under-par round was a 1-under 71 by Nate McCoy in the first round that gave him a two-shot lead over Scot Cook and Luke Miller, with Elliott three back.

The 30-year-old McCoy was trying to join his father Mike as a Iowa Mid-Amateur champion (like Elliott, Mike McCoy is a six-time winner), but he could never get anything going on Sunday and faded to a 79 and a tied sixth place finish.

Both Elliott and Cook had chances to win it in regulation, but both bogeyed the last two holes as the rain set in, and headed to a playoff at 3-over-par 147.

Six pack - @gene_elliott wins the 36th Iowa Mid-Amateur (his 6th career Iowa Mid-Am win) in a one-hole playoff over @brickcook. Elliott made par on the 17th hole @FinkbineGolf to defend his title. https://t.co/8n1LQyTc0h pic.twitter.com/KR5iSVHkEd

— Iowa Golf Assn (@IowaGolfAssn) May 9, 2021

On the first playoff hole, Elliott's par was good enough for a record-tying 6th mid-amateur victory, having also won the in 1998, 2000, 2009, 2013, and 2020. Don't count him out for a record 7th win at age 60 next year.