Maybe not the trophy he thought he might hold
as the week started, but he'll take it (IGA photo)
BURLINGTON, IA (September 1, 2017) -
Gene Elliott was on the short list of favorites for the U.S. Senior Amateur at the Minikahda Club in Minneapolis this week.
He easily advanced through stroke play qualifying and won his first match in a rout over a former U.S. Senior Champion,
Patrick Tallent of Virginia.
In his second round match he was cruising again, four under against the card and three holes up with five to play against another Virginian,
Keith Decker of Martinsville. But five holes later his tournament was over.
A double bogey at 14, and unlikely chip-in by Decker at 15, a bogey at 16 and another at 18, and Elliott was headed home after getting knocked out by Decker, 1 up.
Good thing Iowa is only one state over.
The Iowa Senior Amateur was being played in Burlington, just over five hours from Minneapolis. Elliott was the defending champion. And suddenly he didn't have any other tournaments to play in. So Elliott headed south, got to Burlington, and teed up in the first round of the tournament the next day.
Two days later, and Elliott got his hands on the trophy--maybe not the one he would have hoped for at the start of the week--but a nice shiny one nonetheless. Elliott shot a final-round 66 to win his third overall Iowa Senior title, by eight shots over second-round leader
Scott Briggs, who faded with a 75, and
Tom Norton.
Joe Palmer was alone in fourth, a full thirteen shots behind Elliott.
Elliott finished as the only player in the field under par, at 6-under 210. He held the lead after an opening 69, but fell back with a 75 in the second round as Briggs took a one-shot lead.
Related: Scott Briggs moves into Iowa Sr. Am Lead, Elliott One Back
But Elliott birdied the first two holes, picked up five shots on Briggs on the front nine, and continued to increase the margin all through the back nine. In the end, it was a bogey-free 66, a dominating performance, and a nice consolation for the disappointment earlier in the week.
Surely the rest of the field must have been wishing he would have won just one more match in Minneapolis.
View results for Iowa Senior Amateur
ABOUT THE Iowa Senior Amateur
Must be an active Iowa Golf Association member and
maintain a residence in Iowa. 54-hole stroke play
tournament with Championship (ages 50+) and
Super
Senior (ages 65+) divisions.
View Complete Tournament Information