McCoy, Palmer & Brooks earn 2023 Player of the Year honors
Nate McCoy has been named this year’s Iowa Golf Association Men’s Player of the Year for the third time in his career. McCoy, of Ankeny, finished as Player of the Year last season as well.
McCoy capped off his season in September at the U.S. Mid-Amateur, held at Sleepy Hollow Country Club and Fenway Golf Club, both in New York. McCoy began match play as the three-seed after terrific qualifying, and played his way into the Round of 16 where he eventually fell to 3 and 1 to Stewart Hagestad, of Newport Beach, CA. Hagestad went on to win the championship later that week.
On the Iowa circuit, McCoy consistently finished among the top of the leaderboard with nine top-ten finishes. In fact, McCoy never finished below the top-ten.
He qualified for the semifinal round of the 35th IGA Match Play Championship, held again at Talons Golf, Ankeny, where he lost to current Iowa State golfer Zach May 3&2.
Later, McCoy finished tied for seventh at the 121st Iowa Amateur Championship, this year held at Glen Oaks Country Club, West Des Moines. He carded a 1-under total of 212.
McCoy grabbed three top-five finishes: 2nd at the Lake Creek Amateur at BVU Lake Creek, Storm Lake, 4th at the Carroll Amateur at Carroll Country Club, Carroll, and 4th at the Iowa Masters at Veenker Memorial Golf Course, Ames.
He kicked off the year placing 9th at the IGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Geneva Golf and Country Club, Muscatine, and later in the season finished T10 at the Fort Dodge Amateur at Fort Dodge Country Club, Fort Dodge.
While McCoy’s season may feel underwhelming compared to his spectacular 2022 season, he nonetheless demonstrated his ability to perform throughout the year, placing above numerous wonderfully accomplished and talented competitors in the Player of the Year standings.
Joe Palmer claims his fourth career Iowa Golf Association Senior Men’s Player of the Year after a terrific summer. Palmer, of Norwalk, was recently the Senior Men’s Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021.
Palmer surged to the top of the Player of the Year standings in late August thanks to his run at the 68th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Martis Camp, CA. Seeded forty-five after qualifying, Palmer advanced through three rounds of match play into Quarterfinals. Palmer lost on the eighteenth hole, needing a birdie to force extra holes but carding a par. He joined Ankeny’s Curtis Holck as the farthest advancing competitors from Iowa in the championship.
Palmer began his season at Burlington Golf Club, Burlington, at the 27th IGA Four-Ball Championship, where he finished fourth with partner Terry Cook. He then finished quarterfinalist at the 21st IGA Senior Match Play Championship, held at Lake Panorama National Golf Course, Panora.
He found success at the 38th Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship, at Geneva Golf and Country Club, Muscatine, where he defeated Curtis Holck in a playoff to take home the title. Palmer fired a (+8) 221 through the three rounds.
Palmer then competed in the 35th IGA Match Play Championship at Talons Golf, Ankeny, where he played his way into the Round of 16. He headed to Ames for the 86th Iowa Masters, held at Veenker Memorial Golf course. There, he finished second in the Senior Division, firing a (-3) 213.
He finished his IGA play at the 74th Herman Sani Tournament, held at Hyperion Field Club, Johnston. Palmer finished T5 with a (+4) 220.
Palmer always seemed to be in contention, certainly never far behind, in every tournament this summer. He placed in the top-five in every stroke play event.
Bob Brooks has been named the Iowa Golf Association Super Senior Men’s Player of the Year, and for good reason. There was no stopping Bob Brooks this summer.
Brooks, of West Des Moines, won an unbelievable seven out of eleven individual stroke events this summer. However, he kicked off his season with the 27th IGA Four-Ball Championship at Burlington Golf Club, Burlington. Brooks, partnered with Fort Madison’s Jim Butler, won by twelve strokes over two rounds. They carded a (-12) 132.
He then advanced to the Semifinal round of the 21st IGA Senior Match Play at Lake Panorama National Golf Course, Panora. Brooks fell to one-seed Tom Norton in an eighteen-hole match.
In stroke play, large victory margins were Brooks’ specialty. He then traveled to Geneva Golf and Country Club, Muscatine for the 38th Iowa Mid-Amateur Championship. He won by nine strokes with a (+1) 214.
He then totaled a (+4) 148 at the Lake Creek Amateur held at BVU Lake Creek, Storm Lake. Brooks won by six strokes. Next, he played the Southeast Iowa Amateur at The Preserve at Lake Rathburn, Moravia. Brooks fired a (-10) 134 and won by seven strokes.
Brooks placed third at the Carroll Amateur, held at Carroll Country Club, Carroll. But he jumped right back on track at the Fort Dodge Amateur, held at Fort Dodge Country Club, Fort Dodge, where he won with a (-1) 70.
He continued his tear with a victory at the 86th Iowa Masters at Veenker Memorial Golf Course, Ames. Brooks’ (-2) 214 earned him a seven-stroke win. He then hopped across the state to the Waterloo Open where he again won with a (-3) 213. This time, by eighteen strokes.
Brooks finished T2 at the 74th Herman Sani Tournament at Hyperion Field Club, Johnston. He then placed third at the 45th Iowa Senior Amateur Championship at Dubuque Golf and Country Club, Dubuque.
It’s no surprise that Brooks won his final stroke event of the year. He pulled off another win at the Briarwood Amateur with a (-18) 126 total that netted him a thirteen-stroke lead. He then finished his season placing fifth at The Classic, held at Elmwood Country Club, Marshalltown. He scored sixty-two points over the two-round Modified Stableford tournament.
Brooks dominated the 2023 season and is well-deserving of his first Player of the Year honor.