Waterloo Open Golf Classic

The Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is a the oldest and largest golf tournament in the state of Iowa. It has been played annually since 1934, and celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2008. It is traditionally played over the course of third week/weekend in the month of July.

The tournament actually consists of 5 separate tournaments which are organized and run simultaneously by a volunteer committee of Waterloo Jaycees. The tournaments are played on the three public golf courses in Waterloo, Iowa.

Don Narveson Memorial Youth Golf Clinic

The Waterloo Open has become nearly a week-long event, and kicks off annually with the Don Narveson Memorial Youth Golf Clinic. The Youth Clinic takes place at South Hills Golf Course on Wednesday morning of the week of the event. Local youth interested in becoming more acquainted with the game of golf (as well as those who already play) can receive one-on-one interaction with golf professionals to refine their swing, receive putting instruction, and learn basic golf etiquette.

Pro-Am Tournament

The tournament itself begins on Thursday morning, when the Pro-Am tournament begins at Irv Warren Memorial golf course. The Waterloo Open receives sponsorship from many local and national businesses, and these sponsors' generosity is repaid partially by being invited to play a round of golf with a professional golfer. Groups of 5 (one professional with 4 amateurs/sponsors) tee it up on either Thursday or Friday.

The professionals compete against each other for a special Pro-Am tournament purse. For those professionals who may not have played in the Waterloo Open before, the Pro-Am tournament serves as a practice round played on the course on which they will compete later that weekend in a competitive environment.

The amateur/sponsor groups also compete for nominal gift certificate prizes awarded to the best overall teams.

Amateur Tournament

The Amateur and Senior Amateur tournaments begin on Friday the week of the event. The amateur field consists of 272 golfers, one half of which play at South Hills Golf Course on Friday, while the other one half play at Gates Park Golf Course. The groups switch courses on Saturday and play a second round of golf. After Saturday's round, the top 36 amateur golfers (and ties), along with the top 4 senior amateur golfers (and ties) make the cut and are invited to play a third championship round along with the professional golfers on Sunday at Irv Warren Golf Course. The amateur with the lowest combined 3-day score is the champion and receives a prize in the form of gift certificates redeemable at the local golf course pro shops.

Professional Tournament

The crown jewels of the Waterloo Open are the Professional and Senior Professional golf tournaments. 192 professionals compete in a one day qualifing "shoot-out" on Saturday at Irv Warren Golf Course. After Saturday's round, a cut is made and the top 60 golfers in the Open division, as well as the top 20 golfers in the senior division, play a second round on Sunday for the championship.

Because of the Waterloo Open's relatively large top prize compared to other tournaments of its size ($40,000 to the golfer who wins in 2008) and its reputation as one of the most well-run and hospitable tournaments among professional golfers, it attracts many up-and-coming young golfers from all over the country. Golfers who have competed in the Waterloo Open include current PGA professionals Zach Johnson, Woody Austin, Tom Lehman, and George McNeill.

Professional Winners

*2008 Derek Lamely
*2007 Jay Reynolds
*2006 Scott Hart
*2005 Brett Melton
*2004 Jerod Turner
*2003 Steve Friesen
*2002 Jon Troutman
*2001 George McNeill
*2000 Jerod Turner
*1999 Brad Klapprott
*1998 Sean McCarty
*1997 Jeff Schmid
*1996 Jeff Schmid
*1995 Pat Moore
*1994 Darrell Chivington
*1993 Woody Austin
*1992 Tom Gillis
*1991 Jerry Smith
*1990 Ty Armstrong
*1989 Skip Holton
*1988 Skip Holton
*1987 Clark Burroughs
*1986 Tom Lehman
*1985 John Benda
*1984 Tony Cerda
*1983 Mike Bender
*1982 Bill Sakas
*1981 Curt Schnell
*1980 Tom Sieckmann
*1979 Lonnie Nielsen
*1978 John Jacobs
*1977 Slugger White
*1976 Dick Orr
*1975 Mac McLendon
*1974 Jack Rule, Jr.
*1973 Roger Buhrt
*1972 Bob Panasuik
*1971 Jerry Abbott
*1970 Curtis Sifford
*1969 Jack Rule, Jr.
*1968 Cliff Brown
*1967 Frank Beard
*1966 Steve Spray
*1965 Rex Baxter, Jr.
*1964 Bob Harrison
*1963 Ron Letellier
*1962 Bob Shields
*1961 Joe Moore, Jr.
*1960 Joe Brown
*1959 Jack Ellis
*1958 Labron Harris
*1957 J. C. Goosie and Dave Ragan
*1956 Jack Jones
*1955 Gene Webb
*1954 Gene Webb
*1953 Johnny Jacobs
*1952 Jerry Barber
*1951 Jerry Barber
*1950 Wally Ulrich
*1949 Earl Wilde
*1948 Leonard Dodson
*1947 Jack Hall
*1946 Don Wilcox
*1945 Charles Burkhart
*1944 Chuck Johnson
*1943 Bob Reed
*1942 Joe Brown and Don Wilcox
*1941 Joe Brown
*1940 Vic Bass
*1939 Don Wilcox
*1938 Bob Hartenberger and Pat Wilcox
*1937 Charles Burkhart and Art Steingraber
*1936 Johnny Revolta
*1935 Vic Bass
*1934 Vic Bass and Howard Martin

Amateur Winners

*2008 Cole Peevler
*2007 Keith Jungen
*2006 Jamie Frazier
*2005 Matt Lowe
*2004 Matt Steddom
*2003 Marc Cahalan
*2002 Matt Willmott
*2001 Brock Mulder
*2000 KC Doland
*1999 Ryan Smith
*1998 Cory Braunschweig
*1997 Dave Narveson
*1996 Nathan Lubs
*1995 Paul Wurtz
*1994 Scott Brauer
*1993 Scott Brauer
*1992 John Berg
*1991 Curt Berggren
*1990 Bill Hoefle
*1989 Nick De Kock
*1987 John Dinnebier
*1986 Brad Clark
*1985 Mike Ketchum
*1984 Scott Morgensen
*1983 Chris Donielson
*1982 Todd Hintgen
*1981 Doug Dunakey
*1980 Steve Statton
*1979 Jim Scheppele
*1978 Jeff Smith
*1977 Steve Kehrer & Jeff Smith
*1976 Tom VanGerpen
*1975 Lon Nielsen
*1974 Steve Kehrer
*1973 Lon Nielsen
*1972 Tom Chapman
*1971 Bill Heldmar
*1970 Ron Worthington
*1969 Bill O'Connor
*1968 Joe Heinz
*1967 Bill Hird Jr.
*1966 Ralph Compiano
*1965 Jerry Heinz
*1964 Ev Scheppele
*1963 Jim Scheppele
*1962 Queston Boston
*1961 Jim Jamieson
*1960 Queston Boston
*1959 Jack Rule, Jr.
*1958 Jack Rule, Jr.
*1957 Luti Fontanini
*1956 Luti Fontanini
*1955 Art Koch
*1954 Jack Webb
*1953 Bud McCardell
*1952 Merle Stimson
*1951 Johnny Jacobs
*1950 Tom Crabbe
*1949 Art Koch
*1948 Loddie Kempa
*1947 Warren Riepen
*1946 Babe Veum
*1945 Ev Scheppele & Dixie Smith
*1944 Dick Graham
*1943 Merle Stimson
*1942 Merle Stimson & Joe Gardner
*1941 Ed Updefraff
*1940 Sid Richardson
*1939 Dixie Smith
*1938 Gus Moreland
*1937 Gus Moreland
*1936 Fred Hass Jr.
*1935 Dick Graham
*1934 Dick Graham

External links

* [http://www.waterlooopen.com Official site]