Swegle finishes in a flurry, wins 71st Herman Sani Tournament
Professional Jeff Swegle (pictured above), of West Des Moines, grew up watching several of Iowa’s finest players win the Herman Sani Tournament presented by Coppola Enterprises. Following a dazzling eagle-birdie-birdie finish, he has now joined their ranks, clinching the 71st Herman Sani Tournament victory after firing a final round of 66 (-6) for a 54-hole total of 204 (-12).
“It feels great”, Swegle said. “I’ve grown up with a lot of guys who have had success at this tournament – the elder statesmen now. It’s awesome to come back and compete against them and be able to win. It’s a great feeling.”
Swegle found himself 4-under par on the day after 13 holes, before back-to-back bogies temporarily derailed his comeback bid. Swegle didn’t flinch. He holed out from the bunker for eagle on the par-4 sixteenth and followed it up with birdies on the final two holes to secure his victory.
He stressed the importance of avoiding errors while taking advantage of the birdie opportunities that Hyperion Field Club presents.
“I didn’t really keep mistakes off the card today, but I was able to make the birdies I needed,” Swegle said. “I was just trying to stay away from mistakes.”
Iowa Golf Hall of Famer Jon Brown, of Adel, carded a bogey-free round of 67 (-5) on Sunday to win the Amateur Division and finish second overall in the Open Division with a 54-hole tally of 205 (-11). In a three-way tie for third overall at 208 (-8) were PGA Professional Sean McCarty (Solon), Jon Olson (Ankeny), and Nate McCoy (Ankeny).
IGA veteran Joe Palmer, of Norwalk, captured his third Senior Division title for the third time in the event (2013, 2017, 2020) with his wire-to-wire victory, posting rounds of 69-71-72 for a 54-hole total of 212 (-4). Norwalk’s Terry Cook finished runner-up, carding a final round of 70 (-2) to finish four strokes off of the lead.
West Des Moines’ David Studer sealed the deal in the Super Senior Division, posting a final round of 75 (+3) to win three-shots clear of the field with a 54-hole total of 217 (+1). Two-time defending champion Rob Christensen, of Marshalltown, finished runner-up with a three-day tally of 220 (+4).