Waterloo Open Golf Classic

The Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is 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 five 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

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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

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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

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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

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The main events of the Waterloo Open are the Professional and Senior Professional golf tournaments. 192 professionals compete in a one-day qualifying "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.

Winners

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Year Professional Amateur
2024 Trevor Ullestad Mikey Takacs
2023 Evan Brown Owen Sawyer
2022 Will Dickson Jack Moody
2021 Michael Visacki Trent Lindenman
2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Nate Vance
2019 Chandler Blanchet Jonathan Feldick
2018 Richard Schembechler Dusty Drenth
2017 Austin Quick Alex Schaake
2016 Tom Whitney Alex Higgs
2015 Tom Whitney Carson Schaake
2014 Donald Constable Carson Schaake
2013 Mark Blakefield Ricky Hearden
2012 Ryan Blaum Ben Juffer
2011 Nate Lashley Gene Elliott
2010 Nate Lashley Justin Weber
2009 Andy Winings Kyle Bermel
2008 Derek Lamely Cole Peevler
2007 Jay Reynolds Keith Jungen
2006 Scott Hart Jamie Frazier
2005 Brett Melton Matt Lowe
2004 Jerod Turner Matt Steddom
2003 Steve Friesen Marc Cahalan
2002 Jon Troutman Matt Willmott
2001 George McNeill Brock Mulder
2000 Jerod Turner KC Doland
1999 Brad Klapprott Ryan Smith
1998 Sean McCarty Cory Braunschweig
1997 Jeff Schmid Dave Narveson
1996 Jeff Schmid Nate Lubs
1995 Patrick Moore Paul Wurtz
1994 Darrell Chivington Scott Brauer
1993 Woody Austin Scott Brauer
1992 Tom Gillis John Berg
1991 Jerry Smith Curt Berggren
1990 Ty Armstrong Bill Hoefle
1989 Skip Holton Nick De Kock
1988 Skip Holton John Dinnebier
1987 Clark Burroughs John Dinnebier
1986 Tom Lehman Brad Clark
1985 John Benda Mike Ketchum
1984 Tony Cerda Scott Morgensen
1983 Mike Bender Chris Donielson
1982 Bill Sakas Todd Hintgen
1981 Curt Schnell Doug Dunakey
1980 Tom Sieckmann Steve Statton
1979 Lonnie Nielsen Jim Scheppele
1978 John Jacobs Jeff Smith
1977 Slugger White Steve Kehrer and Jeff Smith
1976 Dick Orr Tom VanGerpen
1975 Mac McLendon Lonnie Nielsen
1974 Jack Rule, Jr. Steve Kehrer
1973 Roger Buhrt Lonnie Nielsen
1972 Bob Panasik Tom Chapman
1971 Jerry Abbott Bill Heldmar
1970 Curtis Sifford Ron Worthington
1969 Jack Rule, Jr. Bill O'Connor
1968 Cliff Brown Joe Heinz
1967 Frank Beard Bill Hird Jr.
1966 Steve Spray Ralph Compiano
1965 Rex Baxter Jerry Heinz
1964 Bob Harrison Ev Scheppele
1963 Ron Letellier Jim Scheppele
1962 Bob Shields Queston Boston
1961 Joe Moore, Jr. Jim Jamieson
1960 Joe Brown Queston Boston
1959 Jack Ellis Jack Rule, Jr.
1958 Labron Harris Jack Rule, Jr.
1957 J. C. Goosie and Dave Ragan Luti Fontanini
1956 Jack Jones Luti Fontanini
1955 Gene Webb Art Koch
1954 Gene Webb Jack Webb
1953 Johnny Jacobs Bud McCardell
1952 Jerry Barber Merle Stimson
1951 Jerry Barber Johnny Jacobs
1950 Wally Ulrich Tom Crabbe
1949 Earl Wilde Art Koch
1948 Leonard Dodson Loddie Kempa
1947 Jack Hall Warren Riepen
1946 Don Wilcox Babe Veum
1945 Charles Burkhart Ev Scheppele and Dixie Smith
1944 Chuck Johnson Dick Graham
1943 Bob Reed Merle Stimson
1942 Joe Brown and Don Wilcox Merle Stimson and Joe Gardner
1941 Joe Brown Ed Updefraff
1940 Vic Bass Sid Richardson
1939 Don Wilcox Dixie Smith
1938 Bob Hartenberger and Pat Wilcox Gus Moreland
1937 Charles Burkhart and Art Steingraber Gus Moreland
1936 Johnny Revolta Fred Haas
1935 Vic Bass Dick Graham
1934 Vic Bass and Howard Martin Dick Graham
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