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| Shirley Franey, Champion Ross Martens, and Tournament Director Mike Franey |
The battle
was on as the sun was getting ready to set on the 17th edition of
the Bill Franey Open. After 27 holes the tournament was still tied. It took
five extra holes for Ross Martens to sink a birdie putt on the 8th
green of the Jefferson Community Golf Course to seal the victory over a
familiar rival in his friend and future brother-in-law Elijah Block.
The tournament
looked to be swinging Block’s way as Martens’s approach shot on the second
playoff hole ended up long and right. Martens recovered with a challenging up
and down to keep his playoff hopes alive. The fifth playoff hole saw Block’s
drive end up in the right tree line. Block’s second shot found its way over the
8th green creating a tough up and down. After Block chipped onto the
green, he was still away. Block drained the lengthy comeback putt for his par
save clearing the stage for Martens’s birdie attempt to end the tournament.
When asked about Block’s putt to save par Martens said “I have watched him make
a lot of putts in Jefferson so I was not surprised when it went in.” Martens drained
the birdie and claimed the title over the defending champion. When asked about
his battle with Elijah in the final group he said “We are very competitive so
for the most part it felt like a normal day with Elijah. The finish was the
most fun that I have been a part of and I knew I just needed to keep my head
and hit good golf shots.”
The 2014 graduate of Harlan High School played golf at Iowa Western then he played two years at the University of North Texas and finished his schooling at Iowa State. While visiting Jefferson in 2020 he was introduced to Elijah by former clubhouse manager Micah Destival. In two short years, he has become a resident of Jefferson, working from home as a CPA for a firm in Indianapolis, engaged to Elijah’s sister Miriah with a November wedding planned, and enjoying playing a lot of golf with the Block family. Martens also won the 2016 Carroll Amateur.
2022 Champion Ross Martens and his bride-to-be Mariah Block
For Block he
said “I am disappointed but I am ok losing to a birdie.” Elijah’s father and
Martens's future father-in-law Rod Block reminisced on Sunday with Todd Madson about
a battle the two had in a past Al Hoy Golf Tournament(the tournament was
renamed in 2006 to the Bill Franey Open) which saw Madson beat Block in a
playoff on the same 8th hole that this year’s tournament ended on.
Other
players in the championship flight were Eric Buttenbach 112, Ryan Feauto 112,
Steve “Cuda’ Quandt 113, Paul Tigges 113, Jason Fisher 113, Todd Madson 113,
Wyatt Haukap 115, Phil Engelson 116.
Mike Eckerman, Ross Martens, Elijah Block and Steve "Cuda" Quandt Collin Hackett, Paul Tigges and Jason Fisher Todd Madson, Eric Butenbach and Phil Engelson Scott Quandt, Ryan Feauto and Wyatt Haukap
Kevin Forke
won the first flight with 77, second was Dean Dozier 77, third was Josh Carlson
78.
Other players
in the first flight were Chad Kanne 78, John Dukes 78, Lonny Lehrkamp 78, John
Barratta 79, Justin Yetmar 80, Andy Reiman 80, Kyle Atkinson 80, and Tim Gute
81.
Bill
Douglass won the second flight with 83, Bret Underberg was second with 83, and Tom
Tait was third with 84.
Other players
in the second flight were Tyler Auen 85, Hunter Peterson 85, Benet Snyder 85,
John Nepple 85, Mike Franey 85, Pat Greteman 87, Tony Badding 88, Ryan Filloon
88.
Bill Badding
won the third flight with 89, Terry Ruchti was second with 90 and Bill Bird was
third with 90.
Other
players in the third flight were Wade Adams 91, Jim White 92, Joe Powlasky 95,
Steve Auen 96, Jon Heim 99 and Darrin Janning 99.
Scott Quandt
and Elijah Block shared the final round low medalist honors with 34.
“This was one
of the most exciting finishes in tournament history. A big thank you to Dave
Destival and Jadon Block for having the golf course in great shape, and Elijah
Block and Jordan Aubrey for all their work in the clubhouse. This was truly a classic finish and it was great to see several carts following the final nine
and the playoff” said tournament director Mike Franey.
A big thank
you to Sheri Mertz, Lynda Dukes Franey and Shirley Franey for their help
running the tournament, Jim, Troy and Steve Auen from the Ike Auen Distributing
Company for the tournament sign, Mike McDermott for printing the sign for the 17th
time, Tim Gute and Market on 30 for their help with the plates, napkins, and silverware,
Lonny Lehrkamp for the meat and salads, Cindy Lehrkamp for the 65th
birthday cake for husband Lonny, Eckerman Jewelry for the donation of the trophy,
and Curt Kirsch and Kim Hackett for the beans. Thanks to former Carroll Country
Club Golf Professional Paul Tigges for assisting with the flighting of the
tournament.
The
tournament named after Bill Franey who passed away in May of 2006 attracted 48
players. The tournament was formerly known as the Al Hoy Memorial where Bill
Franey served as tournament director for 25 years. In 2006 the board of
directors of the golf course renamed the tournament the Bill Franey Open.
Proceeds from the tournament support two power line scholarships given annually
to a student training to be an electric lineman at Northwest Iowa Community
College in Sheldon. Franey was a lineman for 31 years and served as line
superintendent for another 10 years for Midland Power/Greene County REC in
Jefferson.
Shirley,
Lynda and Mike Franey are very grateful for all of the support of this
tournament. See you next year on Sunday, August 27, 2023
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