Abbotts
dashed the hopes of the field by making a long right-to-left breaker for an eagle on
the first playoff hole. This is Abbott's second Bill Franey Open championship.
He also won the tournament in 2012.
Abbotts who
overcame a shoulder injury has really only started to play more golf in the
last couple of years. Abbotts said, “I like the competitive aspect of it because
I have not played many individual tournaments since my injury.”
Abbotts is
in his second year as the superintendent of the Greene County Schools.
Education runs in the family as his wife Kourtney is the high school principal for
the Carroll Community Schools.
“I think
that the even par 72 cut line for the final nine was the lowest in tournament
history,” Tournament Director Mike Franey said. After going to the card off the
championship flight ended with Kyler Ludwig in 2nd, Kole Petersen
was third, and two-time champion Scott Quandt was fourth.
Scott Quandt
and Jason Fisher tied for low medalist honors in the final nine with two under
par 34.
Other
players in the championship flight were Jason Fisher 105, Elijah Block 106,
Collin Hackett 106, Cody Jaeschke 107, Kyle Atkinson 108, three-time champion
Wade Pettitt 109, Paul Tigges 109 and Eric Buttenbach 113. Brett Underberg
qualified for the final nine and did not play.
 |
| Cody Jaschke and Eric Buttenbach |
 |
| Kyle Atkinson, Jason Fish and Paul Tigges |
 |
| Wade Pettitt, Scott Quandt and Elijah Block |
Gary Bucher
won the first flight with 74, second was John Dukes with 75, and third was Charles
Becker 75.
Other
players in the first flight were Jeromie Kramer 75, Dean Dozier 75, Steve “Cuda”
Quandt 75, John Munson 76, Troy Auen 76, Doc Flander 77, two-time champion Mike
Eckerman 77, three-time champion Craig Mertz 77 and Chris Van Dyke 78.
Wade Adams
won the second flight with 78, Gus Collison was second with 78, and Wyatt
Haukap was third with 78.
Other
players in the second flight were Jeromie Hinote 79, John Nepple 79, Brad Stork
79, Steve Sinnard 79 Ryan Dalhstrom 80, Tyler Auen 80, Levi Stanley 80, Lonny Lehrkamp
80 and Terry Ruchti 81.
Matt Lujano
won the third flight with 81, Aaron Rossini was second with 81 and Kevin Forke
was third with 82.
Other
players in the third flight were Jake Kimmes 83, Nate Mertz 83, Chad Kanne 83,
Ryan Doncheskie 85, Clint Cummings 85, Tim Gute 85, Brent Henningsen 85, Tom
Tait 86, and Steve Auen 87.
Joe Pawlosky
won the fourth flight with 88, Benet Snyder was second with 88 and Pete
Collison was third with 88
Others in
the fourth flight were Jason Evers 88, Mike Franey 90, Brad Woodard 91, Joe
Pick 91, Mike Killen 92, David Owens 94, Brady Underberg 95, Darrin Janning 95, and Nic Volquartsen 96.
A big thank
you to Dave Destival for having the golf course in great shape, and Joe Foote, and
Cody Renwanz for all their work in the clubhouse. “For the second year in a row
we had another 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, Lisa Auen, and Shirley Franey for their help
running the tournament, Danielle Weitl for printing the scorecards, Jill Morton for organizing the lunch Ike Auen
Distributing Company for the tournament sign, Tim Gute and Market on 30 for
their help with the plates, napkins and silverware, salads and desserts, Lonny
Lehrkamp for the meat, Eckerman Jewelry for the donation of the trophy, and
Curt Kirsch for the beans.
The
tournament named after Bill Franey who passed away in May of 2006 attracted 61
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 25,
2024, for the 19th annual Bill Franey Open.
