Abbotts tops a strong field in a playoff to win the 18th Bill Franey Open.

 

Shirley Franey, Mike Franey, and two-time champion Brett Abbotts

For the second year in a row, it took extra holes to crown a champion of the Bill Franey Open!

Kole Petersen, Scott Quandt, Shirley Franey, Mike Franey, Kyler Ludwig and Brett Abbotts

The playoff four!

After 27 holes four players were tied with a score of five under par 103. Brett Abbotts(32-36-35), 

Scott Quandt(34-35-34), Kyler Ludwig(34-33-36) and KolePetersen(34-34-35).

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 2^nd, 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.