Marshalltown man to tee it up in Allianz

A Marshalltown golfer will realize his dream when he tees off Friday in the opening round of the Allianz Championship at the Tournament Club of Iowa near Des Moines. Mark Rhode became eligible to compete on the Champions Tour when he turned 50 in May. He got into the Allianz through a qualifying event on Monday. “Not too many people, I guess, look forward to turning 50 but this is something I’ve been looking forward to for some time,” he says. “It’s like a dream come true.” Rhode played on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s and also served as the golf coach at Marshalltown Community College. He says the Tournament Club of Iowa will provide a challenge.”It’s a good test of golf and getting comfortable under the gun in competition is going to be, probably, my main goal,” Rhode says. “Just trying to stay focused, one shot at a time and make some good swings.” D.A Weibring is the tournament’s defending champion.