A dramatic finish to the John Deere Classic near the Quad Cities. Iowa native Zach Johnson hit a 6 iron shot within one foot of the hole out of a bunker on the second hole of a sudden death playoff on Sunday. He then sank the short birdie putt for the win.

Johnson said winning the tournament “Just feels awesome, I can’t really put into words, this tournament has meant so much to me and may family through he years.”

Johnson feels he is playing well heading into this week’s British Open as he said he likes the consistency in his game and is healthy right now. Johnson says he enjoys the pressure of being in contention at the end.

“I love having to hit the tee shot down the middle, having to hit the shot on the green and trying to make the putt, I love that,” Johnson said. “I’ve failed at it miserably many times, but I’ve also come through many times and that just keeps driving me.” Johnson said the beauty of the game is that the shots you hit in the morning are just as important as the ones you hit down the stretch.

Troy Matteson fired a sizzling 10-under par 61 to take a three shot lead after the opening day at the John Deere Classic near the Quad Cities. “We like making birdies, and I know the fans love seeing birdies, they like seeing eagles, they like seeing guys go for it and knock it close, and this golf course is about that. I think we enjoy that as much as the fans do,” Matteson says.

Steve Stricker is in the hunt as he bids for a fourth straight win at the Deere Classic. Stricker says he’s looking at an opportunity, which is fun, but there is pressure involved. He says he’s trying to downplay it to himself, and that may be working.

Zach Johnson had a three under 68 on the opening day of a tournament that serves as a homecoming for him. “I do feel comfortable, and it’s probably because I’ve had every outcome,” Johnson says. He says he’s had great support here not matter how well or how poorly he has played.

By Dave Meyer

One of Iowa’s most popular golf courses is celebrating it’s 50th birthday this week. Twin Pines in Cedar Rapids opened on July 4th of 1962 and at one time offered night golf.

P.G.A. Master Professional Lisa Miller who says the course offered night golf for more than two decades before it became too expensive. Miller says it costs quite a bit to light 9 holes. She says it was the first full sized golf course in the country to be equipped for night golf.

Miller says Twin Pines hosts more than 34,000 rounds of golf each year. “It’s one of the most popular in the state as far as the number of rounds played. It’s very east to walk and it’s very friendly to the seniors, juniors, families, the beginning players because there’s no hazards, no bunkers, just an enjoyable round of golf,” Miller says.

She says they still have the same greens that were built in 1962 and they are very healthy and “rolling well” right now.

U.N.I. golf coach and Pheasant Ridge course professional John Bermel will get to play in another major. Bermel, who played in the 1994 and 1996 PGA Championships, has qualified for the U.S. Senior Open.

 Bermel earned his spot in next month’s tournament with a win at a qualifying tournament last weekend in Fontana, Wisconsin. Bermel says he didn’t expect to get another shot at a major, although in 2005 and 2007 he was the first alternate for the PGA and didn’t get in.

 Bermel says that he’s noticed a difference in the competition in moving to the senior tournaments, but nothing that will make him change his approach.

He says he was not one of the longer hitters when playing in regular, but now that he is on the senior tour, he is one of the longer hitters. “I’ll be honest with you I had a whole different feeling playing with the senior guys than I did with the regular guys…I kind of like my chances,” Bermel says.

Bermel says he’s looking forward to seeing how he stacks up against some of the players on the Senior Tour, including former Masters champion Fred Couples. He says people don’t realize how good the players are.

Bermel says his day-to-day commitments won’t allow him to get in a lot of extra practice rounds before the Senior Open. He says he will just try to get in some extra practice to try and play at the level he needs.

The U.S. Senior Open runs July 12-15 at the Indanwood Golf and Country Club just northwest of Detroit.

By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls

The annual Champions Tour stop in Des Moines may need a new venue but not a new name. The Principal Final Group has renewed a three-year agreement to remain the title sponsor for the Principal Charity Classic.

Principal Senior vice president Mary O’Keefe says it is a great event for the community, mainly that it is a great family event that has a lot of benefits for charity. O’Keefe says the tournament is traditionally the best non-major on the Champions Tour.

“They want to play in front of crowds and we have such a receptive crowd. We have has so many great events in conjunction, and the players turn out for them,” O’Keefe says.

The tournament is looking for a new course. The Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines announced it will not host the event next year. O’Keefe says the PGA, the tournament board and others will be involved in looking for the new home for the event so it continues to be successful.

Glen Oaks has hosted the Champions Tour event ever year but one since 2001.

The director of the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic calls it the best decision he’s ever made. For the fifth straight year the tournament will offer a charter flight for players and their families to travel to the British Open, which is always to week after the tournament near the Quad Cities.

Clair Peterson says the flight has led to better fields for the Deere Classic and changed everything in 2008. He says they had only 7 players who played the tournament and then went on to play the British Open. He says all of the players lost their luggage at the airport.

The shuttle leaves from the Quad Cities airport and flies them directly to the tournament. Peterson says the shuttle pays for itself with better fields and more fans. He says there were no guarantees that it would work out, but he says it has proven to be the best investment they made.

Peterson says three-time winner Steve Stricker told him he would not have played the tournament without the plane being available.

This year’s John Deere Classic is July 12th through the 15th.