Ryder Cup title streak now a dandy dozen for Cedar Rapids amateur golfers

IOWA CITY — For the second year in a row, the amateur golfers from Iowa City held a slim lead after the first day of the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Ryder Cup.

Much like 2016, the bunch from Cedar Rapids made hay in match play.

Cedar Rapids' Nick Miller flipped a one-stroke deficit into a 1-up victory over the final two holes as Cedar Rapids won four of the final six singles matches and claimed the cup for the 12th year in a row, 12.5 to 11.5, over Iowa City Sunday at Finkbine Golf Course.

'I tried to put a couple of good shots together,' Miller said. 'I knew that we were at a pretty good point where we could retain the cup, but if I could at least get a half or a point it would go a long way.'

Miller, 30, was a three-time all-state selection for Cedar Rapids Washington and played collegiately at Luther. After turning his attention away from the links, Miller has rediscovered his love of the sport over the last couple of years through the camaraderie with the corridor's amateur golf community.

'These are all really close friends of mine,' Miller said. 'Even when it is as competitive and dramatic as we saw today, we just like to go out and have a lot of fun together.'

Iowa City led, 6.5 to 5.5, following Saturday's better ball and alternate shot competitions. An even split of the first six singles matches – including wins from first-year Cedar Rapids participants Jason Tomash and Matt Junge – gave each team three points.

With two holes to go against Iowa City's Shawn Hedlund, Miller was staring at a deficit that could have placed Cedar Rapids down two points with five matches to go.

Two Miller pars combined with two bogeys by Hedlund knotted the cup at 9.5 to 9.5 with a significant head of steam blowing Cedar Rapids' way.

'I don't know of a better guy I'd like to have in a clutch situation than Nick Miller,' Cedar Rapids Captain Matt Taylor said.

Former Mount Mercy golfer Ryan Schlueter and Mason Linn – who golfed at Cedar Rapids Prairie and Northern Iowa – each posted comfortable wins that brought Cedar Rapids to the brink of victory.

Taylor sealed it by defeating Tim Hawkins, 4 and 3.

'Not wanting to lose the cup is a big thing for us,' Taylor said. 'Keep that tradition alive. We just know our games. … They play their game the entire round, they keep it in their mind and that's key. It's all mental.'

Kevin Ault also won his singles match for Cedar Rapids.

Clint Donovan, Aaron Strike, Drew Dalziel, Adam Brantman and Chad McCarty were winners for Iowa City.

'These teams are so evenly matched that it pretty much comes down to a putt here or a putt there every year,' Iowa City Captain Rob Cordle said. 'This year, like so many past years, they just made one more putt than we did.'

IOWA CITY/CEDAR RAPIDS RYDER CUP

At Iowa City

(Finkbine Golf Course)

(Iowa City led, 6.5 to 5.5, after Saturday's Better Ball and Alternate Shot portions)

Singles —

Clint Donovan (IC) def. Austin Black, 4 and 3; Kevin Ault (CR) def. Coby Thompson, 2 up; Aaron Strike (IC) def. Ryan Gass, 2 up; Jason Tomash (CR) def. Jason Urdahl, 3 and 2; Matt Junge (CR) def. Jon Rogers, 5 and 4; Drew Dalziel (IC) def. Chris James, 3 and 2; Nick Miller (CR) def. Shawn Hedlund, 1 up; Ryan Schlueter (CR) def. Ross McLaughlin, 3 and 2; Mason Linn (CR) def. Ned Carter, 4 and 3; Adam Brantman (IC) def. Brock Worley, 1 up; Matt Taylor (CR) def. Tim Hawkins, 4 and 3; Chad McCarty (IC) def. Justin Pansegrau, 1 up.

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