Dunn claims fourth Greater Cedar Rapids Open amateur title
Marion, Iowa // July 24, 2011
Nate Dunn claimed his second consecutive Greater Cedar Rapids Open amateur title Saturday – his fourth GCRO title overall – when he carded a two-round total of 144 in the rain-shortened event at Hunters Ridge Golf Course.
Dunn finished two strokes ahead of second-place finisher J.D. Schlotterback of Marion (72-74-146), and four strokes ahead of North Liberty’s Chad McCarty (76-72-148) in a tournament shortened from 54 to 36 holes. Amateur play concluded Saturday.
A resident of Hiawatha, Dunn was among the 50 players called off the course at about 8:15 p.m. Friday because of lightning. The completion of round one was originally set to begin at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, but Mother Nature had other plans in mind.
“It was a tough day out there because of all the weather delays,” said Dunn, who finally wrapped up his first round at about noon Saturday. “You can’t control the weather. I’ve played enough golf to know that you can’t let it affect you or it will end up affecting your game.”
The Manchester, Iowa, native carded a 1-under-par 71 to complete his opening round. After a little more than two hours rest, Dunn went to work again. He had a birdie and two bogeys in his second round to finish with a 1-over-par 73.
“The course played all 7,000 yards this afternoon because it was so wet from all of the rain,” said Dunn. “It certainly was a challenge.”
“I take what the course gives me and I don’t try to force it. I hit a lot of fairway woods and a lot of irons,” continued Dunn, who played his college golf at California State University Stanislaus near Modesto. “Just knowing what it takes to win the amateur division… I don’t overpower the golf course and I take what it gives me. No matter how good or bad I’m hitting it, I stick to my game plan when I head out on the golf course.”