Indiana Golf Association, Indianapolis, IN (April 20)–
The IGA Mid-Am Team Championship was held at Old Oakland Golf Club on April 19–20, testing some of the state’s top amateur players across two distinct formats and challenging spring conditions that demanded both resilience and adaptability.
Sunday’s opening round, played in a four-ball format, presented a stern early-season test. Cold temperatures and steady winds swept across the course, forcing players to manage ball flight carefully while battling the elements throughout the day. With conditions limiting scoring opportunities, teams that remained patient and avoided costly mistakes positioned themselves well heading into the final round.
The championship shifted to a scramble format on Monday, and while the wind and cool air remained, the return of sunshine brought a noticeable lift in both scoring and spirit. With the course continuing to show excellent early-season conditions, players embraced a more aggressive approach, and the leaderboard quickly began to take shape.
No team made a more dramatic push than the duo of Souders and Carpenter, who delivered one of the most impressive rounds of the championship. After opening the week at 1-over par, the pair caught fire in the scramble format, posting a bogey-free 14-under-par round to climb into a tie for second place at 13-under overall. Their surge was fueled by a remarkable front nine stretch, where they recorded seven consecutive birdies, made their lone par on the eighth hole, and followed it with another birdie on the ninth to turn at 8-under. With just four pars on the card all day, their performance applied steady pressure to the leaders.
At the top of the leaderboard, however, it was the team of Sean Rowen and Kenny Cook who proved steady from start to finish. Beginning Monday’s final round at 6-under par, the duo continued to build momentum in the scramble format, ultimately reaching 19-under overall to secure a five-shot victory.
Rather than making significant adjustments between formats, Rowen and Cook relied on their experience and familiarity with one another’s games.
“We’ve played so much golf together and so much team stuff together, we kind of know what shots we can and can’t hit and what we need to do in each situation,” Rowen said.
That trust translated into a composed approach throughout the final round, as the pair remained focused on their own game rather than watching the leaderboard, even as other teams mounted a charge.
“You do it long enough—you just have to play your game,” Rowen added. “We both just love playing golf, want to play well, and stay pretty focused on what we’re doing. Wherever it ends up, ends up.”
The championship also provided an early-season opportunity for many of Indiana’s top amateurs to compete in a team environment, something Cook noted as a key part of the event’s appeal.
“It’s early in the year and not many of us have played a lot of golf yet,” Cook said. “It’s just nice to be able to play with a partner, have some fun, grind a little bit, and get the year started the right way.”
Both players were quick to credit the conditions at Old Oakland, which stood out despite the difficult weather early in the weekend.
“The golf course was fantastic,” Rowen said. “I thought it was set up great with the weather we had.” Cook echoed that sentiment, particularly highlighting the greens. “They were very, very quick, especially with the wind, and really smooth. It was in great shape.”
In the end, a championship that began with players battling cold and wind evolved into a showcase of teamwork, trust, and momentum. From the grind of Sunday’s four-ball to the aggressive scoring opportunities in Monday’s scramble, the IGA Mid-Am Team Championship once again highlighted the depth of talent across the state—and the importance of chemistry when it matters most.
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