The Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is the oldest and largest golf tournament in the state of Iowa. It has been played annually since 1934, and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009. It is traditionally played over the course of third week/weekend in the month of July.

The tournament actually consists of five separate tournaments which are organized and run simultaneously by a volunteer committee of Waterloo Jaycees. The tournaments are played on the three public golf courses in Waterloo, Iowa.

Don Narveson Memorial Youth Golf Clinic The Waterloo Open has become nearly a week-long event, and kicks off annually with the Don Narveson Memorial Youth Golf Clinic. The Youth Clinic takes place at South Hills Golf Course on Wednesday morning of the week of the event. Local youth interested in becoming more acquainted with the game of golf (as well as those who already play) can receive one-on-one interaction with golf professionals to refine their swing, receive putting instruction, and learn basic golf etiquette.

Pro-Am Tournament The tournament itself begins on Thursday morning, when the Pro-Am tournament begins at Irv Warren Memorial golf course. The Waterloo Open receives sponsorship from many local and national businesses, and these sponsors' generosity is repaid partially by being invited to play a round of golf with a professional golfer. Groups of 5 (one professional with 4 amateurs/sponsors) tee it up on either Thursday or Friday.

The professionals compete against each other for a special Pro-Am tournament purse. For those professionals who may not have played in the Waterloo Open before, the Pro-Am tournament serves as a practice round played on the course on which they will compete later that weekend in a competitive environment.

The amateur/sponsor groups also compete for nominal gift certificate prizes awarded to the best overall teams.

Amateur tournament The Amateur and Senior Amateur tournaments begin on Friday the week of the event. The amateur field consists of 272 golfers, one half of which play at South Hills Golf Course on Friday, while the other one half play at Gates Park Golf Course. The groups switch courses on Saturday and play a second round of golf. After Saturday's round, the top 36 amateur golfers (and ties), along with the top 4 senior amateur golfers (and ties) make the cut and are invited to play a third championship round along with the professional golfers on Sunday at Irv Warren Golf Course. The amateur with the lowest combined 3-day score is the champion and receives a prize in the form of gift certificates redeemable at the local golf course pro shops.

Professional tournament The main events of the Waterloo Open are the Professional and Senior Professional golf tournaments. 192 professionals compete in a one-day qualifying "shoot-out" on Saturday at Irv Warren Golf Course. After Saturday's round, a cut is made and the top 60 golfers in the Open division, as well as the top 20 golfers in the senior division, play a second round on Sunday for the championship.

Because of the Waterloo Open's relatively large top prize compared to other tournaments of its size ($40,000 to the golfer who wins in 2008) and its reputation as running well-run and hospitable tournaments among professional golfers, it attracts many up-and-coming young golfers from all over the country. Golfers who have competed in the Waterloo Open include current PGA professionals Zach Johnson, Woody Austin, Tom Lehman, and George McNeill.

Winners YearProfessionalAmateur 2024 Trevor Ullestad Mikey Takacs 2023 Evan Brown Owen Sawyer 2022 Will Dickson Jack Moody 2021 Michael Visacki Trent Lindenman 2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Nate Vance 2019 Chandler Blanchet Jonathan Feldick 2018 Richard Schembechler Dusty Drenth 2017 Austin Quick Alex Schaake 2016 Tom Whitney Alex Higgs 2015 Tom Whitney Carson Schaake 2014 Donald Constable Carson Schaake 2013 Mark Blakefield Ricky Hearden 2012 Ryan Blaum Ben Juffer 2011 Nate Lashley Gene Elliott 2010 Nate Lashley Justin Weber 2009 Andy Winings Kyle Bermel 2008 Derek Lamely Cole Peevler 2007 Jay Reynolds Keith Jungen 2006 Scott Hart Jamie Frazier 2005 Brett Melton Matt Lowe 2004 Jerod Turner Matt Steddom 2003 Steve Friesen Marc Cahalan 2002 Jon Troutman Matt Willmott 2001 George McNeill Brock Mulder 2000 Jerod Turner KC Doland 1999 Brad Klapprott Ryan Smith 1998 Sean McCarty Cory Braunschweig 1997 Jeff Schmid Dave Narveson 1996 Jeff Schmid Nate Lubs 1995 Patrick Moore Paul Wurtz 1994 Darrell Chivington Scott Brauer 1993 Woody Austin Scott Brauer 1992 Tom Gillis John Berg 1991 Jerry Smith Curt Berggren 1990 Ty Armstrong Bill Hoefle 1989 Skip Holton Nick De Kock 1988 Skip Holton John Dinnebier 1987 Clark Burroughs John Dinnebier 1986 Tom Lehman Brad Clark 1985 John Benda Mike Ketchum 1984 Tony Cerda Scott Morgensen 1983 Mike Bender Chris Donielson 1982 Bill Sakas Todd Hintgen 1981 Curt Schnell Doug Dunakey 1980 Tom Sieckmann Steve Statton 1979 Lonnie Nielsen Jim Scheppele 1978 John Jacobs Jeff Smith 1977 Slugger White Steve Kehrer and Jeff Smith 1976 Dick Orr Tom VanGerpen 1975 Mac McLendon Lonnie Nielsen 1974 Jack Rule, Jr. Steve Kehrer 1973 Roger Buhrt Lonnie Nielsen 1972 Bob Panasik Tom Chapman 1971 Jerry Abbott Bill Heldmar 1970 Curtis Sifford Ron Worthington 1969 Jack Rule, Jr. Bill O'Connor 1968 Cliff Brown Joe Heinz 1967 Frank Beard Bill Hird Jr. 1966 Steve Spray Ralph Compiano 1965 Rex Baxter Jerry Heinz 1964 Bob Harrison Ev Scheppele 1963 Ron Letellier Jim Scheppele 1962 Bob Shields Queston Boston 1961 Joe Moore, Jr. Jim Jamieson 1960 Joe Brown Queston Boston 1959 Jack Ellis Jack Rule, Jr. 1958 Labron Harris Jack Rule, Jr. 1957 J. C. Goosie and Dave Ragan Luti Fontanini 1956 Jack Jones Luti Fontanini 1955 Gene Webb Art Koch 1954 Gene Webb Jack Webb 1953 Johnny Jacobs Bud McCardell 1952 Jerry Barber Merle Stimson 1951 Jerry Barber Johnny Jacobs 1950 Wally Ulrich Tom Crabbe 1949 Earl Wilde Art Koch 1948 Leonard Dodson Loddie Kempa 1947 Jack Hall Warren Riepen 1946 Don Wilcox Babe Veum 1945 Charles Burkhart Ev Scheppele and Dixie Smith 1944 Chuck Johnson Dick Graham 1943 Bob Reed Merle Stimson 1942 Joe Brown and Don Wilcox Merle Stimson and Joe Gardner 1941 Joe Brown Ed Updefraff 1940 Vic Bass Sid Richardson 1939 Don Wilcox Dixie Smith 1938 Bob Hartenberger and Pat Wilcox Gus Moreland 1937 Charles Burkhart and Art Steingraber Gus Moreland 1936 Johnny Revolta Fred Haas 1935 Vic Bass Dick Graham 1934 Vic Bass and Howard Martin Dick Graham

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