The 60th Annual Tournament of Champions is set to tee off on Friday at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club and we’ll have full tournament coverage on KJAN.

Club Champions and Runners-up in Championship, Match-Play, Senior, and Super Senior divisions from clubs around the state are invited to participate in the annual event. Past Champions of the T of C receive a lifetime invitation and Top-25 finishers from last year’s event are also invited back.

The tournament is a 54-hole three day tournament. Play will begin with the first tee-times at 8:30am on Friday. Play then continues Saturday with the same schedule. On Sunday players will start play from both hole 1 and hole 10 to allow an afternoon finish.

In the Championship Division Andrew Martin will be back to defend his title. Martin won the 2017 T of C with a (+1) 208 total. He shot rounds of 71-69-68 during the three days on the par 69 course.

The Senior Division is meant to be for players aged 50-64 but players 50 and over are allowed to choose which division they play in. Del Miller is the back to back defending champion in the Senior Division. He won the 2017 title by winning a sudden death playoff with Rick Thompson. Miller and Thompson finished regulation at (+10) 217. Both players are back in this year’s Senior Division field.

The Super Senior Division title has been held by Arnie Leistad for the past two years. Arnie overcame a final round 4-stroke deficit to win the title in 2017. He shot a (+19) 226 to outduel Jim Redemske by two shots. Both players are back in the Super Senior Division for 2018.

We’ll have continuous coverage of the Tournament of Champions this weekend on KJAN with reports throughout the day on Friday and Saturday and full coverage of the final round finish on Sunday beginning around Noon after our church services. The Atlantic Golf and Country Club welcomes the public to come out and enjoy watching the players on the course throughout the weekend with lunch and beverages available for purchase on the grounds.

Check out the Friday tee times below.

MIAMI (AP) — Matt Carpenter leaped into a high-five with Yadier Molina at home plate, trotted down the dugout steps and skipped from one end of the bench to the other, slapping hands with teammates lined up on both sides of him.

It was a routine polished by practice.

The NL home run leader hit a tiebreaking homer for the second consecutive night Wednesday, and the St. Louis Cardinals won their fourth series in a row by beating Miami 7-1.

Carpenter put St. Louis ahead with a home run leading off the sixth inning, his 31st. His eighth-inning homer Tuesday helped beat Miami 3-2, and he has homered in five of the past six games, to the delight of his teammates.

Carpenter, who has raised his average from .140 on May 15 to .281, has resisted analyzing the remarkable turnaround.

John Gant (4-4) pitched six innings and allowed one run, which scored in part because of a defensive lapse. He and three relievers combined to retire 21 batters in a row.

Molina hit his 15th homer in the first and doubled home two runs in the ninth . The double came after Carpenter was intentionally walked for the 11th time this year.

Marcell Ozuna doubled home a run in the sixth and went 6 for 11 in the series against his former team. The Cardinals improved to 13-9 under Shildt.

Trevor Richards (3-7) allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings for the last-place Marlins, who have lost eight of their past nine games.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Following a day off, the Cardinals open a three-game series at Kansas City, with LHP Austin Gomber (1-0, 4.10 ERA) scheduled to pitch Friday.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team will start the 2018 season as a ranked squad, as the Cyclones checked into the AVCA Division I Coaches Preseason Poll at No. 21 Wednesday.

This is ISU’s first appearance in the AVCA Preseason Poll since 2015, when the Cyclones also started the campaign at No. 21. Today’s ranking also marks the seventh time in program history Iowa State has appeared in the Preseason Top 25, all coming during the Christy Johnson-Lynch tenure.

The Cyclones got into the polls after the first week of the season last year, and stayed ranked for the rest of 2017 en route to a 22-7 overall record, an NCAA Volleyball Championship Second Round appearance and a final ranking of No. 25.

The Cyclones are one of three Big 12 teams in the AVCA Top 25, joined by No. 3 Texas and No. 16 Baylor. Iowa State non-conference opponents in the Top 25 include defending national champions Nebraska (No. 2), Creighton (No. 13) and Utah (No. 19). Kansas and Oregon State were among the other teams receiving votes.

The Cyclones open the 2018 regular season on Friday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. against Ole Miss as part of the Iowa State Challenge. ISU will host South Dakota in an exhibition match on Friday, Aug. 17 at 4 p.m., and will host the Cardinal and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 11 a.m. inside Hilton Coliseum.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Matt Carpenter hit a tiebreaking homer for the second consecutive night, and the St. Louis Cardinals won their fourth series in a row by beating Miami 7-1. Carpenter put St. Louis ahead with a home run leading off the sixth inning, his NL-leading 31st. His eighth-inning homer Tuesday helped St. Louis beat Miami 3-2, and he has homered in five of the past six games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Heath Fillmyer allowed three singles over seven innings for his first major league win, Adalberto Mondesi and Drew Butera each drove in three, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 9-0. Anthony Rizzo drilled Fillmyer with a line drive on the left foot on his third pitch, but Fillmyer stuck around and didn’t allow another hit until David Bote and Tommy La Stella singled with one out in the seventh inning.

UNDATED (AP) — Patrick Mahomes II will be under center when the Kansas City Chiefs begin their preseason schedule Thursday night against Houston. Mahomes is due to play the first quarter after he took over for the traded Alex Smith. But coach Andy Reid said that plan could change depending on how the game goes. The second team will play the second quarter with the rest of the backups playing the second half.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa tackle Alaric Jackson and defensive lineman Cedrick Lattimore will be suspended for the season opener against Northern Illinois for violating team rules. The Hawkeyes say the suspensions aren’t for legal matters. But coach Kirk Ferentz says Jackson and Lattimore’s issues surfaced in late spring and both players were given guidelines to meet. Ferentz called their response “excellent.” However, they apparently weren’t strong enough to avoid missing the opener.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s three-man quarterback race remains too close to call. Quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco says Adrian Martinez, Tristan Gebbia and Andrew Bunch continue to get an equal number of snaps with the first-string offense. Many observers gave Martinez the edge coming out of spring practice. New head coach Scott Frost says the competition would continue until a man separates himself from the others. That might take a while. The Cornhuskers open Sept. 1 against Akron.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – – University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz announced Wednesday two additional players will face a one-game suspension due to violating team policy and rules. Alaric Jackson and Cedrick Lattimore will both miss Iowa’s Sept. 1 contest against Northern Illinois.

“As a coach one of the most important decisions is to hold student-athletes accountable,” said Ferentz. “It is painful for the players and the team to impose a suspension, but we have high standards and there is an expectation all players abide by our rules.”

The player infraction is not a legal matter. Violation of team policy or rules can include academic performance, attendance, timeliness, behavior, effort, and engagement.

The issues surfaced in late spring and both players were given guidelines to meet and milestones to achieve over the past 10 weeks. “Their response has been excellent, and I am very pleased with how they are meeting our expectations,” said Ferentz.

Jackson is a sophomore offensive tackle and Lattimore is a junior defensive lineman.

Today’s announcement means four Hawkeyes will not participate in the season opening game against Northern Illinois.  Defensive lineman Brady Reiff and offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs were previously given one-game suspensions for alcohol-related violations.

Last night (Tuesday night) at the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Field in Sunnyside Park, two teams, the defending Champions A-Plus Designs and the contenders, Dusty’s Bar and Grill, competed for the championship. The contest being apart of a double elimination tournament with A-Plus coming back from the losers bracket to play for the trophy. The first game was a close battle with back and forth lead changes throughout the contest. The final inning you saw A-Plus stopping Dusty’s to a 3 and out to send the game into extra innings. Dusty’s continued to battle in the 8th and 9th inning but with a grand slam from A-plus’s Nick Harris put the game out of reach with a final score of 23-26.

Championship team Dusty’s Bar and Grill

Game 2 with both teams having to suffer only one loss in the tourney, started out as a close battle, but with hot bats from Dusty’s and a few crucial errors proved to be too much for A-Plus Designs, even after they battle back. The Championship game was won by a score of 23 to 13 with Dusty’s Bar and Grill coming out on top.

Men’s slow pitch will be back again next season with games beginning in June going through the end of July. If interested in playing or for questions about league play contact Atlantic Parks and Recreation at 712-243-3542.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Connect-A-Dock, will host their annual Road Race this Saturday, August 11th, beginning at 8-a.m. The 2018 Road Race will be held on 6th Street across from City Park. The race will begin at 8:00 AM with a 2 or 5 mile run and a 2 mile walk. The route can be found on www.atlanticiowa.com and will be similar to last year; enjoying a route through Schildberg Recreation Area. Racers can register online at atlanticiowa.com until August 9th.

Day-of registration is at 7 AM at the Atlantic City Park, with the race beginning at 8 AM. Following the race, Atlantic Hy-Vee will provide fruit to all racers and Southwest Iowa Crystal Clear will be filling re-usable water bottles for all participants to enjoy. ATI Physical Therapy will also be on site offering pre and post-race stretching. For more information about the Road Race, or additional AtlanticFest information visit www.atlanticiowa.com or call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at (712)243-3017.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst (R-Red Oak) has been calling on congress to launch its own investigation of the U.S. Olympic Committee to see why a sports doctor was allowed to treat athletes for years after dozens of complaints. “Like many Americans, I was horrified to hear of the crimes committed by Larry Nassar, the USA Gymnastics doctor who abused hundreds of young athletes,” Ernst said during testimony in a senate committee this summer. Since January, Ernst has joined with other senators on a number of occasions to call for a congressional response. Ernst says Nassar’s actions and the individuals and institutions who protected him are “reprehensible.” “When these athletes reported the abuse to those they trusted — people within their university, their gymnastics club, Olympic leadership or people their parents paid to turn them into strong and healthy athletes — they were shut down,” Ernst said. “They were ignored and they were told: ‘There was nothing to see here.'”

The U.S. Olympic Committee’s chairman resigned at the end of February and Nassar essentially has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison, but Ernst says problems persist in the U.S. Olympic Committee and its affiliates that must be investigated and addressed. “Even more maddening is these organizations rake in millions of dollars a year and enjoy tax-exempt status,” Ernst said.  As a student at Iowa State University, Ernst volunteered at a rape crisis center and Ernst says that experience showed her survivors are forever altered by the abuse they endure. “Abuse like this is not something you can just simply forget,” Ernst said. “…We must take survivors’ stories seriously and ensure they are heard.” Ernst said. ‘

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has been created to oversee abuse complaints from athletes training for the Olympics. The U.S. Olympic Committee is a federally-chartered organization. It oversees 47 other groups like U-S-A Gymnastics that govern the individual and team sports that are part of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.