Eli Anema, Katie Wold both win second Sioux Falls Golf championship

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Eli Anema and Katie Wold each won their second Sioux Falls Golf City Championship on Saturday, June 28, at Prairie Green Golf Course. Both golfers took different paths to their victories and are at very different points of their competitive careers.

The first day of competition, Friday, June 27, was at Elmwood Golf Course, and the second day was at Prairie Green.

Anema is entering his junior year at Indiana Wesleyan University, an NAIA program. He shot a two-over 74 on both days to win the Men's Championship Flight, beating Ryan Ames by six strokes.

Wold trailed by two strokes heading into the second day, then ripped off an 82 to win the tournament by eight strokes.

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Eli Anema​

Anema became the first-ever back-to-back Sioux Falls Golf Men's City Champion with his 2026 win. The Sioux Falls Christian alum dominated both courses, recording five birdies at Elmwood and two, including one on 18, at Prairie Green.

"It was a fun experience and cool to be the first back-to-back champion," Anema said. "However, winning is a fleeting feeling and I don't base my identity on golf or the things I do."

He said he's gained a lot of that mentality while at Indiana Wesleyan. Kyle Bloom, the Wildcats' head golf coach, instituted a saying that has really resonated with Anema and helped him play better both in and our of competition.

"Since being at IWU, I have learned to play FREE — fearless, relaxed, engaged, enjoy," Anema said. "This is an acronym we use to describe how we want to play and carry ourselves on the golf course. Doing this has really allowed me to find joy in all the rounds that I play, no matter if I come first or last."

While getting competition outside of his college season is important, Anema just enjoys playing the city courses. He likes the way they are maintained and feels he can get a legitimate competitive experience in his hometown.

"The courses are always in great shape; it is usually pretty windy, we play from 7,000-plus yards and it's a two-day event, which we don't get often besides the State Am," Anema said. "It truly is a great tournament and a very good test of skill."

Anema's one wish is that more golfers in Sioux Falls get out to compete at the tournament. He knows the local talent exists and wants to see it in the field in future years.

"It is just a shame that, for whatever reason, not many people sign up to challenge themselves," Anema said. "I hope that, in the future, the tournament can grow and attract more and more good players."

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Katie Wold​

Wold is originally from Sioux Falls and moved back in 2024, just in time to win her first Sioux Falls Golf Women's City Championship. She lost in 2025, and returned in 2026 with a steady display on the second day to take a title going away.

Wold has had an extensive golf career, having played golf in high school and college before being a part of multiple national amateur golf organizations. She's been able to play all over the country both competitively and recreationally, even if her competitive schedule has slowed down a bunch.

Her ability to continue her competitive career has been partially due to her ability to balance competitive and recreational play. Wold enjoys going out with friends and family, turning the competition off and enjoying being on the course with good company, regardless of how she plays.

"I know I can play well at times," Wold said. "Golf is a finicky sport, though. You can be on one day and off the next day."

Playing casually has helped Wold continue to love the game without getting burnt out. She can relieve the pressure from her game and just play.

"Once you get into tournaments, for me, the pressure is self-inflicted," Wold said.

Despite finding more time to play casually, Wold still knows when to turn the intensity up. She's perfected that in recent years and displayed it during her second city championship win.

"I really focus a lot more," Wold said. "I have a more dedicated strategy as far as lining up my putts more than just casually going up there and hitting them. I have a routine as far as how I attack approach shots versus iron shots when I'm playing in a tournament."

Wold enjoys the Sioux Falls Golf City Championship because of the core group of women who play year after year. Only four women competed in the championship flight this year — defending champion Bryn Huber was not in the field.

She, like Anema, also likes the way Sioux Falls Golf sets up Elmwood and Prairie Green for the tournament and the challenge the two layouts present.

"I think it has a lot to do with the desire to play the nice courses, and then just making sure that I'm not only mentally prepared, but also physically prepared in the sense of being able to know that I can play well before I go into a tournament," Wold said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Eli Anema, Katie Wold both win second Sioux Falls Golf championship

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