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OTTUMWA — In a matter months, Matthew Walker has become a hall-of-fame golfer twice over.
Just six months after being inducted into the Ottumwa High School Athletic Hall-of-Fame, the former two-time Class 4A Iowa High School state champion golfer was inducted into the Iowa High School Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. Walker was one of six new inductees this year, joining former 2018 Indian Hills national champion Chris Cooksley (East Buchanan) and former three-time Iowa High School Girls state champion Sarah (McMichael) Larson (Nashua-Plainfield) as well as former coaches Paul Niedermeyer (Clinton), Scott Zhiss (East Buchanan) and Stan Westenfield (Ballard).
Walker distinguished himself on the course, earning individual state tournament medals in three seasons winning the state individual title as a both a sophomore in 2012 and as a senior in 2014. Walker was also a three-time Greater Ottumwa City Champion, a three-time CIML Metro Conference Tournament medalist, a two-time Iowa Golf Association Junior Player of the Year and the 2014 AJGA Midwest Junior Players Champion.
After high school, Walker played four years at the University of Iowa from 2015 to 2019. Walker played every event while at Iowa including setting a scoring record of 199 at the Hawkeye Invitational winning the tournament.
Walker was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection playing for the Hawkeyes. After graduating from Iowa, Walker turned pro winning the 2019 Iowa Open and the 2021 Nebraska Open. In 2024, he played in Latin America on the PGA America's Tour.
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Just six months after being inducted into the Ottumwa High School Athletic Hall-of-Fame, the former two-time Class 4A Iowa High School state champion golfer was inducted into the Iowa High School Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. Walker was one of six new inductees this year, joining former 2018 Indian Hills national champion Chris Cooksley (East Buchanan) and former three-time Iowa High School Girls state champion Sarah (McMichael) Larson (Nashua-Plainfield) as well as former coaches Paul Niedermeyer (Clinton), Scott Zhiss (East Buchanan) and Stan Westenfield (Ballard).
Walker distinguished himself on the course, earning individual state tournament medals in three seasons winning the state individual title as a both a sophomore in 2012 and as a senior in 2014. Walker was also a three-time Greater Ottumwa City Champion, a three-time CIML Metro Conference Tournament medalist, a two-time Iowa Golf Association Junior Player of the Year and the 2014 AJGA Midwest Junior Players Champion.
After high school, Walker played four years at the University of Iowa from 2015 to 2019. Walker played every event while at Iowa including setting a scoring record of 199 at the Hawkeye Invitational winning the tournament.
Walker was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection playing for the Hawkeyes. After graduating from Iowa, Walker turned pro winning the 2019 Iowa Open and the 2021 Nebraska Open. In 2024, he played in Latin America on the PGA America's Tour.
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