Anderson Brothers Bring Powerful Bond to 2026 PGA High School National Invitational

For as long as Dewell and Elijah Anderson can remember, golf has been a part of their lives. 

“I’ve been playing golf as long as I can remember,” said Elijah, 15. “Our dad has played his whole life, and he introduced both of us to the game at a very young age. Golf is a huge part of our family.” 

Over the years, the brothers have competed in numerous junior tournaments and spent countless weekends on the course together. But this year, they took on another role: teammates. 

Elijah, a high school freshman, joined Dewell, 18, a senior, as a member of the Dowling Catholic High School golf team. It made for a fitting end to Dewell’s high school golf career. 

“It was a lot of fun playing with Elijah,” he said. “I got to spend a lot of time with him over the season.” 

The brothers say they’re competitive on the course — “We both want to beat each other,” Dewell said — but not at the expense of each other or their teammates. 

“We're definitely competitive, but at the end of the day, we’re also incredibly supportive,” Elijah added. “We want what's best for the team, so his success is my success.” The camaraderie, the competition, even Dewell getting a chance to show his younger brother the ropes of high school — everything was aligning to make the 2025-2026 season one to remember. Then Dowling Catholic went out and made it unforgettable. 

Dowling Catholic won the 2026 Class 4A IHSAA State Championship in October, leading the field by 10 strokes. The decisive win came after a disappointing sixth-place finish at the Central Iowa Metropolitan League conference match just 13 days before. 

“Winning the state title was a lot of fun,” Dewell said. “Not only was this the first year that we've won it in a while, but it was also the first time that we've really been competitive in it all the years that I've played.” 

In addition, both Dewell and Elijah ranked among the top 10 individual scorers for the Class 4A championship, with Dewell tied for fourth (72-75-147) and Elijah tied for tenth (78-73-151). The state title was Dowling’s first in more than a decade, ending a 16-year drought. 

“We didn’t feel any extra pressure heading into the state tournament knowing we hadn’t won it in a while,” Elijah said. “But it definitely made winning a lot more meaningful.” 

The state title also garnered the team an invitation to the PGA High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, July 18-20. 

Over the years, Dewell and Elijah have worked with PGA of America Golf Associate Zach Steffen, an instructor at Terrace Hills Golf Course in Altoona, Iowa, and Dowling Catholic assistant coach. The brothers credit Steffen with helping sharpen their skills and shaping the way they approach the game. 

“Zach has played a big role in helping us with course management and thinking your way through the game,” Dewell said. “He’s really helped us map out how we’re going to play our tournaments beforehand.” 

“On your own, it's easy to get frustrated in golf,” Elijah said, “but Zach has given us the tools to break down a course strategically and really keep our composure.”

Dewell, Elijah and all of their Dowling Catholic teammates will need to put those skills to work at this weekend’s PGA High School Boys Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst. 

“Fifty-four holes is a true test of endurance,” Elijah said. “The game plan is to take it one shot at a time and avoid big mistakes. Things can go bad fast at Pinehurst, but we want to stay physically and mentally focused out there. For me, success means walking off the 18th green on the final day, knowing we gave it everything we had and represented Iowa well.”

For Dewell, who’s heading to Des Moines Area Community College in the fall, the National Invitational marks one more chance to win a national championship with his brother by his side. 

“This will probably be the final junior tournament that I play in,” he said. “It’s an amazing tournament to play with all my friends. It’s going to be a special one.”