Iowa Wins Annual Big Four Match-Play

Feb. 4, 2012

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Phoenix, Ariz. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team brought home the team title from The Big Four Match-Play on Saturday evening. The Hawkeyes went 2-0 in the annual exhibition event which pits Iowa’s for major golf programs – Iowa, Iowa State, Drake and Northern Iowa – in a head-to-head medal-match competition. Action was held at the par 71, 6,984-yard Lone Tree Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz.

Iowa took on Drake in the morning round, topping the Bulldogs five matches to one. Sophomore Steven Ihm posted Iowa’s low round and won his match with a two-under par 69. Senior Barrett Kelpin and freshman Joseph Winslow picked up two more matches for the Hawkeyes with a round of even par 71 apiece. Seniors Brad George and Chris Brant both won their matches with scores of 74 (+3) and 75 (+4), respectively. Iowa’s only loss of the matchup came from freshman Ian Vandersee who recorded an opening round of 79 (+8).

The Hawkeyes came out on top of a tightly contested finals match against Iowa State. After six individual matches, both programs had won three apiece. The tie breaker was determined by the total of all six 18-hole totals which Iowa won, 413 (-13)-419 (-7). Five Hawkeye golfers shot under par rounds in the finals.

Ihm and George each posted an impressive round of five-under 66, winning two matches for the Hawkeyes. Winslow earned Iowa’s third match win with a score of one-under par 70. Both Kelpin (67) and Vandersee (70) posted rounds under par, but weren’t able to pull out a win for the match. Brant dropped his contest with a second round of 74 (+3).

“We had some real positives today and some guys shot some low numbers in a competitive situation,” said Head Coach Mark Hankins. “It helped us identify some of our weaknesses as we move forward to our next competition.”

The 30th-ranked Hawkeyes will begin their competitive spring schedule at the Big Ten Match-Play Feb. 10-11. Competition will be held on the par-72 Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla.

Iowa 5 – Drake 1
Barrett Kelpin (71) def. Devin Leland (81)
Steven Ihm (69) def. Blake Huser (74)
Chris Brant (75) def. Connor Steele (77)
Brad George (74) def. Dane Worley (75)
Ben Lyons (75) def. Ian Vandersee (79)
Joseph Winslow (71) def. Matt Ohl (82)

Iowa 3 – Iowa State 3 (413-419)
Nate McCoy (66) def. Barrett Kelpin (67)
Steven Ihm (66) def. Scott Fernandez (71)
Sam Daley (71) def. Chris Brant (74)
Brad George (66) def. Duncan Croudis (70)
Borja Virto (69) def. Ian Vandersee (70)
Joseph Winslow (70) def. Blake Waller (72)