Oct. 10, 2012
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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s golf team will return will return to action after a four week hiatus, participating in the Rod Myers Invitational for the second straight season. Action will be held at the Duke University Golf Course in Durham, N.C., on Saturday and Sunday. Thirty-six holes of continuous action will be played on Saturday, with the closing 18 holes on Sunday. Juniors Steven Ihm and Ryan Marks and sophomores Joseph Winslow, Ian Vandersee and Brian Bullington will be in action for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes will also participate at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational hosted by Ball State at the Delaware Country Club in Muncie, Ind. Action will begin on Monday, with 36 holes starting with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start, with the final round opening at 9 a.m. on Sunday with a shotgun start. Freshmen Landon Kowalski, Nate Yankovich and Voramte Aussarassakorn will be in action for Iowa.
THE FIELD
The Rod Myers Invitational field consists of Baylor, Charlotte, Duke, East Carolina, Iowa, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Northwestern, Pacific and Tulsa.
Nine of 11 teams in the field advanced to the NCAA Regionals last season, including four who qualified for the NCAA Championships (East Carolina, Iowa, Tulsa, Liberty). The field consists of five teams either ranked or receiving votes in the GolfWorld/Nike Golf Coaches Poll (Baylor, Duke, Iowa, Northwestern, Liberty). Five teams in the field are ranked in the top-50 of the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. Ten of 11 teams in the field are ranked within the top-100 of the Golfstat.com rankings, including four teams within the top-30 (Duke, Northwestern, Liberty, Tulsa).
The field at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational consists of Ball State, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, IUPUI, Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio and Toledo.
TOP INDIVIDUALS
Twelve players in the Rod Myers Invitational field are currently ranked in the Golfstat Cup standings, led by North Carolina State’s Albin Choi, who is ranked No. 1. The field also consists of 11 players ranked within the top-100 of the Golfweek individual rankings, including Iowa’s Steven Ihm, who checks in at No. 61.
There will be 48 players participating at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational.
THE COURSE
The Duke University Golf Club, which served as the host of the 1962 and 2001 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships, will play as a 7,136-yard, par 72 for the 2012 Rod Myers Invitational. Opening in Sept. of 1957, The Duke course was immediately labeled one of the top university golf facilities in the nation. It has undergone several renovations, most recently in 1994 by Rees Jones.
The Delaware Country Club is a 6,438 yard par-70 that celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2010. Arthur Lockwood designed the course in 1910, and an expansion in 1920.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes dropped 45 strokes from the first to second invitational of the season, placing fourth at the Golfweek Conference Challenge at Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Burlington, Iowa.
Iowa carded 18-hole rounds of 292 (+4), 291 (+3) and 294 (+6) to finish at 877 (+13), it’s best performance of the season. Junior Steven Ihm placed runner-up (209), sophomore Joseph Winslow tied for 15th (220), junior Ryan Marks tied for 31st (225), sophomore Brian Bullington tied for 37th (226) and sophomore Ian Vandersee placed 46th (228).
IHM GOES LOW
Junior Steven Ihm, of Peosta, Iowa, played all three rounds under-par at the Golfweek Conference Challenge to finish tied for second. Ihm carded scores of 68 (-4), 71 (-1) and 70 (-2) to finish at 209 (-7), just two strokes back from medalist Jace Long. Ihm currently leads Iowa with a 73 stroke average, and ranks 61st in the Golfweek individual rankings.
2011 ROD MYERS INVITATIONAL
The Hawkeyes placed fourth at last year’s Rod Myers Invitational, carding a 54-hole total of 883 (+19). Iowa fired rounds of 295 (+7), 287 (-1) and 301 (+13). Ihm led Iowa at the event, placing runner-up with a three-under total of 213. Vandersee placed 36th with a three-round score of 228 (+12). Bullington placed 38th with a 54-hole total of 229 (+13).
FLASHBACK
The Hawkeyes won the 2010 Rod Myers Invitational, firing a three-round total of 851 (-13), which ranks as the program’s fifth best 54-hole score all-time. The lowest 54-hole score (851/-13) and 18-hole round (277/-11) in Rod Myers Invitational history was carded by Iowa in 2010.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The Hawkeyes have the 31st ranked strength of schedule in the nation, according to Golfweek.com.
WINSLOW STARTS STRONG
Sophomore Joseph Winslow made his 2012 debut a positive one, tying for 15th place at the Golfweek Conference Challenge.
The reigning honorble mention All-American finished at four-over par through three rounds, carding a 220. Winslow went under-par in his second round, firing a one-under, 71.
2 HAWKEYES TO MAKE COLLEGIATE DEBUT
Freshman Voramate Aussarassakorn and Nate Yankovich will be making their college debut at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational. Following the event, all three freshmen on the roster will have participated in at least one invitational. Kowalski’s first collegiate round, which was at the Golden Gopher Invitational, was an even-par, 72.
A PROGRAM ON THE RISE
Under head coach Mark Hankins, the Hawkeyes are a program heading in the right direction. Iowa has advanced to NCAA postseason play for four consecutive seasons. The Hawkeyes have also reached the NCAA Championships three of the past four seasons, and are one of just 22 teams in the nation to do so. Iowa has won eight tournaments since 2008, had six individual medalists since 2009 and has had three All-Americans since 2008.
HEAD COACH Mark Hankins
Head coach Mark Hankins enters his sixth season as head coach. Under Hankins’ guidance, Iowa has advanced to NCAA postseason competition the past four seasons. The Hawkeyes have advanced to three NCAA Championships in the past four years, and is one of just 22 teams in the nation to do so. Iowa was ranked 155th when Hankins took over the program in 2008, yet the Hawkeyes have been consistently ranked within the top-30 for the past three years. Hankins is a native of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and a graduate of Iowa State.