Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Hawk Talk Monthly — April 2018 | Final Results (PDF)
BALTIMORE — The University of Iowa men’s golf team held off No. 43 Penn State to finish third at the Big Ten Championships with a 54-hole total of 859 (+19; 288, 275, 296). It is the sixth consecutive year the Hawkeyes have finished in the top-four of the conference tournament.
On a very windy day, Iowa carded a 296 (+16) in the final round at the par-70 East Course at Baltimore Country Club. No. 12 Illinois won their fourth consecutive Big Ten Title at four-under-par, followed by second-place Ohio State at 11-over-par. Illinois’ Nick Hardy claimed medalist honors at six-under-par.
All five Hawkeyes placed inside the top 31 with sophomore Benton Weinberg being Iowa’s top finisher in a tie for eighth place — his best-career finish. Weinberg fired a final round 72 (+2) to finish with a three-round score of 213 (+3; 72, 69, 72), which is one stroke shy of tying for a 54-hole career low.
Alex Moorman carded a 215 (+5; 72, 66, 77) for the tournament, which tied for his 54-hole career low, to tie for 15th. Moorman was eyeing his second top-10 finish of the season after a second-round and team-best 66 (-4), but tough third-round conditions made that difficult. The scoring average of the 70-player field in the third round was 75.47, up nearly four strokes from round two.
Alex Schaake fired Iowa’s low round of the day at an even-par 70 to finish the championship in a tie for 18th. Schaake improved every round to finish with a 54-hole total of 216 (+6; 74, 72, 70). Schaake used a clutch birdie on the par-four 18th hole to move inside the top 20.
Matthew Walker and Sam Meuret rounded out the Hawkeye lineup, both tying for 31st place. Walker battled the elements all day to finish the tournament at 10-over par. Meuret, Iowa’s lone senior, shot a final-round 77 to finish the 54-hole tournament with a score of 220 (+10; 73, 70, 77).
IOWA SCORECARD
| 3 | Iowa | 288 | 275 | 296 | +19 | 859 |
| T-8 | Benton Weinberg | 72 | 69 | 72 | +3 | 213 |
| T-15 | Alex Moorman | 72 | 66 | 77 | +5 | 215 |
| T-18 | Alex Schaake | 74 | 72 | 70 | +6 | 216 |
| T-31 | Matthew Walker | 71 | 70 | 79 | +10 | 220 |
| T-31 | Sam Meuret | 73 | 70 | 77 | +10 | 220 |
HAWKEYE NOTABLES
- Iowa’s 38 birdies were the third most birdies in the 14-team field.
- Alex Schaake was one of only six of the 70 competitors to birdie the par-four 18th hole on Sunday.
- Iowa put together a dominant stretch in the season’s final month. In April, the Hawkeyes finished sixth or better in all three of their tournaments, including a runner-up finish in the Hawkeye Invitational and a third-place finish today.
