Colleton River Collegiate Up Next For Iowa

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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s golf team travels to compete in the seventh annual Colleton River Collegiate, March 4-5, in Bluffton, South Carolina.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, March 4 — 36 holes, shotgun start beginning at 7:15 a.m. (CT)
Tuesday, March 5 — 18 holes, shotgun start beginning at 7:15 a.m. (CT)
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Fans can follow this weekend’s action by visiting golfstat.com for live scoring. Links can be found on the men’s golf schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
 
LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa men’s golf program and to access exclusive coverage, “like” Hawkeye men’s golf on Facebook and follow @IowaHawkeyeGolf on Twitter and Instagram.
 
THE FIELD
No. 47 Iowa is joined by a field of 13 other teams that include: Michigan State, Bowling Green State, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Georgia Southern, No. 45 Iowa State, Kansas State, Memphis, Miami (OH), Oakland, Penn State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin (Golfstat Relative Rankings).
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“After finishing as strong as we did in Puerto Rico, the guys have been really motivated. We have had some good practice over the last couple of weeks doing what we can inside, but I know they are anxious to get back on grass and compete again.”
 
THE LINEUP
The lineup for the Colleton River Collegiate includes one senior (Matthew Walker), two juniors (Alex Schaake and Benton Weinberg), one sophomore (Joe Kim), and one freshman (Gonzalo Leal Montero).
 
THE COURSE
The Colleton River Collegiate will be played on the links-type par-72 (7,403 yards) Colleton River Pete Dye Course, which opened in 1998. The course has a course rating of 76.5.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes moved up four spots in the final round of the Puerto Rico Classic to earn their fifth top-10 finish of the season, finishing seventh with a 54-hole score of 871 (+7). Freshman Gonzalo Leal Montero moved up 22 spots in the third round to earn his third top-20 finish, tying 15th, with a three-round score of 214 (-2). Junior Alex Schaake soared 17 spots in the final round to finish tied 41st with a 54-hole score of 217 (+4). Senior Matthew Walker finished tied 30th with a score of 218 (+2) after moving up 12 spots in the final round.
HISTORICALLY AT THE COLLETON RIVER COLLEGIATE
This will be Iowa’s first appearance in the tournament. Iowa lasted competed in South Carolina in 2017, in a dual against Michigan State in Oaktie, South Carolina.
 
EARNING HIS SPOT
Leal Montero leads Iowa with a stroke average of 69.63. He is second on the team with seven rounds at or below par and four top-20 finishes. The freshman is tied second with a low round of 67 (-5) and has one top-10 finish. The Seville, Spain, native earned his first top individual finish for the Hawkeyes, tying 15th, at the Puerto Rico Classic.
 
HAWKEYE DEBUT
Sophomore Joe Kim joined the Iowa men’s golf program in January after transferring from Indian Hills Community College. The Castle Hill, NSW Australia, native led Indian Hills to the 2018 NJCAA National Championship. He recorded a fifth-place individual finish at the NJCAA Championship. Kim will make his Hawkeye debut at the Colleton River Collegiate, March 4-5.
 
STAYING BELOW PAR
Iowa carded six rounds at or below par in the Puerto Rico Classic. Leal Montero registered two rounds (72 (E) and 67 (-5), Walker carded a 70 (-2) in the final round, junior Benton Weinberg fired a 69 (-3) in the first round, and junior Alex Schaake shot two rounds (72 (E) and 68 (-4).
 
MATCH PLAY SUCCESS
Three Hawkeyes — Walker, Weinberg, and Schaake — have career winning records at the Big Ten Match Play Championships. Walker has a career record of 12-3-1. Weinberg’s career record is 4-3-1, while Schaake has posted a 6-5-1 record.
 
SCHAAKE LEADING THE WAY
Schaake leads the Hawkeyes, posting 11 of his 17 rounds this season at or below par. The Omaha, Nebraska, native has registered the top individual finish for Iowa in two of their seven tournaments, finishing tied for second at the Golfweek Conference Challenge and tied for seventh at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic. The junior carded two of his three rounds at or below par in the Puerto Rico Classic. Schaake fired all three rounds below par at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic, including two four-below (67). He leads Iowa with four top-20 finishes, three top-10 finishes, and 11 rounds at or below par.
 
STAYING HOT IN THE WINTER
Junior Alex Schaake and senior Matthew Walker competed in the 2018 South Beach International Amateur, Dec. 19-22, at the Miami Beach Golf Club. Schaake finished eighth with a four-round score of 279 (-5). Walker posted a four-round score of 285 (+7), tying for 23rd.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Iowa returns home to host the Hawkeye Invitational, April 20-21, in Iowa City, Iowa, at Finkbine Golf Course.
 

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