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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Matthew Walker and junior Alex Schaake have been named Big Ten Golfer of the Week after earning co-medalist honors with a school record 54-hole score performance of 199 (-14) at last weekend’s Hawkeye Invitational at Finkbine Golf Course, the conference announced Wednesday.
Walker and Schaake share this week’s honor with Ohio State’s Daniel Wetterich. It is the first honor of Walker’s career and the second of the season for Schaake (Sept. 19, 2018).
The duo led the Hawkeyes in shattering the school record for 54-holes by 24 strokes with a score of 809 (-43). Iowa also established a new school benchmark for 18-holes by six strokes with a first-round score of 262 (-22), while the second-round score (277; -7) is eighth best in program history and its third-round score of 270 (-14) is third best.
Iowa’s team title came over No. 30 Illinois (815; -37) by six strokes and No. 31 Kansas (839; -13) by 30 strokes as the Hawkeyes topped four other Big Ten opponents.
Walker earned co-medalist honors with a career best finish, setting a personal best 54-hole score of 199 (-14). The senior posted three straight rounds below par, including two rounds at 66 (-5) to tie a career best 18-hole score. The Ottumwa, Iowa, native fired his third career ace on the par-three 200-yard fourth hole. Walker finished first in the individual field in par-3 scoring with a 2.73 (-4), while finishing second in par-4 scoring (3.81; -5) and birdies (17). It was his second top-10 finish of the season.
Schaake’s co-medalist honors earned him a personal best finish with a career best 54-hole score of 199 (-14). The junior carded the second best (63; -8) and third best (64; -7) 18-hole scores in program history. His two rounds below par give him a team-leading 16 rounds at or below par this season. The Omaha, Nebraska, native fired eight birdies in rounds one and three, including a bogey free first round. Schaake finished first in the field in par-4 scoring (3.78; -6) and birdies (19) as he registered two of Iowa’s lowest rounds. He earned his team leading fifth top-10 finish of the season.
Iowa next competes at the Big Ten Championships Friday-Sunday, in Philadelphia.
