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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s golf team travels to Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, for the 28th annual Puerto Rico Classic, Feb. 16-18.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, Feb. 16 — 18 holes, shotgun start beginning at 7 a.m. (CT)
Monday, Feb. 17 — 18 holes, shotgun start beginning at 7 a.m. (CT)
Tuesday, Feb. 18 — 18 holes, shotgun start beginning at 7 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 access to exclusive coverage, “like” Hawkeye men’s golf on Facebook and follow @IowaHawkeyeGolf on Twitter and Instagram.
THE LINEUP
Senior Alex Schaake will lead the Hawkeyes in the No. 1 spot, followed by sophomore Gonzalo Leal Montero, senior Benton Weinberg, freshman Mac McClear, and junior Jake Rowe.
THE FIELD
The 15-team field includes five teams in the top-30 (Golfstat rankings): Alabama, No. 24 Clemson, College of Charleston, East Carolina, No. 19 Georgia, No. 3 Georgia Tech, Iowa, Marquette, Maryland, North Carolina State, Ohio State, No. 1 Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Purdue, and No. 28 Tennessee.
THE COURSE
The Puerto Rico Classic will be played at the Rio Mar Beach and Spa Resort’s River Course (par-72, 6,902 yards), designed by two-time Major champion Greg Norman along the Mameyes River.
HISTORICALLY AT THE PUERTO RICO CLASSIC
- This will be Iowa’s second appearance in the tournament.
- Last year, the Hawkeyes finished in seventh place. The team’s third-round (281) tied for the 12th-lowest 18-hole team score in program history.
LAST TIME OUT
- Iowa finished with a 3-1-0 record at the Big Ten Match Play Championship. The Hawkeyes notched victories over Michigan (3-3), Michigan State (4-2), and Purdue (3-3). Seniors Alex Schaake and Benton Weinberg each posted three individual wins.
- Against Purdue, Iowa trailed in five of six matches after the ninth hole, but stormed back to win two individual matches and draw two more. Junior Jake Rowe birdied three of his final five holes.
COACH’S COMMENTS
“We have a great opportunity this week to build on our momentum from the Big Ten Match Play Championships. The team is focused and ready to compete.”
FALL RECAP
- The Hawkeyes recorded two top-four finishes in their four fall tournaments. The best finish of the season came at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic where they finished third with a three-round score of 855 (+3). Senior Alex Schaake was the top performer for the Hawkeyes with a three-round score of 212 (-1).
ENTERING THE RECORD BOOKS
- Leal Montero finished the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate with a career-best 54-hole score of 208 (-5), which was the lowest Hawkeye score of the fall season and ties for the seventh-lowest 54-hole total in school history.
- McClear recorded a personal-best 67 (-4) in the second round of the Fighting Irish Classic to tie for the sixth-lowest 18-hole round in program history.
HAWKEYE TEE SHOTS
- Schaake leads the Hawkeyes with seven rounds at or below par. With three straight rounds at or below par at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate, Leal Montero boosted his season total to six. Weinberg also has six rounds at or below par.
- Schaake leads the Hawkeyes with 71.8 strokes per round. Leal Montero owns a 71.9 18-hole stroke average.
HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
Three freshman — Matthew Garside (Bettendorf, Iowa), Mac McClear (Hinsdale, Ill.), and Garrett Tighe (Algonquin, Ill.) — joined the Hawkeyes this season.
A PROGRAM ON THE RISE
Iowa has four team titles and four individual medalists since Coach Tyler Stith’s first year in 2014. Last season, Iowa claimed the Hawkeye Invitational with co-medalists Alex Schaake and Matthew Walker. The Hawkeyes have qualified for the NCAA Tournament 10 of the last 11 years.
STITH SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION IN 2019
Coach Tyler Stith signed a five-year contract extension to keep him in Iowa City through 2024. He has led the Hawkeyes to top-four finishes at the Big Ten Championships four times and advanced to four NCAA Regionals in five seasons.
LOOKING AHEAD
Iowa will compete in the Colleton River Collegiate, March 2-3, in Bluffton, South Carolina.
