COLUMBUS, Ohio — The University of Iowa men’s golf team closed out the regular season on Sunday with a fourth-place finish at the 16-team Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. The Hawkeyes finished with a 54-hole score of 870 (+6) at the Ohio State Golf Club’s par-71 Scarlet Course.
Iowa placed ahead of seven conference foes including Northwestern, Indiana, Michigan State, Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, and Michigan.
Fifth-year senior Alex Schaake secured his fourth consecutive top five finish, coming in second in the field of 90 competitors at 1-under par (212). Schaake, who won the Hawkeye Invitational last weekend, finished just two strokes behind medalist Cade Breitenstine of Kent State.
Schaake’s 11 birdies on the weekend led the Hawkeyes and marked the second-best total in the field. He has been Iowa’s top finisher in each of the last three tournaments.
Sophomores Mac McClear and Garrett Tighe each tied for 25th at 220 (+7). Tighe notched an even-par 71 in each of the final two rounds. He played his first competitive event of the season last weekend at the Hawkeye Invitational, placing 19th.
McClear’s 37 pars tied senior Jake Rowe for a Hawkeye best at the event. Rowe’s 54-hole score of 223 ties a career best (2020 Puerto Rico Classic).
IOWA SCORECARD
| T-4 | Iowa | 292 | 288 | 290 | +18 | 870 |
| T-2 | Alex Schaake | 70 | 70 | 72 | -1 | 212 |
| T-25 | Mac McClear | 75 | 72 | 73 | +7 | 220 |
| T-25 | Garrett Tighe | 78 | 71 | 71 | +7 | 220 |
| T-45 | Jake Rowe | 74 | 75 | 74 | +10 | 223 |
| T-64 | Gonzalo Leal Montero | 73 | 75 | 79 | +14 | 227 |
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“[Tied for fourth] is a good finish this week. We were solo second at the turn within seven shots of [tournament champion] Illinois and I thought maybe we could make a run, but we ran out of steam. We overcame a rough start yesterday and got back into contention today which is a real positive.
The Scarlet was a good test which should serve us well for next weeks Big Ten Championships.
The best golf courses separate people. I am not surprised Alex [Schaake] was in contention again this week. He gave himself a chance to win but just came up a little short. He feels good about his game and knows he’s got a chance to win every time he tees it up.”
HAWKEYE NOTABLES
- Iowa sank 38 birdies at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate; Alex Schaake led the way with 11, followed by Garrett Tighe (10).
- The Hawkeyes’ par-four average of 4.13 tied for the best in the field; Schaake’s par four average tied for second in the field (3.97) and led the team.
- Iowa finished in the top five in four of its five regular season tournaments.
UP NEXT
The Big Ten Championships tee off April 30-May 2, at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana.