Iowa Competes at First Round of Puerto Rico Classic

CANOVAS, PR. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team concluded the first round of action at the Puerto Rico Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Grand Reserve Golf Club. Hosted annually by Purdue University, the event features some of the top-ranked teams in the nation. Georgia, ranked 12th in the nation, leads No. 1 Oklahoma by three strokes following the first round.

Iowa is tied for 12th heading into the second round with a team score of 283 (-5). Three Hawkeyes shot below par on Sunday, with juniors Mac McClear and Garrett Tighe tied at 22nd on the leaderboard with rounds of 69 (-3) on the day.

McClear registered a team-best seven birdies, five of which came on the Championship Course’s back nine. Tighe drained six birdies, including three on each nine.

Senior Gonzalo Leal Montero was Iowa’s next-lowest scorer with a one-under par round of 71. Leal Montero’s 4.0 (-4) stroke average on par-fives ties for the best in the field.

IOWA SCORECARD

T-12 Iowa 283 -5 283
T-22 Mac McClear 69 -3 69
T-22 Garrett Tighe 69 -3 69
T-48 Gonzalo Leal Montero 71 -1 71
T-72 Callum Macfie 74 +2 74
76 Ronan Kleu 78 +6 78

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“The course is soft and doesn’t have much defense besides the wind. You saw some really low scores today. Mac [McClear] and Garrett [Tighe] both hit it well and played solid. Tomorrow we need to get a few more guys going.”

HAWKEYE NOTEABLES

  • Iowa’s 24 birdies were the fourth-most in the field in the first round. McClear (7), Leal Montero (6), Tighe (6), sophomore Callum Macfie (3), and junior Ronan Kleu (2) each contributed to the total.

UP NEXT
The second round of the Puerto Rico Classic takes place Monday at the Grand Reserve Golf Club, with play concluding Tuesday.