CANOVAS, PR. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team finished 10th at the Puerto Rico Classic with a 26-under par team score of 838 over 54 holes. Junior Mac McClear moved up to a tie for ninth on the leaderboard with an historic round of 64 (-8) to close out play at the Grand Reserve Golf Club. Top-ranked Oklahoma shot -20 in the final round to move past No. 12 Georgia for the team title.
McClear’s 64 matches the third lowest 18-hole round in Iowa program history. McClear birdied a majority of holes he played, shooting below par on 10 holes throughout the day.
The round of 64 matched the lowest single round at the event this season, which featured some of the top ranked talent in collegiate golf. It also brought his total to 20 birdies through three rounds, tying for the second most in the field with Georgia’s 15th-ranked Trent Philips.
Senior Gonzalo Leal Montero was Iowa’s next highest finisher, tying for 22nd with a 54-hole score of 208 (-8). The Hawkeye veteran shot a 67 in the final round, posting six birdies and just one bogey.
Junior Ronan Kleu also finished strong with a one-under par round of 71 on Tuesday. He shot a 78 on Sunday before bouncing back with a 66 in the second round, bringing his 54-hole score to 215 (-1).
IOWA SCORECARD
| 10 | Iowa | 283 | 281 | 274 | -26 | 838 |
| T-9 | Mac McClear | 69 | 70 | 64 | -13 | 203 |
| T-22 | Gonzalo Leal Montero | 71 | 70 | 67 | -8 | 208 |
| T-57 | Ronan Kleu | 78 | 66 | 71 | -1 | 215 |
| T-71 | Garrett Tighe | 69 | 78 | 74 | +5 | 221 |
| T-71 | Callum Macfie | 74 | 75 | 72 | +5 | 221 |
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“The team finished strong today led by Mac [McClear] and Gonzalo [Leal Montero]. We improved every round and put our best performance together today. Mac had his putter rolling early and made 10 birdies. Gonzo played really solid. Hit the driver well, took advantage of the par fives, and only made one bogey.”
HAWKEYE NOTEABLES
- McClear’s 64 ties the third lowest round in program history.
- The Hawkeyes finished with 61 birdies at the Puerto Rico Classic. McClear (20) drained half his birdies in the final round, finishing with the most for Iowa and the second-highest total in the field. He was followed by Leal Montero (15), Kleu (11), junior Garret Tighe (10), and sophomore Callum Macfie (5).
UP NEXT
The Wake Forest Invitational tees off March 7-8 at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.