SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team moved up to 12th place to finish play at the Fighting Irish Classic on Monday afternoon. Senior Mac McClear continued to ascend the leaderboard, shooting 69 (-1) in the third round to finish one-under par (209) for the tournament.
McClear was the low Hawkeye finisher, tying for 21st place. McClear matched a team-high nine birdies through 54 holes. His 2.83 (-2) stroke average on par threes tied for third in the field and his 4.33 (-4) average on par fives tied for sixth.
The talented field included eight GolfStat top 50 teams; No. 9 Florida bested the likes of No. 44 Georgia Southern, No. 5 North Carolina, and host No. 16 Notre Dame at the top of the leaderboard to claim the team championship. Fourteenth ranked freshman David Ford of North Carolina was the individual medalist.
Fifth-year senior Gonzalo Leal Montero was Iowa’s next lowest finisher, shooting 216 (+6) on the week. Sophomore Ian Meyer shot the second-lowest third round score with an even-par 70 to finish one stroke behind McClear on Monday.
Iowa competed at the Fighting Irish Classic without a returning captain and one of its low returning scorers from last season due to injury.
IOWA SCORECARD
| 12 | TEAM | 293 | 278 | 288 | +19 | 859 |
| T-21 | Mac McClear | 73 | 67 | 69 | -1 | 209 |
| T-48 | Gonzalo Leal Montero | 72 | 69 | 75 | +6 | 216 |
| T-54 | Ian Meyer | 75 | 72 | 70 | +7 | 217 |
| T-68 | Garrett Tighe | 73 | 75 | 74 | +12 | 223 |
| T-73 | Callum Macfie | 78 | 70 | 75 | +13 | 224 |
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“We have to start rounds and tournaments better. The first round cost us several shots which are hard to get back. We had moments and good individual rounds from several guys but just need to find more consistency in our play. Mac [McClear] turned in another solid round today. He had a good performance against a very strong field.”
HAWKEYE NOTABLES
- Iowa’s 4.57 (-13) stroke average on par fives tied for third in the field.
- Leal Montero and McClear each recorded a team-high nine birdies. The Hawkeyes combined for 37 birdies.
UP NEXT
Iowa travels to Toledo, Ohio Sept. 26-27 for the Inverness Intercollegiate at Inverness Golf Club.