Iowa Set to Host Calusa Cup

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s golf team hosts a loaded field at Calusa Pines Golf Club in Naples, Florida, for the third-annual Calusa Cup.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
The 54-hole tournament will play one round each day, April 2-4. Tee times begin at 11 a.m. (CT) on Sunday and Monday, with the final round starting at 7 a.m. (CT) on Tuesday.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
You can follow this week’s action by visiting golfstat.com for live scoring. Links can be found on the men’s golf schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.

THE LINEUP
Senior Mac McClear heads the Iowa lineup, followed by senior Ronan Kleu, freshman Hogan Hansen, sophomore Ian Meyer and junior Callum Macfie.

THE FIELD
Iowa hosts eight Golfstat top-50 ranked teams at Calusa Pines, including four of the top five.

The field includes No. 1 Vanderbilt, No. 2 Texas Tech, No. 3 North Carolina, No. 5 Arizona State, No. 26 Ohio State, No. 29 Georgia, No. 35 Wake Forest and No. 39 Purdue in what shapes up to be one of the premier events in college men’s golf this season.

Twenty-one Golfstat top-100 ranked individuals will compete in Naples.

THE COURSE
Golf Digest ranks Calusa Pines the No. 93 course in the United States and fifth in the state of Florida for 2023. The Hurdzan-Fry design features iconic perched greens, providing an added challenge in the short game for even skilled players. The Calusa Cup is the only collegiate event hosted by the prestigious club.

HURDZAN-FRY TIES
Calusa Pines was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, a design partnership behind many elite courses across the United States, and particularly the Midwest. US Open site Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin, is another notable Hurdzan-Fry collaboration. Fry’s firm also designed the new McCarty Short Game Facility at Iowa’s Hoak Family Golf Complex in Iowa City.

CALUSA CUP HISTORY
The Hawkeyes will host the Calusa Cup for the third consecutive season at Calusa Pines Golf Club. Over three years, the Calusa Cup will have hosted 22 Golfstat top-50 ranked teams, including 10 teams ranked inside the top 10.

Iowa’s best team finish in Naples is seventh in 2021, when Alex Schaake ’21 tied for fifth place shooting 215 (-1). Schaake closed out play with a third-round 67 (-5) to place ahead of two top-10 ranked golfers. McClear’s third round 70 (-2) in 2021 is the best returning Hawkeye 18-hole score heading into this year’s event.

ON THE LINKS
Iowa tied for eighth last time out at the Johnnie-O at Sea Island. McClear was the top Hawkeye finisher at the event, tying for 22nd at 214 (+4) at the par-70 Seaside Course.

• McClear has posted seven top-25 finishes in eight outings this year; Hansen placed inside the top 25 for the second time as a freshman, tying for 25th at 215 (+5) through 54 holes.
• Iowa’s top finish this spring is a tie for fourth place at the Wake Forest Invitational on March 7; the Hawkeyes previously won the Iowa Fall Classic on Oct. 17 at Blue Top Ridge Golf Course.

LOOKING AHEAD
Iowa hosts the Hawkeye Invitational from April 15-16 at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City, Iowa.