IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa senior Mac McClear was named Co-Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Week, the league office announced on Wednesday. McClear shares the honor with Purdue’s Herman Sekne after winning the Hawkeye Invitational this week at Finkbine Golf Course.
After opening the tournament shooting 71 (-1) on Friday, McClear finished the second round shooting 68 (-4) on Saturday before closing out with a five-under par (67) third round. McClear did not lead outright until the 53rd hole of the 54-hole event, sinking his sixth and final birdie of the third round on No. 17 to create the winning separation.
The individual medalist honors are the fourth of McClear’s career, matching the second-most by a Hawkeye since at least 1961.
McClear has picked up medalist honors at the Iowa Fall Classic this year, Spartan Collegiate and the Big Ten Championships in 2021. He was also the champion at the Joliet Amateur and co-medalist a local US Open qualifier this summer.
The Big Ten weekly honor is the third of McClear’s career. He was last honored on October 19, 2022, for his win at the Iowa Fall Classic, where he shot 214 (-2). McClear is the first Hawkeye to earn Big Ten Golfer of the Week since Alex Schaake on April 28, 2021.
Conference accolades are nothing new for McClear, who was named a Big Ten Player to Watch on Aug. 31 and earned second team All-Big Ten honors last season. In 2021, McClear was the only unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection and was named to the All-Big Ten Championships team after winning the fourth individual conference title in program history.
McClear and the Hawkeyes return to action next week for the Big Ten Championships in Galloway, N.J.