IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa men’s golf team is set to compete in the second annual Fallen Oak Intercollegiate hosted by Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Southern Miss. This tournament will be the last for the Hawkeyes in 2024.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
The 54-hole tournament tees off on Saturday and finishes on Monday afternoon. On Saturday and Sunday, the tourney’s tee times will begin at 9:30 a.m. (CT). For the final round on Monday, play will begin at 8 a.m. (CT).
FOLLOW THE ACTION
You can follow this week’s action by visiting golfstat.com. Links can be found on the men’s golf schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
THE FIELD
13 schools will be competing in the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational in Biloxi, Mississippi. The field includes No. 21 Georgia, No. 13 Illinois, Kansas, No. 15 LSU, No. 6 Ole Miss, RV Mississippi State, RV Purdue, Southern Miss, RV South Carolina, RV UNLV, UTSA, and Wisconsin.
THE COURSE
Located deep in Mississippi’s De Soto National Forest, Fallen Oak comes from the same Las Vegas, MGM Mirage stable as Shadow Creek. Some say that Fallen Oak, due to its natural setting, is the better of the two layouts. Both are products of the same architect, Tom Fazio.
During construction, dozens of large specimen trees were relocated, over a hundred acres of turf was laid and more than half a million cubic yards of earth was moved to accentuate the dramatic elevation changes on the property.
From the tips, Fallen Oak plays to almost 7,500 yards, thanks mainly to a collection of long, strong par fives – the 15th is over 600 yards – that begins at the left doglegged opening hole, where water hampers progress between tee and green.
The course held the inaugural Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic on the Champions Tour in 2010, won by David Eger with a 54-hole total of 205 (11 under par), one stroke ahead of Tommy Armour III.
FIGHTING IRISH RECAP
Noah Kent recorded his first top-10 finish of the season and was only three shots off of lead. The Hawkeyes were 21-over as a unit and placed in eighth out of 15 squads at the Fighting Irish Classic. Iowa beat No. 20 Duke, RV Washington, Kent State, Indiana, Augusta, Rutgers, and RV Michigan State.
Kent was 7-under on par fours this weekend which was a tournament-best. UCLA’s Omar Morales was second at 3-under par. Kent recorded 40 pars which was fourth-best for the tournament. Iowa netted 36 birdies which was sixth-best as a team.
RECORD AT FALLEN OAK
A season ago, Iowa’s final round score 290 (+2) was its lowest of the tournament as the team finished 10th. Ian Meyer was the low finisher for the Hawkeyes. Meyer tied for 23rd at 4-over par (220) after three rounds. Mac McClear was the next low finisher for Iowa. McClear carded a 73 (+1) during the tournament’s final round to jump seven spots to tie for 35th place. Noah Kent led UI with nine birdies.
NOAH KENT EARNS RUNNER-UP AT 124TH US AMATEUR
Sophomore Noah Kent, competed in his first USGA championship, but fell in the finals of the U.S. Amateur to Jose Luis Ballester after 36 holes of match play on August 18. Kent finished the tournament as runner-up and earned invites to The Masters and the U.S. Open. Kent was looking to become the first Hawkeye to win the U.S. Amateur. Ballester came into the tournament as the world’s No. 10 ranked Amateur while Noah came in as the No. 560th ranked amateur.
3 PRESEASON ALL-B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH
Noah Kent, Josh Lundmark, and Max Tjoa were named to the 2024-25 Preseason Big Ten Players to Watch on September 12 by the conference office.
HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
– The Hawkeyes welcomed in four fresh faces to their program this fall. Head Coach Tyler Stith brought in three freshmen and a transfer.
– Gage Messingham, from Northern Colorado, was named the Big Sky Player of the Year in 2024 as well as first team all-conference and the all-tournament team. He had a scoring average of 72.03 with 10 rounds played in the 60s.
– Jack McCarty, a true freshman from Solon, Iowa led his team to three top-five finishes at the State Tournament. As a senior in high school, McCarty finished third in Class 3A State. His father, Sean McCarty, was a member of the Iowa men’s golf team from 1992-95.
– Chance Rinkol, a freshman from Leawood, Kansas was the 2021 Kansas 6A Individual Medalist. Rinkol posted a scoring average of 70.8 in 2023 and was ranked No. 46 in the Rolex Class in 2024. He was also the 2023 AJGA Joplin Junior Championship and Midwest PGA Junior Championship.
– Ryan Shellberg, a freshman from Prosper, Texas was tabbed No. 71 in the 2024 Rolex Class rankings. Shellberg placed second at the AJGA Mizuno Junior Championship and was a two-time all-region selection.
THE ROSTER
Hogan Hansen, Noah Kent, Josh Lundmark, Jack McCarty, Gage Messingham, Ian Meyer, Chance Rinkol, Ryan Shellberg, and Max Tjoa.