2025–26 Final Notes

THIS SEASON
The Hawkeyes wrapped up the 2025–26 season competing across 11 tournaments spanning nine states, opening spring competition in Puerto Rico and closing the year at the Big Ten Championships. Iowa recorded eight top-10 team finishes, highlighted by a team title at the Hawkeye Invitational.

POSTSEASON ACCOLADES
- Shellberg was selected to the PING All-Midwest Region Team and earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors.
- Chance Rinkol was named Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.

HAWKEYE INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Iowa won the 32nd Hawkeye Invitational with a 54-hole team total of 851 (-13), earning its first team title since April 15, 2023. The Hawkeyes secured their fourth Hawkeye Invitational championship since 2019 (2019, 2021, 2023, 2026) and 18th all-time in 32 editions dating back to 1970.
- Sophomore Ryan Shellberg earned individual medalist honors at 206 (-10), while redshirt freshman Jack McCarty finished fourth at 212 (-4). McCarty carded a final-round 70 (-2) and played 17 of 18 holes at par or better in the third round.

NCAA REGIONALS
Shellberg advanced to the NCAA Columbus Regional at Ohio State Golf Club (Scarlet Course), becoming the first Hawkeye to qualify for NCAA postseason competition since Mac McClear in 2023.

SHELLBERG SEASON NOTES
Shellberg was crowned individual medalist at the Hawkeye Invitational after shooting 206 (-10), marking the program’s 17th Hawkeye Invitational individual champion and first since 2023. His second-round 65 (-7) ranked as the 10th-lowest round in program history, while his 54-hole total tied for the 11th-best in program history.
- He was also named Big Ten Golfer of the Week (April 9) after a runner-up finish at the Calusa Cup. He finished inside the top 25 in four spring events and posted three consecutive under-par rounds at the Calusa Cup (68, 71, 69), playing 47 of 54 holes at par or better. His 208 total at the event ranked as the best 54-hole performance by a Hawkeye at the Calusa Cup and tied for 28th in program history.
- He placed 18th at the Duck Invitational (217, +3) and opened the Colleton River Collegiate with rounds of 68 (-4) and 69 (-3), holding the individual lead through 36 holes.

TJOA SEASON NOTES
Junior Max Tjoa opened the season with three straight under-par finishes and earned co-medalist honors at the Fighting Irish Classic with a 204 (-6), highlighted by a hole-in-one and a career-low 65 (-5). His 54-hole total ranked second in program history.
- He finished 25th at the Hawkeye Invitational and placed fifth at the Puerto Rico Classic, shooting 202 (-11), the third-best 54-hole score in program history. He also tied for 10th at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate, recording 14 birdies and finishing two-under on par 4s. Tjoa finished in the top 10 three times during the season.

GUDGEL SEASON NOTES
Redshirt freshman Grant Gudgel delivered a strong debut season, highlighted by a seventh-place finish at the Moraine Intercollegiate at 207 (-6), his first career top-10 finish. He shot par or better in all three rounds, including a second-round 66 featuring six birdies and 17 holes at par or better.
- He placed sixth at the Hawkeye Invitational at 1-under par and fired back-to-back rounds of 69 (-3) in the final two rounds. In the spring opener at the Puerto Rico Classic, he finished ninth at 206 (-10), tied for the 10th-best 54-hole score in program history. Gudgel recorded six top-25 finishes and three top-10 finishes during the season.

STRONG SPRING OPENER
Iowa opened the spring season at the Puerto Rico Classic, finishing 24-under par (840), which tied for the ninth-lowest 54-hole total in program history.
- Tjoa led the team with a 202 (-11), Gudgel placed ninth at 206 (-10), and Shellberg posted a career-low seven-under-par tournament to finish inside the top 25.

FINKBINE GOLF COURSE RENOVATION
Finkbine, home of Iowa men’s and women’s golf, will undergo a major renovation starting after the 2025 season. Led by architect Scott Hoffman and managed by Troon, the project will modernize the layout, enhance playability for all skill levels, and incorporate sustainable turf practices. Privately funded by Fritz and Mary Lee Duda, the renovation aims to position Finkbine as one of the premier collegiate golf courses in the Midwest.

FALL RECAP
The Hawkeyes turned in a strong fall season, highlighted by sixth-place finishes at the Moraine Intercollegiate and Fighting Irish Classic. Iowa outperformed several Big Ten opponents during the fall, including Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan.
- Redshirt freshman Grant Gudgel led the Hawkeyes at Moraine with a seventh-place finish at six-under-par (207), earning his first career top-10 finish. Junior Max Tjoa led the team throughout the fall, opening the season with three straight under-par finishes and leading Iowa with a tie for first at the Fighting Irish Classic.

SIGNING DAY RECAP
The Hawkeyes welcomed three student-athletes to the program as part of the 2025 signing class: Andrew Johannsen (Johnston, Iowa), Joey Scott (Lemont, Illinois), and Cody Weaver (Gilman, Iowa).
- Scott is a two-time IHSA all-state selection and first golfer in Lemont history to earn the honor twice. Scott is a 2025 PGA Jr. League National Champion, owns a career-low round of 63.
- Johannsen is the 2025 Iowa High School Individual State Champion and a three-time first team all-state selection. Johannsen posted a 69.60 scoring average as a senior.
- Weaver is a  three-time all-state honoree and Iowa Junior  Open Champion with strong multi-sport credentials. Weaver was also the runner-up at the Iowa Junior PGA Championship.

LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa men’s golf program and access to exclusive coverage, visit Hawkeye men’s golf on Facebook and follow @IowaHawkeyeGolf on X and Instagram.