Hawkeyes Set to Host 2026 ANF Fall Classic

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s golf team will open its fall season, hosting the ANF Fall Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday at Blue Top Ridge Golf Course in Riverside, Iowa.  
• The 54-hole tournament will begin with 36 holes Tuesday followed by the final 18 holes Wednesday. The tournament will start at 9 a.m. (CT) each day.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
Fans can follow the action by visiting Scoreboard.Clippd.com for live scoring. Results and tournament updates will also be available through Iowa men’s golf social media channels.

THE LINEUP
All eight golfers on the Iowa roster will compete this week in the ANF Fall Classic.  The six-player group that will be in the Hawkeye lineup will be completed via qualifying Monday.  The remaining two players will compete as individuals.

THE FIELD
The 14-team field will include: Bradley, Chicago State, Creighton, Eastern Illinois, Evansville, Green Bay, Iowa, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa,  Omaha, South Dakota, Valparaiso, Western Illinois and Western Kentucky.

THE COURSE
Blue Ridge Top Golf Course is located approximately 15 miles south of Iowa City in Riverside, Iowa. Designed by Rees Jones, the course was named the top golf course in the state of Iowa in 2026 by IowaGolf.com. The par-72 course spans across 7,432 yards with several water hazards in play along the Iowa River floodplain. 

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The ANF Fall Classic returns for the first time since the fall of 2023.  The Hawkeyes finished as the team runner-up in 2023 while Mac McClear defended his title.  Iowa won the tournament in 2022, finishing with an 884 -- six shots ahead of the field.   

OF NOTE...
• Third-year Ryan Shellberg won the Hawkeye Invitational in the spring at Blue Top Ridge, firing a 54-hole total of 206.  The Texas native was lights out during the opening day, firing rounds of 66 and 65, sitting 13-under par. 
• Third-years Grant Gudgel and Jack McCarty both finished under par in two of their three rounds at Riverside in 2026.  McCarty tied for fourth with a 212, while Gudgel tied for sixth with a 215.
• Iowa returns its top three individual scoring averages from the 2025-26 season, welcoming back Grant Gudgel (71.75), Ryan Shellberg (71.95) and Maxwell Tjoa (72.15).  
• Gudgel, Tjoa and second-year Bennett Warren played in all 11 tournaments a season ago.

RETURNING KEY PLAYERS 
• Third-year Ryan Shellberg returns after earning PING All-Midwest Region and second-team All-Big Ten honors a season ago.  The Prosper, Texas, native posted a 71.95 scoring average and he earned a spot to compete at the NCAA Columbus Regional, becoming the first Hawkeye to qualify since 2023. Shellberg had two top 10 finishes, including winning the 2026 Hawkeye Invitational and he was runner-up at the 2026 Calusa Cup.
• Fourth-year Maxwell Tjoa is back after posting a 72.15 scoring average during the 2025-26 season. The Cedar Falls, Iowa, native carded a career-low 65 at the Fighting Irish Classic in South Bend, which included a hole-in-one.  Tjoa had 15 rounds at or below par during the season. 
• Third-year Grant Gudgel enters his second year with the Hawkeyes (and third collegiate season) after pacing the team with a 71.75 scoring average in 2025-26.  The Oklahoma native had three top 10 finishes, including tying for sixth at the Hawkeye Invitational at Blue Top Ridge. 
• Second-year Bennett Warren is the team’s fourth returning letterwinner. The Kansan had a 74.64 scoring average with six rounds at or below par.  He paced the team at the Big Ten Championships, tying for 34th.

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES
Iowa welcomes three first-year players to the roster in Iowa natives Andrew Johannsen (Johnston) and Cody Weaver (Gilman) and Illinois native Joey Scott.
• Scott is a two-time IHSA all-state selection, becoming the first golfer in Lemont history to earn the honor twice, Johannsen was the 2025 Iowa High School Individual 5A State Champion and a three-time first team all-state selection, while Weaver was a three-time all-state honoree and Iowa Junior Open Champion.

FINKBINE GOLF COURSE RENOVATION
Finkbine Golf Course, the home of the Iowa men’s and women’s golf teams, is in the midst of a major renovation. Led by architect Scott Hoffman and managed by Troon, the project is modernizing the layout, enhancing playability for all skill levels and incorporating 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.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes have a short turnaround as they will return to the course on Sept. 13-15, traveling to Toledo, Ohio, for the Inverness Intercollegiate.