Hawkeyes Head to Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational to Close Fall Team Schedule

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s golf team closes out the team portion of its schedule from Oct. 17-19 at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational in Biloxi, Miss. The tournament will be held at Fallen Oak Golf course (7,487-yard, par 72) with 54 holes being played Saturday through Monday.

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
Iowa’s five-player lineup will include fourth-year Maxwell Tjoa, third-year Grant Gudgel,   third-year Jack McCarty, first-year Andrew Johannsen and second-year Bennett Warren. 

THE FIELD
The 14-team field will include six top 20 teams.  The field includes: Alabama (4), Arkansas (1), Florida State (67), Georgia (14), Illinois (12), Iowa (58), LSU (36), Mississippi State (34), Ohio State (20), Ole Miss (37), South Carolina (46), Southern Miss (57), Tennessee (9), Wake Forest (30), and Wisconsin (95). 

THE COURSE
The Tom Fazio-designed Fallen Oak opened in 2006 to rave reviews and debuted at No. 19 on Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses. Golfweek consistently ranks Fallen Oak as the best golf course “you can play” in Mississippi and for the 19th straight year, has named it the No. 2 Casino Course in the country, behind only sister-course Shadow Creek, also designed by Fazio. Fallen Oak is available exclusively to guests of Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. 

OF NOTE...
• Iowa led through the first 36 holes at the Inverness Intercollegiate before finishing in a tie for sixth place with an 872 total (283-289-300). The Hawkeyes were the only team under par following the first 18 holes.
• Second-year Bennett Warren notched the best finish of his collegiate career, tying for 19th place at the Inverness Intercollegiate on Sept. 13-15. He finished with a six-over par 219, which included a one-under par 71 in the second round. Warren posted career-low 219s in both fall tournaments.
• Fourth-year Maxwell Tjoa was the only Hawkeye to finish under par in all three rounds of the ANF Fall Classic, firing rounds of 71-69-69 en route to a seven-under par 209. He tied for fourth place in the tournament -- his sixth career top-10 showing.
• The Hawkeyes had four eagles during the two-day ANF Fall Classic, but it was second-year Bennett Warren who had the shot of the tournament. The Kansan had two eagles during the week to go along with his first ever albatross on the par five, 575-yard fourth hole during the final round.
• Third-year Jack McCarty tied for eighth at the Bluejay Invitational, competing as an individual. He had a career-best 65 in the first round -- a low round by a Hawkeye this season -- and finished tied for eighth in the tournament with a 54-hole total of 216.

GRANT SHINES IN SOUTH BEND
Third-year Grant Gudgel shined for the Hawkeyes at the Fighting Irish Classic on Oct. 4-5 in South Bend as he recorded the top finish of his collegiate career. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, native finished at or below par in all three rounds, finishing with a two-under 208 (68-70-70).
• Gudgel currently leads the team with a 71.22 scoring average over nine rounds with a pair of top 10 finishes. All nine of his rounds have counted toward Iowa’s team total this season.

ANF FALL CLASSIC TEAM CHAMPIONS
Iowa rallied from a 14-shot deficit following 36 holes to storm back and win the 2026 ANF Fall Classic on Sept. 9 at Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. The Hawkeyes fired a 15-under par 345 to claim the tournament title by four strokes over Western Kentucky.  It was Iowa’s first win in the event since 2022.
• During the final round, Iowa had all five of its golfers finish under par, as the team counted two 68s, two 69s and a 71 in the six-play, five count format. Three Hawkeyes finished in the top 10 with first-year Andrew Johannsen and fourth-year Maxwell Tjoa tying for fourth with seven-under par 209s, while third-year Grant Gudgel was tied for 10th with a 213.

WHAT A DEBUT
First-year Andrew Johannsen carded a four-under par 68 in his first collegiate round as a Hawkeye. The Johnston, Iowa, native matched his 68 in the final round, helping Iowa rally from a 14-stroke deficit to win the 2026 ANF Fall Classic.  He finished in a tie for fourth place in the event.
• Johannsen had the first round lead at the Inverness Intercollegiate after shooting an opening round 68. He notched his second top 20 finish, tying for 19th place with a 219 at the tournament.
• Through three tournaments, Johannsen has a 73.44 scoring average over nine rounds with two top 20 finishes.

STEADY MAX
Fourth-year Maxwell Tjoa has been the top Hawkeye in two of Iowa’s three fall events. He tied for fourth at the ANF Fall Classic with a seven-under par 209 with a pair of four-under par 68s.  He also led the team at the Inverness Intercollegiate, tying for 14th place with a 217 (70-74-73). 
• Tjoa, who is second on the team with a 72.00 scoring average over nine rounds, has finished in the top 20 twice this fall and in 10 tournaments in his career.  He has six career top 10 finishes.

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.

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 will send individuals to compete in the Zach Johnson Invitational on Oct. 19-20 in Des Moines. The event is the team’s final tournament of the fall season.