INDEPENDENCE, Minn. -- In a bounce-back third round at the Gopher Invitational, the University of Iowa men’s golf team carded a team-best, final-round 289 (+5) at Windsong Farm Golf Club on Monday.
Led by senior Alex Schaake’s tied-for-seventh finish at even-par (213), the Hawkeyes tied for 12th with a 54-hole score of 881 (+29). It marks Schaake’s 10th top-10 finish of his career.
“Today was an improvement in many respects,” head coach Tyler Stith said. “Conditions worsened and we had the best team score (five-under-par) at the turn. We bounced back, handled the tough weather conditions fairly well, and showed a glimpse of our potential.”
Iowa’s first round got off to a sizzling start on the back nine with seven birdies and one eagle in the first four holes.
Schaake eagled the par-five 12th hole and followed it up with a birdie on hole 13. Senior Benton Weinberg, sophomore Gonzalo Leal Montero, and freshman Garrett Tighe each posted back-to-back birdies over the first four holes.
Schaake picked up where he left off last season, climbing 20 spots on the leaderboard in the final round to tie for eighth place with a 54-hole total of 213 (E; 72, 72, 69). The senior from Omaha, Nebraska, recorded eight birdies and was one of only nine players in the 70-player tournament to record an eagle.
Leal Montero and junior Joe Kim both carded final-round 76s (+5) to tie for 44th at nine-over-par (245).
Freshman Garrett Tighe fired his lowest 18-hole score (73) as a Hawkeye in the final round, and senior Benton Weinberg shot an even-par 71 in his final round.
Nationally-ranked Baylor and Texas A&M finished one and two in the tournament.
IOWA SCORECARD
T-12
Iowa
291
301
270
+24
881
T-8
Alex Schaake
72
72
69
E
213
T-44
Gonzalo Leal Montero
69
77
76
+9
222
T-44
Joe Kim
75
71
76
+9
222
T-62
Benton Weinberg
75
81
71
+14
227
70
Garrett Tighe
83
83
73
+26
239
HEAR FROM COACH STITH
“Windsong (Farm Golf Club) is a challenge in good weather. When you add wind and rain, it’s unforgiving. This tournament was a setback, but we must look at the big picture. All of our pre-season goals are still attainable. We can get back on track this week in Cedar Rapids.”
OF NOTE
- Iowa’s third-round 18-hole total (289) was its best of the tournament and sixth best third-round score in the tournament.
- Four of Iowa’s five golfers posted their best 18-hole rounds of the tournament today.
UP NEXT
Iowa hosts the 11th annual Golfweek Conference Challenge, Sept. 15-17, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the Cedar Rapids Country Club. Admission is free to the public.