The Iowa men’s golf team claimed the team title at the Big Four Match-Play tournament on Feb. 4 in Chandler, Ariz., with victories over Drake and Iowa State.

The Hawkeyes defeated Drake in the first round, 5-1, with sophomore Steven Ihm posting the low score of 69 (2 under). Barrett Kelpin, Chris Brant, Brad George, and Joseph Winslow also claimed victories for the Black and Gold.

Iowa then squeaked by Iowa State in the finals of the annual exhibition event, which features the four Division-I programs in the state. The Hawkeyes and Cyclones each won three matches, but Iowa’s total score in the final round was six shots better than Iowa State’s to send the team title to Iowa City. George and Ihm led the Hawkeyes in the second round with 5-under scores of 66, with Winslow adding the third Iowa victory. Five of Iowa’s six golfers finished with under-par rounds against the Cyclones.

Iowa head coach Mark Hankins said the team’s performance will help the Hawkeyes entering next weekend’s Big Ten Match-Play, which will be held in Bradenton, Fla.

"We had some real positives today, and some guys shot some low numbers in a competitive situation," Hankins said in a release. "It helped us identify some of our weaknesses as we move forward to our next competition."

— by Ryan Murphy