The Iowa men’s golf team will open its season at the Golden Gopher Invitational in Minneapolis on Sunday at the Spring Hill Golf Club.

The Hawkeyes will try to improve upon a strong finish to the 2011-12 season, in which the squad placed first in the Hawkeye-Great River Invitational and placed in the top half of the Big Ten in the conference championships. Iowa also finished in 22nd place at the NCAA meet in May.

The Hawkeyes enter the season with three golfers named to the Big Ten men’s golf players to watch list: sophomores Ian Vandersee and Joseph Winslow and junior Steven Ihm.

Winslow earned All-American honors last season, becoming the sixth golfer in program history to do so. He placed 13th at the NCAA championships. He competed in five competitions last season, finishing with a 75.13 stroke average.

Vandersee, a full-time starter as a freshman last season, earned all-region honors. His 74.9 stroke average helped the Hawkeyes earn a berth in the NCAA championship.

Ihm was named second team All-Big Ten last year during his first season with the Black and Gold. He transferred from Indian Hills Community College and joined the lineup immediately as a starter.

The Hawkeyes will start at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 9 with a shotgun start. The final round will take place at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 10.