Iowa men’s golfers Carson Shaake, Nate Yankovich, and Sam Meuret will compete in the U.S. Amateur Championship at the Atlantic Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia, starting on Aug. 11.

The tournament is one of the most prestigious event for amateurs in the sport, and the top two finishers earn a spot to play in the Masters the following spring.

“This is the biggest amateur tournament you can play in,” sophomore Shaake said. “If I can make it into match play, I’m going to be tough to beat.”

He won the Waterloo Open Amateur Section this summer, but for the Omaha native, the stakes are much higher for the upcoming tournament.

“My short game needs to be on point if I’m going to take down some of the top dogs at the U.S. Amateurs,” Shaake said.

Hawkeye sophomore Raymond Knoll is the first alternate for the championship, creating a scenario in which four Hawkeyes could potentially be playing for a shot at the Masters.

— by Charles Green