Iowa sophomore Carson Schaake has taken a step forward in his second season as a college golfer, leading the Hawks in the Hawkeye Great-River Entertainment Invitational over the weekend.

Schaake’s 6-under-par at Finkbine was not only an example of how well he is playing, but also how he got there.

He finished tied for fourth after shooting a 71 in the final round on Sunday, but he made his major move on the leaderboard in the second round on April 18. His 66 tied for the second-best round at the event and the best among Iowa players.

With the cooperation of Mother Nature holding off rain, Schaake was able to put himself in good position on the fairways.

“On this course, it’s key to hit good drives; it’s a first-shot course, and if you can hit it in the fairway you can have a lot of wedges to the greens,” he said. “I was hitting the driver pretty good all week. I didn’t hit it left all week, so I really knew where the ball was going.”

Once in position, his performance certainly was aided by the presence of assistant coach Dan Holterhaus, who walked the course with Schaake on both days.

“I know I played well, but I still have a lot to improve on, and one of those things is my maturity,” Schaake said. “Picking right clubs at right times; there were three or four shots this weekend where I didn’t pick the right one, and it led to bogeys or one shot fewer. Coach Dan helped with a lot of that, and I felt like when he was with me, I didn’t make as many mistakes as when I’m by myself.”

For a player who prides himself on his power and being aggressive, Schaake’s patience and course management impressed Holterhaus.

“I saw him do a lot of the same things he does in practice every day. He’s creative on the course and he likes to hit different shots,” Holterhaus said. “But I thought he stayed patient out there, took it one shot at a time, and it paid off for him. He had a nice week.”

Holterhaus said he primarily is there to instill confidence and support, but Schaake gave him credit for advising him on numerous occasions over the weekend. As far as head coach Tyler Stith is concerned, mission accomplished.

“Some coaches sit at the par 3s, but I sometimes like to be at the par 5s,” Stith said.

Although Holterhaus played down his contribution, he did exactly what a staff is there to do, and Schaake’s impressive performance is likely no coincidence. They can dole out the credit upon returning to the clubhouse, but on this particular weekend, they made a great team.