Iowa golf programs conclude fall seasons

The Hawkeye men ended their fall slate in North Carolina while the women finished in the Bahamas.

Iowas+Mac+McClear+drives+the+ball+during+the+mens+golf+Hawkeye+Invitational+on+Saturday%2C+April+17%2C+2021+at+Finkbine+Golf+Course.

Hannah Kinson

Iowa’s Mac McClear drives the ball during the men’s golf Hawkeye Invitational on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at Finkbine Golf Course.

Chris Werner, Sports Reporter


The Iowa men’s and women’s golf teams each closed out their fall seasons earlier this week.

The Hawkeye men tied for ninth place at the Williams Cup in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the women took seventh at the White Sands Invitational in the Bahamas.

Junior golfer Mac McClear led the Hawkeye men, finishing with a 4-over-par 220 to notch a tie for 23rd on the individual leaderboard. McClear fired rounds of 73, 73, and 74.

One week after the first GolfStat player rankings of the season were released, 18th-ranked Hawkeye Ronan Kleu carded a 10-over-par three-round total of 226, for 42nd individually. His rounds of 75, 77, and 74 on the par-72 course marked the only time he shot over par in the fall.

The Hawkeyes ended the fall with a 31-over-par team score of 895 to end the fall. Williams Cup host North Carolina took the victory in the inaugural tournament — named after longtime Tar Heels men’s basketball coach Roy Williams.

The Tar Heels shot a combined score of 17-under-par 847, with three of five players occupying the top five spots. Every North Carolina golfer was inside the top-16.

Georgia’s Trent Phillips earned individual medalist honors at 15-under-par.

RELATED: Iowa golf programs hit the road for final fall events

On the women’s side, sophomore Klara Wildhaber led the Hawkeyes individually for the first time this fall. She finished in a tie for 17th with a 5-over-par total of 221.

Freshman Paula Miranda and senior Manuela Lizarazu finished eight shots behind Wildhaber, in a tie for 31st.

Lizarazu and Miranda each played their best in round three while Wildhaber slid down the leaderboard.

Lizarazu, a senior from Bogota, Colombia, played her final 18 holes of the fall in 2-under-par-70 — her best round since fall 2019.

Lizarazu posted four birdies and two bogies to vault up five spots in the leaderboard. Miranda fired a 1-over-par 73 in the final round after 79 and 77 showings to begin the event.

Wildhaber finished with a four-over par- 76 to fall from ninth to 17th on the last day.

“I was very pleased with Manuela and Paula’s strong play on the last day,” head coach Megan Menzel said in a release following the event. “They both battled through a tough couple of days and found a way to finish strong. Klara did not have the game she wanted today, but has gained momentum each event this fall, she is a key player for us this spring.”

Iowa fired a 44-over-par 908 team score, while Campbell took home the team title in the Bahamas. The Camels shot an 11-under-par final round to finish the event at 10-under-par, four shots clear of Nebraska.

Host Miami carded a 13-under-par final round to finish third in the team standings — four shots behind the Cornhuskers.

The Iowa women will begin the spring season Jan. 31- Feb. 1 at the Big Ten Match Play Championships in Palm Harbor, Florida.

The men’s team has yet to release its spring slate.