The Iowa men’s golf team opened up its 2025 season with an eighth-place finish at the Knoxville Collegiate on Sept. 5-7.
During the first round of the tournament, third-year player Max Tjoa shined with a two-under par performance that included six birdies. First-year player Grant Grudgel made his Hawkeye debut and carded Iowa’s second-best score at 71. One stroke behind Grudgel was fellow first-year Bennett Warren at 72. Warren, who hails from Olathe, Kansas, birdied his first hole as a Hawkeye.
Second-year Chance Rinkol finished with a 76 and fourth-year Gage Messingham slotted a 78 to even out the lineup.
“Max played a very solid round of golf. He’s playing with a lot of confidence and it showed today,” head coach Tyler Stith told Iowa athletics. “As a team we were one score away from a pretty decent round. We made far too many bogies considering the soft conditions.”
The Hawkeyes finished the first day of the tournament six-over par and tied for 13th place.
Iowa posted an improved second round performance as it climbed seven spots to conclude the day at sixth place.
Messingham bounced back with an exceptional three-under par 67 that included an eagle on the 13th hole. Warren also finished under par, carding a 69 and two birdies on the back nine.
Tjoa and Grudgel both posted an even 70 with Tjoa leading the team in birdies for the day at four. Rinkol posted a 74, a two-stroke improvement from his first round score.
“Much better team performance today. We played through rain all day and the guys showed a lot of toughness. I’m proud of how Gage responded,” Stith said. “He didn’t have his typical ball striking in round one but he competed. He proved he can play and score without hitting it great.”
Tjoa held the team-best score of 71 in the final round of the tournament as the Hawkeyes placed eighth at 18-over par. A three-time first-team All-State nod at Cedar Falls High School, Tjoa finished tied for 10th place at two-over par and holed in 14 birdies over the weekend.
Rinkol shot Iowa’s next-best score at 72 that included two birdies in the back nine. Grudgel carded a 76 to place 43rd and Warren shot a 77 to place 49th in their first tournament as Hawkeyes. Messingham also finished with a 77 and placed 64th on the leaderboard.
“We were in position but failed to convert any putts,” Stith said. “That was the story today, we didn’t putt well enough to save pars or convert birdie chances and we let a few teams catch us that shouldn’t have. Credit to the guys for battling on the back nine. Their effort saved us a few spots.”
The host team Tennessee won the tournament with a 19-under par performance to take down defending-champion LSU.
The Hawkeyes will head to Chicago for their next match to take part in the Highlands Invitational on Sept. 15-16.