The Iowa men’s and women’s golf teams have both played two tournaments and have left room for improvement.
The women’s team finished middle of the pack in both of its events, placing sixth and seventh out of 14 teams in tournaments in West Lafayette, Indiana, and Madison, Wisconsin.
The answer to the Iowa women’s golf team’s struggles is simple: Ximena Benites.
Benites is a third-year player and has ample talent and potential to lead this squad. Last season, Benites averaged 74.81, second on the team behind former Hawkeye Paula Miranda. If Benites can shoot even a little better, there is no doubt she can be a top golfer in the Big Ten.
Benites opened up her 2025 season with a 69 in round one of the Boilermaker Classic, which tied her career-low. Since then, Benites has still shot solid scores but has yet to break 70 since. Shooting in the 60s is no easy feat, but is definitely within the realm of possibility for a player of Benites’ caliber.
Third-year Maura Peters is another factor to lift the Hawkeyes. Peters is coming off a ninth-place performance at the Badger Invitational, where she also tied her career-low of 69. Peters currently holds the hottest hand on the team, and if she can continue her great play, the whole team will benefit as a result.
The Iowa women’s team’s next tournament is the Diane Thomason Invitational at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes won this tournament last season, and a tournament with home field advantage is the perfect formula for starting the spark for the rest
of the season.
The Iowa men’s golf squad has also competed placed eighth twice this year.The Hawkeyes’ first tournament was the Knoxville Collegiate, where third-year Max Tjoa shined. In the first round, Tjoa carded a 67. Tjoa ended up placing tenth on the leaderboard and ended the weekend two-over par. His first three semesters saw he played in all but one tournament, and last spring his stroke average was 73.06, ranking him No. 26 in program history since 1991-92.
Another way the Iowa men’s golf team can improve is if fourth-year Gage Messingham can get back to his old ways. Messingham is in his second year at Iowa after transferring from Northern Colorado. During his second year in Greeley, Messingham was named the Big Sky Player of the Year and was first-team all-conference. So far this season, Messingham hasn’t posted his usual statistics. Messingham’s highlight of the year came in the second round of the Highland Invitational where he shot a 67.
Messingham also has two eagles on the year, the only player on the team to have one. The past numbers are there to prove Messingham is an elite golfer — he just needs to show it this season. The Iowa men’s golf team has a long break and will compete in the Fighting Irish Classic in South Bend, Indiana, on Oct. 6-7 — marking the next opportunity for improvement this fall season.