Iowa City Today

The University of Iowa men’s golf team began their participation at the Fallen Oak Collegiate in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Saturday. The Hawkeyes completed the first round at five-over-par and are currently tied for 11th place among the teams competing.

Each member of the Iowa lineup—Max Tjoa, Grant Gudgel, Bennett Warren, Gage Messingham, and Chance Rinkol—shot a one-over-par 73 on the opening day. Junior Max Tjoa and redshirt freshman Grant Gudgel both started strong with three-under 33s on their first nine holes, each making three birdies early in the round.

Freshman Bennett Warren also had a notable start by birdieing three of his first six holes on the back nine and finished with a one-over 73. Senior Gage Messingham shot even-par on the front nine before closing with a 37 on the back to end his round at 73. Sophomore Chance Rinkol played steadily throughout both sides of the course to finish with an identical score.

The Hawkeyes will continue play in Biloxi on Sunday for the tournament's second round.

Looking ahead, Finkbine Golf Course—the home venue for Iowa’s men’s and women’s golf teams—is scheduled for a major renovation after the current season. The project will be overseen by architect Scott Hoffman and managed by Troon. It aims to update the course layout, improve playability across skill levels, and introduce sustainable turf practices. Funding comes from Fritz and Mary Lee Duda. The renovation is intended to help establish Finkbine as a leading collegiate golf facility in the Midwest.

During the 2025 season, head coach Tyler Stith led Iowa through 11 tournaments held in eight states and included an international trip. The team achieved three top-five finishes: third place at both the Purdue Fall Invitational and Hawkeye Invitational. At their home event—the Hawkeye Invitational—Iowa set program records with a second-round team score of 275 and an overall 54-hole total of 857. Individual performances included career-best rounds from Max Tjoa (66) and Gage Messingham (67), with Tjoa's score ranking him twentieth all-time for Iowa's lowest individual rounds. The team also placed fourth at the Gopher Invitational and eighth at the Fighting Irish Classic. Academically, Iowa men’s golf recorded the highest GPA among all Iowa men's athletic teams.

For next season, Iowa adds two newcomers: Grant Gudgel joins after redshirting at Oklahoma State last year; he was recognized as an honorable mention Rolex Junior All-American in high school, won an Oklahoma state title, and helped Team USA to third place at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in 2023. Freshman Bennett Warren comes to Iowa as Kansas’ top-ranked junior golfer and was ranked No. 60 nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard.

Returning players include Max Tjoa, who achieved several top-25 finishes during the past season and recorded a career-low round of 66 at The Hawkeye Invite; Gage Messingham, who opened last season with strong results including multiple top-25 finishes and a personal best round; Chance Rinkol, who was named Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree; Ryan Shellberg, who participated in six tournaments; and Jack McCarty, who redshirted last season.