The Iowa State University men’s golf team claimed the fourth place prize at the final Big Eight men’s golf championship in Hutchinson, Kan., on April 22-23.

Head coach Dale Anderson was pleased with his team’s effort throughout the tournament.

“The team put up a gallant effort,” he said. “The championship was within our grasp and we just couldn’t get it done.”

Anderson said the team gained a lot of respect from other Big Eight coaches and players at the tournament.

“After the tournament, a lot of coaches and players came up to me and told me they had gained a lot of respect for this team,” the coach said.

The Cyclones were led on the course by junior Donnie Teeter. The Cyclone golfer posted a final card of 227 strokes en route to his 10th place finish.

“Donnie played perhaps his best tournament ever at Iowa State,” Anderson said. “The course is ranked among the top 20 in the world.”

Meanwhile sophomore Jason Knutzon continued to play well during the spring. Knutzon finished in a tie for 13th place overall after being in third place after the first 36 holes.

Knutzon shot rounds of 74-75-81 (230) to complete his role in the tournament.

“He did a good job, if he would have posted a little better final score, he may have had a chance to win the tournament,” Anderson said.

“The first day saw winds of up to 40 miles per hour.” the coach said.

Travis Korver managed to rebound after a slow start to the spring season.

The junior returned to form with his 83-76-73 (232) to finish in a tie for 18th place.

“He got his act back together,” Anderson said. “He put in two solid rounds of golf.”

The fourth Cyclone to participate was senior Chris Peterson.

Peterson managed to post a final card of 87-76-72 (235) to finish in a tie for the 22nd position in the individual standings.

The final Cyclone golfer was sophomore Corey Chambers with his 26th place finish. Chambers posted a 76-85-76 (237) to round out the Cyclone scoring.

Iowa State finished 14 strokes behind the tournament champion Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Cowboys managed to pull out the championship after a one-hole playoff with intrastate rival Oklahoma.

Both schools posted identical 18- 36- and 54-hole scores to complete the tournament with 895 strokes.

“Oklahoma State is the No. 1 team in the country,” Anderson said. “So we played against the very best.”

The individual medalist honor was awarded to Cowboy senior Kris Cox with his 75-71-71 (217), good for a two-shot victory over Sooner freshman Chance Cozby at 219.

The third place trophy was awarded to Nebraska with its three- stroke advantage over the Cyclones (905-908).

The Cornhuskers were lead by Ryan Nietfeldt with his eighth place finish.

The Kansas Jawhawks were able to take fifth place in the team title chase.

Kansas was led by golfer Slade Adams and his fourth place finish, just four strokes behind Cox.

Kansas St. followed its intrastate rivals with a sixth place finish. The Wildcats took 927 strokes to complete the tournament, nine strokes behind Kansas.

Troy Halterman continued to lead the Wildcat charge with his seventh place finish and 224-stroke total.

Colorado and Missouri battled each other for the Big Eight cellar.

The Buffaloes managed to find themselves in seventh place by two strokes.

John Douma’s 233-stroke card paced the Colorado squad.

Meanwhile, the Tigers found themselves in eighth place as a team. Jason Schultz finished in a tie for 13th position on the individual scoreboard with his 230-stroke card.

The Cyclones will return to action at the Drake Relays in Des Moines.

“We are going to take the same five,” Anderson said. “We need to beat Drake, and if we do, we will win the tournament.”

“Drake is a good team,” the coach said. “They had never beaten me before this season.”

“We need it in order to help us go to regionals at the university course in Ann Arbor, Mich.”

“I feel like we have a good chance to play in post-season,” he said. “We have finally begun to step it up another notch and hopefully we can carry that on to post-season.”