The Iowa State Men’s golf team will make the short trip to West Des Moines, Iowa, to participate in the Zach Johnson Invitational Monday and Tuesday.

The tournament marks the third outing for the team for the 2023-24 season. The Cyclones’ prior tournament appearances were at the Hawkeye Invitational and the Gopher Invitational earlier in September, where they finished first and 10th respectively.

The Hawkeye Invitational saw the Cyclones take first place in a field of 13 teams. The team opened its season shooting 860 to beat out Iowa by two strokes.

So far, sophomore Paul Beauvy and junior Luke Gutschewski showed promise and talent after two solid performances to open the season. Both players were a big part of Iowa State’s win at the Hawkeye Invitational.

Gutschewski was first on the team with Beauvy hanging close behind. Gutschewski shot eight-under-par to take third place overall, while Beauvy took ninth place.

The Cyclones slipped a little at the Gopher Invitational, tying for 10th in a field of 14. The team shot 276 in the second round of the tournament, which was the lowest score of the event, but it was not enough to overcome the other days of competition.

Beauvy and Gutschewski again led the Cyclones. Beauvy was on top, placing 18th, while Gutschewski placed 31st.

The Zach Johnson Invitational, hosted by Drake University, boasts an impressive roster of teams, including reigning back-to-back Zach Johnson Invitational title holders, North Dakota State. This will also be the Cyclones’ second meeting with the Drake University team this season.

The event will be hosted over two days, starting Monday morning and concluding Tuesday. With Iowa State’s prior performances, the two-day tournament stands as proving grounds for the Iowa State golf team.

A solid performance, such as the second round of the Gopher Invitational, will spell success for the team. However, if shades of the first round of the same tournament show up, the Cyclones may be in for a tough finish.