Big 12 Championships Up Next For Cyclones

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State men's golf team is gearing up for the 2017 Big 12 Championships (April 24-26) at the Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.

It's been a banner year for the Cyclone linksters. ISU has claimed three tournament titles and finished runner-up twice to help the team to earn a No. 46 national ranking by Golfweek.

The three tournament victories is the most by a Cyclone squad since 1996-97 and head coach Andrew Tank is excited to see how his group will perform in one of the toughest conference tournaments in the nation.

"I think the guys have worked really hard this year," Tank said. "We have a solid culture and I feel like the guys work together and push each other. We have had a great year, but I think there is still a lot left to achieve to get to our full potential as a team. It's been fun to see some of the rewards of our hard work with our victories throughout the year. Now is the time when you want to be playing your best golf and I think we are in a great position to go out and do that."

Prairie Dunes is one of the finest courses in the Midwest, playing host to its 12^th Big 12 Championship. The last time the conference meet was held at Prairie Dunes (2013), the course played at a par-70, 6,759 yards.

No current Cyclone was on the team in 2013, but senior Ruben Sondjaja has experienced the challenging layout. Sondjaja was a true freshman in 2014 when the Cyclones made their historic appearance at the NCAA finals at Prairie Dunes.

"Prairie Dunes is a great golf course with a championship layout," Tank said. "It's really a great opportunity for all of the players to be tested and it's something that we are looking forward to. I just think it's going to be a great championship. I think Ruben will be able to help the other guys learn a little bit about the course from what he remembers."

Sondjaja and Nick Voke, as seniors, will play in their fourth and final Big 12 Championship. The duo have played a major role in maintaining the success of the Cyclone program.

"Nick and Ruben are the foundation of the team really," Tank added. "They've emerged as leaders. They came in as freshman and they were ahead in terms of their maturity and leadership, but over their four years together, they've really contributed a lot and learned a lot. They see it as their duty to share their knowledge with the younger players."

Voke, who is rated No. 95 in the most recent Golfweek rankings, will end his career as one of the best in school history. His season stroke average (71.12) is on pace to be the best in school history and his 71.90 career scoring mark is tops in the Cyclone record book.

Voke, who is coming off a victory at the Hawkeye Invitational, has a chance to make Big 12 history this week. Voke has placed in the top-10 at the Big 12 Championship in each of his first three seasons as a Cyclone. Another top-10 showing at Prairie Dunes would give him four-straight, joining Texas' Jason Hartwick (2001-04) as the only two players in league history to make the Big 12 All-Tournament team four times.

Sondjaja's career stroke average is not far behind Voke, ranking third in school history at 72.75. Sondjaja has been a staple in ISU's lineup, competing in 144 rounds.

He is currently second on the team in stroke average (71.61) and top-10 finishes (3).

Junior Denzel Ieremia also provides the Cyclones a chance to contend for an upper-half finish this week. Ieremia, ranked 178th nationally by Golfweek, leads the team in top-10 finishes (4) and has a stroke average of 71.87.

Ieremia joined Voke and Sondjaja in the champions club earlier this season when he won medalist honors at the Pinetree Invitational with a 209 (71-65-73).

Despite its No. 46 national ranking, the Cyclones are the seventh-seed in the tournament. The Big 12 currently has five teams ranked in the top-15: No. 4 Baylor, No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 14 Texas and No. 15 Texas Tech

You can follow the live scoring of the Big 12 Championships at Golfstat.