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Repeat the Feat D By Brady Johnson ays after winning the Hawkeye-Great River Entertainment Invitational, University of Iowa junior Steven Ihm told members of the media he felt that he could win any tournament no matter the field. won the Indiana Sesquicentennial Invitational and the Northern Intercollegiate in consecutive tournaments in 1970. The Peosta, Iowa, native turned around and won the Boilermaker Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind., the following week. Ihm became the first Hawkeye to win back-to-back medalist honors in stroke play tournaments since Brad Schuchat in 1970. While the past two tournaments were Ihm's first victories of the season, he has been hot all year. Ihm has provided Iowa's top individual finish in 7-of-8 tournaments this season and has a teamhigh four top-10 finishes. It's only getting better for Ihm, as he has played eight of his last nine rounds under par with a total of 14 below par rounds this season. "Steven took care of his golf ball this week, he played patient, confident golf and let his rounds His assessment of confidence turned out to be spot come to him," said Hankins. "Back-to-back wins is on. a great accomplishment." "Winning a tournament is a great thing for your confidence," said Ihm, a second-team All-Big Ten selection last season. "It's definitely a special feeling Through 24 rounds this season, Ihm has to win a tournament, and to do that back-to-back maintained a 71.96 stroke average, which is the is really neat." third-best in the Big Ten. He ranks 46th in the Golfstat Cup Standing. Ihm won the first Division I tournament of his career in front of a hometown crowd at the Ihm's brilliant play has paid dividends for the Hawkeye-Great River Entertainment Invitational. Hawkeyes. Iowa placed second by one stroke in the He shared co-medalist honors with Chris Gilbert Hawkeye-Great River Entertainment Invitational of Kansas with a 54-hole score of 211 (-5). He with a 54-hole tally of 868 (+4). Iowa won its first fired three under rounds to top the 65-man field, tournament of the season at Purdue, sharing the leading the tournament in birdies made (16). Boilermaker Invitational title with Louisville with a three-round score of 878 (+14). The Hawkeyes then traveled to a large field at the 18-team Boilermaker Invitational, where Ihm was The Hawkeyes have a spring stroke average of able to repeat the feat. He shot an identical score 289.33, which is six strokes better than its fall to the previous week, 211 (-5), to share medalist stroke average. Thanks in large part to Ihm's efforts, honors with Louisville's Robin Sciot-Siegrist. the Hawkeyes are entering the postseason riding a Again, Ihm played all three rounds under par. wave of momentum. Ihm became the ninth Hawkeyes to win medalist honors under head coach Mark Hankins, and is the first player to win back-to-back medalist honors in a stroke play tournament since Schuchat Iowa opened postseason play with the Big Ten Championships held at the renowned Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Ind. Ihm placed 20th at the 2012 Big Ten Championships. 21