Argyle Downes Named Big Ten Golfer of the Week
Feb 12 | Men's Golf
PALMAS DEL MAR, Puerto Rico – After leading Rutgers to a fifth-place finish at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate, sophomore Argyle Downes has been named Big Ten Golfer of the Week, the conference announced Thursday.
The Scarlet Knights opened the spring portion of their schedule with a strong showing at the Flamboyan Course in Humacao, finishing fifth in a competitive field. Rutgers posted a three-round total of 857 (-7) on the par-72 coastal layout, finishing ahead of nine teams and trailing only Wake Forest (-26), TCU (-20), Southern Illinois (-15), and UNCG (-11).
Downes paced the Scarlet Knights with a third-place individual finish, carding rounds of 71, 68 and 70 to close at 7-under-par (209). Downes recorded 48 of 54 holes at or below par, highlighted by 13 birdies and a stretch of 26 holes played bogey-free. He remained steady throughout the tournament, managing challenging coastal conditions while capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
"I hit the ball well from tee to green, and that gave me a lot of birdie putts and helped me keep the scorecard clean," Downes said. "I tried to stay really present and not think too much. I came in with a good game plan and stuck to it no matter what was going on."
"Argyle was just so consistent throughout the tournament," head coach Rob Shutte said. "Through the first two rounds, he only had one bogey. He was patient, put the ball in play, and was great with his putter. His maturity has been impressive, especially in how he's learning to control the golf ball."
Downes capped his week with a composed finish on the final hole to secure his place among the tournament leaders.
"On the last hole I was coming off a birdie, and I hit a really good tee shot to stay in the top five," Downes said. "Luke was waiting for me to finish so he could make his putt on a par 3, and that really pumped me up."
The weekly conference honor marks the first of Downes' career and provides strong momentum for Rutgers heading deeper into the spring season.
Rutgers returns to action at the Colleton River Collegiate in Bluffton, South Carolina.
"We have a really good team, and when it all clicks at the same time, I think we can compete with anyone," Downes said. "It's going to be a great spring season."
Downes' recognition adds to a historic year for Rutgers men's golf. He becomes the fourth Scarlet Knight to earn Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors this season, joining Luke Koenig, Lucas Politano and Jeffrey Zatorski, who were each recognized earlier this year.
It marks the first time in program history that four different Scarlet Knights have received the conference's weekly honor in the same season — a testament to the depth, balance and consistency of Rutgers' lineup throughout the year.
Players Mentioned
