Rutgers University
Big Ten Championships
Men's Golf Completes Best-Ever 4th-Place Finish at Big Ten Championships
May 03 | Men's Golf
Scarlet Knights Finish Strong, Led by Espenshade
NORTH PLAINS, Ore. – Rutgers men's golf closed out the 2025–26 Big Ten Championships on Sunday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Witch Hollow Course) with a strong final-round performance, securing the best finish in program history at the event.
The Scarlet Knights fired their best round of the week, carding a 2-under par team score on Sunday to climb the leaderboard and finish fourth overall at 10-over par. The result surpasses the program's previous best Big Ten finish of sixth place, set during the 2019–20 season.
"I think the biggest takeaway for me is just how special this group is," head coach Rob Shutte said. "They had a lot of different opportunities this year, some that didn't go our way, but also a lot of success. We had four different Big Ten Players of the Week, and we knew we had it in us to put it all together."
Rutgers was the only team in the field to have all five players compete in all three rounds, with each finishing inside the top 40 individually.
"It really speaks to the culmination of the whole year," Shutte said. "We've been close, with individual success but not quite that big team result. For it to come together in a conference this strong—it shows this wasn't a fluke. This is who this team is, and they earned that fourth-place finish."
Sophomore Bennett Espenshade led the charge with a stellar 4-under par 66, Rutgers' low round of the day. He capitalized on scoring opportunities throughout the round, propelling himself into the top 10 individually and providing a key boost in the team's final push. Espenshade finished the event tied in 9th place.
"The game felt great today," Espenshade said. "I finally made a few putts and felt like I strung it all together at the end. I put some good golf together this week, and it feels good heading into the summer."
"He brought the juice," Shutte said. "All year, you see the talent—tee to green, putting, short game—and you know he's capable of being in that top tier in this conference. He wasn't afraid of the moment. From the first tee, he was ready, wanted the pressure, and went right at it."
Senior Luke Koenig and sophomore Argyle Downes each contributed rounds of 1-over par 71, delivering steady play to support the team's counting score.
"I was just trying to stay consistent and patient," Downes said of his second career Big Ten Championship. "I just wanted to do the best for the team and help out in any way I could."
Freshman Lucas Politano added an even-par 70, rounding out Rutgers' top four with a composed effort, while graduate student Jeffrey Zatorski posted a 4-over par 74.
"It's kind of crazy the way this year flew by," Zatorski said. "I was a little nervous on the first day, but it was fun, and I am proud of our program's best finish."
"The Big Tens lived up to everything we talked about throughout the entire season," Koenig said. "We represented the program really well today."
Politano and Koenig both finished at (+4) tied for 23rd place. Downes and Zatorski both finished at (+7), tied for 40th place.
"I got off to a great start in the first round," Politano said. "I played solid in the second round. I didn't have my best stuff, but I grinded my way out. It's great to get my feet wet in the Big Ten Championship."
"When you have all five guys in the top 40, it shows your depth," Shutte said. "Argyle battled even without his best stuff, Lucas got off to a great start and looked ready for the moment, and Luke came up clutch late in what could be his final college event. Everyone contributed, and that's what got us here."
Rutgers finished at 10-over par in a competitive Big Ten field, with UCLA claiming the team title after holding off a late charge from Illinois.
"It's tough to see Luke and Jeffrey move on, but we're really excited about the future," Shutte said. "These younger guys have gained a lot of experience, especially on a stage like the Big Ten Championships."
The Scarlet Knights close the Big Ten 2025–26 campaign with momentum, highlighted by a historic performance at the conference championships.
Players Mentioned
