Rutgers Golfer Argyle Downes Named Big Ten Golfer of the Week Following Top Finish
In this story:
The 2025–26 season is quickly turning into a historic ride for Rutgers men’s golf. Who's topping that? The sophomore Argyle Downes, who has just added another headline moment. On Thursday, the Big Ten Conference named Downes the Big Ten Golfer of the Week. It marks the first time the standout from Charles Town, West Virginia, has earned the conference’s weekly individual honor.
Rutgers Golfer Argyle Downes Locking in a Breakthrough Performance
Downes becomes the fourth different Scarlet Knight to receive the Big Ten’s weekly award this season. He joined teammates Luke Koenig, Lucas Politano, and Jeffrey Zatorski.
Argyle Downes is the Big Ten Golfer of the Week following his 3rd-place performance in Puerto Rico. Argyles is the 4th Scarlet Knight to win the award this season, a program record.📈🥤
— Rutgers Mens Golf (@RUMensGolf) February 12, 2026
🔗: https://t.co/z0pjuVxm9y pic.twitter.com/nKpuUc1pjz
It is the first time in Rutgers program history that four different players have earned the conference’s weekly honor in the same season. The recognition comes on the heels of an exceptional showing at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
Competing on the par-72 Flamboyan Course, Rutgers opened its spring schedule with a fifth-place finish in a highly competitive field. The Scarlet Knights posted a three-round total of 857 (-7), finishing ahead of nine other programs. Only nationally recognized teams Wake Forest (-26), TCU (-20), Southern Illinois (-15), and UNCG (-11) finished higher.
Downes powered the Scarlet Knights with a third-place individual finish. He carded rounds of 71, 68, and 70 to close at 7 under par (209). On a coastal layout where conditions can shift quickly and demand focus, his composure never wavered.
His statistical profile over the three rounds was impressive and precise. He recorded 48 of 54 holes at or below par. He tallied 13 birdies across the tournament. He also strung together an incredible 26-hole bogey-free stretch.
With that, the athlete capped his week with a composed finish on the 18th hole. And he locked in his place near the top of the leaderboard, cementing his status as one of the premier young golfers in the Big Ten.
Argyle Downes arrived at Rutgers in the fall of 2024 with an already decorated resume. He was the number one-ranked player in West Virginia according to the Junior Golf Scoreboard and a two-time WVGA Boys Player of the Year.
His prep career featured an Individual PAISAA State Championship in 2023 and the 2024 West Virginia Junior Amateur title. He entered college golf with expectations, and he has steadily met them.
As a freshman in 2024–25, Downes posted a 74.16 tournament stroke average. He recorded five rounds below par and two rounds in the 60s, showing flashes of high-level potential. Now, in his sophomore campaign, that potential is turning into production.
Get to Know Argyle Downes
Before his breakthrough in Puerto Rico, Downes had already secured top-25 finishes at the Canadian Intercollegiate and the Quail Valley Collegiate. The third-place finish at Palmas del Mar elevated him to another level and brought his first Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor.
With Downes joining Koenig, Politano, and Zatorski as weekly honorees, Rutgers has achieved something it has never done before. Four different players earning Big Ten Golfer of the Week recognition in the same season is a clear signal that this team is not built around just one star. It is built on balance.
Beyond the scorecards and trophies, Downes brings personality to the lineup. He is the son of Ray and Dawnyielle Downes. He is a fan of the movie The Wolf of Wall Street and enjoys listening to J. Cole’s "Love Yourz".
On the course, he has already recorded two career holes-in-one. Off the course, he enjoys lobster mac and cheese and prefers playing on coastal layouts. This makes his Puerto Rico performance feel even more fitting.
The Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor gives Rutgers another surge of confidence heading into the heart of the spring schedule. The performance in Puerto Rico showed that the Scarlet Knights can compete with nationally recognized programs. The weekly award confirms that they also have individual talent capable of shining on the biggest stages.
Next up is the Colleton River Collegiate in Bluffton, South Carolina. With momentum from Puerto Rico and a historic run of conference recognition behind them, Rutgers enters the next stretch of competition energized and focused.
More from Rutgers on SI
Stay up to date on the Scarlet Knights by bookmarking Rutgers On SI.
Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.