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3M Open: Alex Gaugert usually caddies for his former Gophers teammate. This week, they’re playing partners

jace frederick, pioneer press
·5 min read

Alex Gaugert was considering skipping Monday’s 3M Open qualifier altogether. He stuck around after his good friend and former Gophers teammate Erik van Rooyen finished his final round at the Barracuda Championship on Sunday in Truckee, Calif., to watch his brother, Austin, caddie for Patrick Rodgers, who was the tournament leader.

Rodgers went on to lose in the first playoff hole, at which point Gaugert decided to try to catch his redeye, connecting flight back to Minnesota. But it was going to be close.

He sped to Sacramento and was indeed able to catch his flight to Seattle. That flight to Minneapolis was delayed and didn’t take off until about 3 a.m. Pacific Time. He landed at MSP International and exited the airport around 9 a.m., grabbing about two and a half hours of sleep on the flight. That left just enough time to race home to Edina, grab his clubs and head off to Victory Links in Blaine, where he hit 15 practice balls before starting his round.

He shot a 6-under-par 65 to earn a spot in a four-player playoff for three qualifying spots. On the first hole, one of Gaugert’s competitors made double bogey, while he made a routine par to secure his spot into this week’s PGA Tour event, the 3M Open.

“Playoff was pretty simple other than I felt like I couldn’t feel my legs,” Gaugert said. “It’s pretty cool. I was a little emotional (Monday) after it was all said and done and I got through.”

This week’s 3M Open — a home game — marks his first PGA Tour start after Monday marked his first Monday qualifier.

“One for one,” he joked.

His wife and kids will be supporting him from the ropes when the tournament tees off Thursday, as will his parents, who will make the trip from Lake Geneva, Wis. His brother Austin will be on his bag. And Alex’s usual “boss” and good friend, van Rooyen? Well, he’ll be just feet away throughout the first two rounds. The former University of Minnesota teammates are grouped together for the first two rounds — a nice touch from the 3M Open and PGA Tour.

“As college teammates, it’s kind of what we all talk about, getting to play the PGA Tour together, experiencing this, traveling together and playing practice rounds together,” van Rooyen said. “Now it’s kind of a reality. It’s super cool.”

Van Rooyen isn’t surprised by his caddie’s on-course success. The two played together at the U of M and then again on the Sunshine Tour, which is based in Africa. Van Rooyen played well enough there to continue to rise through the ranks.

And Gaugert?

“I played terrible,” he said.

Eventually, he got out of professional playing and joined van Rooyen’s bag full time. The two have experienced mass levels of success together, with van Rooyen once reaching the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings and winning on the PGA Tour in 2021.

Funnily enough, Gaugert’s game has improved, as well, while playing sparingly. Gaugert, who does play in a few Minnesota Golf Association events a year, said he tees it up maybe once every two weeks, and yet has been playing “the best golf of my life.” Van Rooyen gives Gaugert three shots when the two play together. But that’s proven to be too large of an advantage. Van Rooyen estimated he’s beaten Gaugert once or twice in the last 12 months.

“He’s playing the best golf I’ve ever seen him play, but I think it’s because it comes from a place of just pure enjoyment and having fun, so it’s really cool to see,” van Rooyen said. “He plays from a place of enjoyment and curiosity and love for the game. That’s why he’s playing better. It’s really cool.”

Van Rooyen and others often tell Gaugert how good he is, but he doesn’t necessarily believe them. Monday’s result proved to Gaugert himself that he does have some potential.

“I guess I am kind of OK,” he said. “I think you can learn so much from watching. And I think people learn in different ways. You can learn by watching, you can learn by listening, whether you go to a lesson and someone is telling you, or your learn first-hand. … I think I learn a lot from watching, and then just being able to apply that.”

Current Gophers assistant coach Robert Bell will be on van Rooyen’s bag this week. He was also a college teammate of van Rooyen and Gaugert.

Van Rooyen admitted he hopes he doesn’t accidentally ask Gaugert for a yardage number in the middle of his round. Gaugert will need to fight a similar urge.

“I’ve got to watch my words that I don’t give him any advice,” Gaugert joked.

Van Rooyen called this a “dream week,” and noted he’s trying to remember that he’s got a job to do himself, while also soaking in the experience with a close friend. He’s certain Gaugert can play well this week.

“I’m just going to enjoy this while it lasts. Keep playing, keep living life, keep smiling. I’m not too worried about playing in anything crazy. Just keep taking things day by day and keep learning and go from there,” Gaugert said. “I’d love to make the cut. But who knows what’s going to happen? Golf is so filled with fine margins. Who knows? I call it I’m the luckiest man in the world, but we’ll see what happens. Try my best, take off my tennies, go home and see my kids.”

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