Stars align, and former Gophers — boss and caddie — will play together at 3M Open

Don't be surprised if PGA Tour player Erik van Rooyen slips and asks playing partner Alex Gaugert for a yardage or a club Thursday.

"I hope I don't," van Rooyen said. "It might happen, but I don't think I'll do it."

Any other week on tour, the former Gophers teammates would be a golfer-caddie partnership, like the one that tied for sixth at Sunday's Barracuda Championship at Lake Tahoe.

Instead, they'll compete against each other within the same pairing Thursday and Friday during their first round together at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine.

Gaugert overcame a delayed red-eye flight, a race against the clock and ultimately a 4-for-3 playoff to advance from the Monday qualifier at nearby Victory Links for his first PGA Tour event.

"This is what we always dreamed about with the Gophers: Traveling, playing the PGA Tour together," said van Rooyen, a 33-year-old whose lone Tour victory came in the 2021 Barracuda with Gaugert on his bag. "Now it has all become a reality."

Gaugert's brother Austin will carry Alex's bag while another former college teammate, Gophers assistant coach Robert Bell, will caddie for van Rooyen. Veteran pro Ryan Moore is the third in their group that will play at 2 p.m. Thursday and 8:35 a.m. Friday.

"I better watch my words so I don't give him any advice," Gaugert said. "It's going to be fun."

Gaugert, 31, planned to stay and celebrate with his brother, who caddied for Patrick Rodgers on Sunday at the Barracuda. When Rodgers lost in a playoff to winner Akshay Bhatia, Gaugert hit the road for a long, fast drive to Sacramento, Calif., and a connecting flight through Seattle that was delayed until almost 3 a.m. He posted photos on social media of sleeping in the terminal, cap pulled down over one eye.

"I was surprised the plane took off," Gaugert said.

His flight landed at 8:39 a.m. He got his bags, went home to Edina for 20 minutes and arrived on course at 10:30 a.m. for an 11 a.m. tee time. He played only because he had accumulated enough points in the Minnesota PGA section to bypass pre-qualifying the week before.

"Hit 15 balls to warm up and go," he said.

Gaugert knows the TPC Twin Cities course well because his Gophers teams played there often, and he has caddied for van Rooyen during 3M Opens. He knew Victory Links only because he caddied three holes for tour player Ben Crane there last year.

"Expectations are a massive thing and I went in with zero expectations," Gaugert said.

He shot a 6-under-par 65 that tied him with three other players for the final three of four spots among a 65-player field. Australian Daniel Gale took the first qualifying spot by shooting a 60.

"The last two years is the best I've ever seen him play and it's because it comes from a place of pure enjoyment and love and curiosity to play the game," van Rooyen said. "He doesn't practice. What does he play? Twice a week, maybe."

Gaugert estimates he plays once every other week. When he plays with his boss, Gaugert gets 1.5 shots per side.

"I've beaten him once or twice in the last 12 months with those numbers," van Rooyen said. "I give him 1.5 every nine and he has trumped me every time."

When asked when it might be time to switch their roles, Gaugert laughed and said, "No, he's way better than me."

Van Rooyen replied, "It might become a reality after this week. We don't know. I would caddie for him in a heartbeat."

Gaugert's invitation left both men needing a caddie for this week. Gaugert summoned his brother. Van Rooyen playfully posted a Help Wanted of sorts on social media.

"I tweeted and I had a thousand applications coming in," van Rooyen said.

Gaugert's brother will be on his bag and his parents are coming from Lake Geneva, Wis.

"It's just a dream week, to be honest," said van Rooyen, from South Africa. "We're back in Minnesota. He lives here now. My in-laws are from here. My wife is from here, so it's a home away from home. It's a great week for both of us."