University of Minnesota Athletics
Former Gophers Advancing Through Q-School
11/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Seven former University of Minnesota golfers - Victor Almstrom, Bronson La'Cassie, James McLean, Clayton Rask, Wilhelm Schauman, Justin Smith and Niall Turner are finding success in the early rounds of the European PGA Tour Qualifying tournament and the PGA Tour Qualifying School, respectively.
Schauman and Smith were in the lineup when the Gophers secured the 2002 National Title while Almstrom, La'Cassie, Clayton Rask and Niall Turner were all part of the 2006 Gopher team that finished third at the NCAA Championships.
Almstrom, Schauman and McLean have qualified for the second stage of the European PGA Tour Qualifying tournament while La'Cassie, Rask, Smith and Turner have advanced to the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School. Each tournament has three stages. The second state of the U.S. Q-School will take place on Nov. 17-21 while the European Q-School second stage is scheduled for Nov. 20-23.
Almstrom, who won the Giant Open in his professional debut, played in 45 tournaments in his career at the U and finished with a 74.39 stroke average. As a senior, Almstrom was in the Gopher lineup for all of the team's 11 events, finishing second on the team with a 74.15 stroke average. He was named All-Big Ten First Team following his junior season and was named an All-American at the conclusion of his sophomore campaign.
La'Cassie, the only four-time All-American in Gopher history, has spent time on the Hooters Tour as well as the PGA Australasia Tour since turning pro following the 2007 collegiate golf season. He finished his Gopher career with a stroke average of 72.48, the second lowest in the history of the program. La'Cassie also holds the Gophers' third lowest single-season stroke average of 72.11, which he accomplished during the 2004-05 season.
McLean, the 1998 NCAA Individual Champion, is arguably the most decorated Gopher golfer in the history of the program. He holds virtually every individual record including the lowest 18-hole score (63 - May 9, 1999 at Wolverine Invite), the lowest 72-hole score (271 - May 27-30, 1998 at NCAA Championships), the top two single-season stroke averages (70.89 in 1998-99 & 71.39 in 1997-98) and the lowest career scoring average of 71.49 (1998-2000). McLean held a PGA Tour card from 2002-2005. He is one of only three former Gophers to obtain a PGA Tour card (Tom Lehman and Aaron Barber).
Rask, a four-time letterwinner at the University of Minnesota and a 2008 First Team All-Big Ten recipient, finished his Gopher career with a 74.47 stroke average. He recorded a stroke average of 72.94 as a senior, the 16th best single-season average in school history. He left Minnesota with records as well, as his 206 in the Windon Memorial Classic as a senior ties him for the fourth lowest 54-hole score in school history. Also, he shot 140 in the Administaff ASU Invitational as a senior, the second lowest 36-hole score in school history and shot 66 and 65 in back-to-back days of the aforementioned Windon Memorial, tying for the fifth and fourth lowest 18-hole score, respectively, in school history.
Schauman, a 2001 All-American, finished his Gopher career with a stroke average of 73.62, the seventh lowest average in school history. He led the Gophers during his sophomore season with an average of 72.19, the fourth lowest single-season average in school history. The native of Djursholm, Sweden, has previously held a European PGA card and has also spent time on the Hooters Tour.
Smith, a three-time All-American at Minnesota who cemented the Gopher's 2002 NCAA title, has played in six Nationwide Tour events this season, despite not having tour status at the beginning of the season, and has made the cut in all but one. He has put together three top 25 finishes, including a second place finish at the Miccosukee Championship on Oct. 18, and has amassed almost $80,000 in prize money. Smith has also spent time on the Hooters tour since his graduation from Minnesota in 2004.
Turner was named an All-American and First Team All-Big Ten following the 2006-07 season and finished his senior season with a scoring average of 72.95, which ranks in the top-20 all-time in the Gopher record books. A native of Cork, Ireland, Turner qualified for the last stage of the 2006 British Open qualifier prior to his senior season.
Players Mentioned
