University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Compete at the Big ten Championships
4/26/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 26, 2012
Minnesota will travel to French Lick, Ind. for the Big Ten Championships. The event is taking place at the Pete Dye Course. Play will begin Friday and run thru Sunday. The event can be followed at golfstat.com.
Minnesota comes off a sixth place finish at the Hawkeye Classic in Iowa City, Iowa. The team shot a score of 884 (+20) at the 11-team tournament. It was a tournament that featured six Big Ten teams. The Gophers finish third among the Big Ten Teams in Iowa City.
In February, the team finished second at the Big Ten Matchplay event in Bradenton, Fla. The Gophers defeated Michigan, Illinois, and Purdue at the Sucession Golf Course. The Gophers were eventually defeated by Northwestern in the final.
Erik Van Rooyen will lead the team into battle. Van Rooyen has an 18-hole average of 71.36. Here is the list of Gophers who will be competing:
2. Jon Trasamar
4. Robert Bell
Head coach John Carlson knows this is a big stage for everyone involved. "There is going to be some nervous anticipation on the part of all five of the players. Playing in your conference's championship really means so much to these athletes."
The Field: Minnesota will be joined in French Lick by the other 11 Big Ten teams. The University of Iowa and Illinois are both receiving votes in the national poll. Illinois has won the last three conference championships. The field will be rounded out by: Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, Nebraska, Penn State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.
The Course: The par-72 Frank Dye Course was named "America's Best New Public Course" in 2009 by Golf Digest. The course was carefully carved on a dramatic hilltop offering a variety of elevation changes and forty-mile panoramic views of the countryside. The course is known for being a stiff challenge. The course can play as long as 8,102 yards.
Players Mentioned
