Three Sign NLIs with Gopher Men's Golf

Nov. 13, 2014

Head coach John Carlson and assistant coach Justin Smith announced the University of Minnesota men's golf team's signing class on Thursday. Peter Jones, Tom Vining and Campbell Fisher will be eligible to compete starting in the 2015-16 season.

Jones, a native of Owatonna, Minn., has played for his high school team since seventh grade. He was the state tournament runner-up as a sophomore. He finished seventh as a junior in 2014, and held a 73.4 scoring average on the season. Jones won the Section 1AAA tournament by 5 strokes his freshman year. He has been named to the All-Big 9 Conference Team four times and is a two-time all-state first-team selection. Jones was also second-team all-state as a freshman and third-team as an eighth-grader.

Jones played in the Round of 64 at the 2014 US Junior Amateur. He has also qualified for the Minnesota State Open and State Amateur (both as a sophomore), been selected as part of the Minnesota Cup team and turned in two straight top-10 finishes at the MGA boys' state tournament. Jones is the son of Ron and Beth Jones. His father earned his medical degree at Minnesota.

"Getting one of the top prospects in the state of Minnesota to commit to our program aligns with the mission of our recruiting," Carlson said. "Keeping Peter in our state for the next four years was a goal I had in recruiting him three years ago. Peter is a powerful young man who is accustomed to shooting low scores. As the second member of the Big 9 Conference on the Gophers roster along with William Leaf, Gopher Golf will be led into the future by a mix of international and national players as well as a strong contingent of Minnesotans."

Vining will join the Gophers from Sioux Falls Lincoln High School in South Dakota. After finishing third at the state tournament as a freshman, he won a team title in 2012 and back-to-back individual state titles in 2012 and 2013. Vining closed out his prep career this fall with a second Metro Conference title (also won in 2012), a sixth-place finish at state and a senior scoring average of 71.6. He shot a 66 and won the conference by eight strokes in 2014.

In addition to four-time all-state and all-conference honors, Vining has turned in impressive finishes in summer events. He won his U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier by 14 shots with scores of 64 and 70. Vining finished third at the South Dakota State Amateur (69-67-68) and 12th at the Northwest Amateur (69-68-71-75). Vining is the son of Richard and Debbie Vining. His father played golf at Texas Pan-American. His aunt Jane Egan-Noble played at New Mexico State and on the LPGA Tour.

"Having one of the most decorated high school golf careers in the state of South Dakota, Tom compiled an astounding record at the state tournament of 397-5-1 versus his opponents in four years, which included back-to-back wins in 2012 and 2013," Carlson said. "His work ethic and passion towards the game is unmatched. Coming from a long line of golfers in the Vining family, he will make an immediate impact on our defending Big Ten Championship program."

Fisher, from Suwanee, Ga., was the Region 6AAAAAA champion as a junior after finishing third as a sophomore, earning all-region honors both times. The two-time Lambert High School team captain also won the Forsyth County Championship in 2014.

Fisher won the 2013 Furman Junior Classic with scores of 71 and 74. This past summer, he finished third in the Magnolia Grove Junior Classic (70-76), sixth in the Orchard Hills Junior Classic (70-70) and 11th in the AJGA Wells Fargo Junior Championship (78-67). Fisher also played in the Davis Love III Junior Open (69-75-74) and the GSGA Boys Junior Championship (75-73-71). Other experience on the junior circuit includes third-place showings at the 2013 Georgia PGA Coosa Junior Classic and 2012 Orchard Hills Junior Classic, and a 15th-place finish at the 2013 AJGA Annapolis Junior Classic. Fisher is the son of Jim and Lori Fisher. His second cousin Sam Macken is a member of the Gopher softball team.

"Campbell continues to improve every tournament," Carlson said. "He possesses length off the tee and talent that is not seen very often at the junior golf level. Coming from a successful high school golf program at Lambert High School, his adjustment to team golf at the collegiate level will come smoothly. His mother grew up in New Ulm, Minn., and it was very clear throughout the recruiting process that the University of Minnesota was the right fit for the Fisher family and Campbell."

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Players Mentioned

Campbell Fisher

Peter Jones

William Leaf

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