University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Opens Season with Gopher Invitational
9/5/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Gopher Invitational Live Scoring: Click here
Gopher Individual Live Scoring: Click here
Gopher Invitational Tee Times: Round 1 (Round 2 will be same groupings)
Gopher Individual Tee Times: Round 1 (Round 2 will be same groupings)
Tournament Website: gopherinvitational.com
Course Websites: Windsong | Pioneer Creek
A strong field including the 2017 national champions is coming to town as the University of Minnesota men's golf hosts the 13th Gopher Invitational and second Gopher Individual Sunday, Sept. 10 to Monday, Sept. 11. Both tournaments are free to attend, and Saturday's practice round beginning at 11 a.m. is also open to the public.
The Gopher Invitational will start in shotgun fashion at 9 a.m. Sunday with 36 holes of continuous play at Windsong Farm Golf Club. Round 3 will start at 7:20 a.m. Monday with 12-minute intervals between tee times.
The Gopher Individual will start at 7:20 a.m. on Sunday down the road at Pioneer Creek Golf Course. The second round will start at about 12:30 p.m., and the final round will tee off at 7:20 a.m. Monday.
"It's really fun to see the spectators be able to see our guys play," Minnesota head coach John Carlson said. "It's fun to have our fans and our friends out there, everyone that supports Gopher golf. To be able to have them at Windsong Farm, a home away from home for our team every year, we look forward to the challenge."
The field: No. 21 Arizona State, Arkansas, No. 4 Baylor, Charlotte, Iowa, No. 23 Kent State, Michigan State, New Mexico, No. 3 Oklahoma, Penn State, No. 23 Pepperdine, Purdue, San Diego State, St. John's (Minn.) and Virginia Tech will join the Gophers.
Eight teams in the field, including national champion Oklahoma, played in the 2017 NCAA Championships. In addition to the five ranked teams, five others received votes in the GCAA's preseason poll. Many teams return from last year's field, which was rated 17th-toughest among 2016-17 college tournaments by Golfweek.
"I'm always excited about the teams that are coming in," Carlson said. "We publicize it as one of the strongest fields in the country, and this year's no exception."
Nine Gopher Invitational teams will also have players in the Gopher Individual. Bethel will also compete in the Individual.
The courses: Windsong is hosting the Gopher Invitational for the fifth time. It will play at a par of 71 and yardages around 7,300. Pioneer Creek, a par 72 course, will play at 6,953 yards.
The lineup: Riley Johnson, Rúnar Arnorsson, Peter Jones, Angus Flanagan and Thomas Longbella will open the season in the Gophers' lineup. The rest of the team will play as individuals.
Minnesota's senior captains are Johnson and Arnorsson. Both have three years of Big Ten Championships experience. Johnson ranked second on the team last year with a 73.03 scoring average. Arnorsson holds the Gophers' 18-hole scoring record with a 62 he shot as a sophomore. Charlie Duensing and Alex Uloth round out the senior class, while Jones is the lone junior.
Another of the leading returners is sophomore Longbella. He held a 73.04 average last season and tied Minnesota's Big Ten Championships record with a 66 in the first round. Redshirt sophomore Campbell Fisher also returns for the Gophers.
The Gopher roster includes five freshmen this season. Gus Minkin is back after redshirting last year. Flanagan, Ben Frazzini, Evan Long and Reece Sanders are new on campus this fall.
Carlson is in his seventh season at the helm of Minnesota's men's golf program. He has guided the Gophers to the 2014 Big Ten title and two other top-three conference finishes, and the Gophers have had six PING All-Region honorees in his tenure.
Gopher Invitational Team Capsules
Arizona State
Second appearance at the Gopher Invitational…qualified for 2017 NCAA Championships...fifth at NCAA Austin Regional...sixth at Pac-12 Championships...returns four from NCAA lineup, led by Alex Del Rey (72.14).
Arkansas
Seventh appearance at the Gopher Invitational…finished eighth at 2017 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional...12th at SEC Championship...won two tournaments...returns top five stroke average leaders, including Alvaro Ortiz (71.9) and Honorable Mention All-American Mason Overstreet.
Baylor
Fourth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…advanced to quarterfinals at the 2017 NCAA Championships...tied for first at NCAA Stanford Regional...sixth at Big 12 Championship...returns top three scorers, led by Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and Honable Mention PING All-American Cooper Dossey (71.19) and Third Team All-America Matthew Perrine.
Charlotte
Eighth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…third at 2017 C-USA Championship...won the Hoosier Invitational...returns trio of 2017 All-Freshman C-USA honorees who were team's top three scorers, led by John Gough (72.84).
Iowa
Eighth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…tied for 10th at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional...tied for fourth at the Big Ten Championships...won the Chechesse Creek Club Dual...All-Big Ten Second Team selection Matthew Walker (72.52) returns.
Kent State
Eighth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…played in the 2017 NCAA Championships...second at the NCAA Sammamish Regional...won the MAC Championship and four other tournaments...2017 PING Honorable Mention All-American Ian Holt and 2016 Gopher Individual champion Bjarki Petursson return.
Michigan State
Seventh appearance at the Gopher Invitational…placed 11th at the NCAA Sammamish Regional...tied for 13th at the Big Ten Championships...won three tournaments...returns four of top five scoring averages, led by Michael Sharp (73.90).
New Mexico
Sixth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…played in the 2017 NCAA Championships...placed fourth at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional...fifth at the Mountain West Championship...returns two of top three scoring averages, led by Andre Garcia (72.73).
Oklahoma
Third appearance at the Gopher Invitational…2017 NCAA champion...fourth at the NCAA Stanford Regional...fifth at the Big 12 Championship...won the Gopher Invitational and Lone Star Invitational...return four members of NCAA Championship match lineup and three PING Honorable Mention All-Americans, led by Grant Hirschman (71.60 average, 2016 Gopher Invitational champion) and Brad Dalke (Regional champion and U.S. Open competitor).
Penn State
Fourth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…qualified for the 2017 NCAA Championships...fifth at the NCAA Sammamish Regional...tied for fourth at the Big Ten Championships...won four tournaments...brings back entire NCAA lineup, including PING Honorable Mention All-American Cole Miller (71.91) and Charles Huntzinger (All-Big Ten, 71.70).
Pepperdine
Fourth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…placed 13th at the 2017 NCAA Championships...third at NCAA Stanford Regional...second at the WCC Championships...won the Southwestern Invitational...PING Third-Team All-America and WCC Co-Player of the Year Sahith Theegala (70.95) leads four returning members of the NCAA lineup.
Purdue
Second appearance at the Gopher Invitational…played in the 2017 NCAA Championships...fifth at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional...tied for fourth at the Big Ten Championships...Timmy Hildebrand (73.03 average, seven top-20 finishes) leads returners.
San Diego State
Second appearance at the Gopher Invitational…finished eighth at the 2017 NCAA Sammamish Regional...fourth at the Mountain West Championship...won two tournaments...All-Region honoree PJ Samiere (72.11) leads returners.
St. John's (Minn.)
Sixth appearance at the Gopher Invitational…placed 15th at 2017 NCAA Division III Championship...won MIAC Championship in fall 2016...won five tournaments...returns All-Region honorees Austin Kottke and Sam Olson (MIAC medalist).
Virginia Tech
First appearance at the Gopher Invitational…placed ninth at the 2017 ACC Championship...won the Janney Invitational...returns PING All-Region selection Mark Lawrence Jr. (71.53).
Players Mentioned
