University of Minnesota Athletics
100 Years of Minnesota Men’s Golf: Establishment of the Gopher Invitational
2/7/2022 5:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
The University of Minnesota men's golf program hosted the first Gopher Invitational on Sept. 16-18, 2005. Before the establishment of the Gopher Invitational, Minnesota had not hosted a men's collegiate golf tournament since the 2000 PSINet Collegiate Golf Invitational at Dellwood Hills Golf Club.
The inaugural 54-hole event featured 12 of the top collegiate teams in the country, including SMU, Washington, Stanford, Purdue, Indiana, Georgia State, UAB, Notre Dame, UNC Wilmington, Memphis and Georgia Southern. Teams played 36 holes on Saturday, Sept. 17 and the final 18 holes on Sunday morning Sept. 18. Not only did Minnesota capture the team title by a tiebreaker over the Washington Huskies, but junior Niall Turner won the individual title by one stroke, firing a 1-under-par 215 for the weekend. The win was Turner's first collegiate tournament victory in his career.
The Gophers opened their 2013 fall season by hosting the Gopher Invitational for the ninth season in a row, but for the first time at Windsong Farm Golf Club where it has been held since. Windsong Farm is consistently rated among Minnesota's top golf courses and also nationally recognized as one of the top modern courses in the nation. Windsong's breathtaking views and unmatched course conditions contribute to the ultimate golfing experience, helping the Gopher Invitational to become one of the nation's finest collegiate tournaments.
In just 15 years of the tournament existing, 29 players that have played in the Gopher Invitational have eventually earned their PGA Tour card.
Alex Prugh, Washington (2005)
Dawie Van der Walt, Lamar (2006)
Colt Knost, SMU (2006, 2007)
Bronson La'Cassie, Minnesota (2006, 2007)
Zack Miller, Stanford (2006, 2007)
Ryan Brehm, Michigan State (2007)
Andrew Landry, Arkansas (2007)
David Lingmerth, Arkansas (2007, 2009)
Donald Constable, Minnesota (2008, 2010)
Kelly Kraft, SMU (2008, 2009, 2010)
Austin Cook, Arkansas (2009, 2010, 2011)
Erik Van Rooyen, Minnesota (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Corey Conners, Kent State (2010, 2012, 2013)
John Peterson, LSU (2010)
Sebastian Cappelen, Arkansas (2011, 2012)
Harry Higgs, SMU (2011, 2012)
Carlos Ortiz, North Texas (2011, 2012)
Abraham Ancer, Oklahoma (2012)
Bryson DeChambeau, SMU (2012)
Brandon Hagy, California (2012, 2013)
Max Homa, California (2012)
Michael Kim, California (2012)
Victor Perez, New Mexico (2012, 2013)
Jon Rahm, Arizona State (2012)
Austin Smotherman, SMU (2012, 2015)
Lee Hodges, UAB (2014)
Max McGreevy, Oklahoma (2015, 2016)
Collin Morikawa, California (2015, 2016)
Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine (2016, 2017)
Gopher Invitational Champions
2021
Team - Kansas
Individual - Luke Kluver, Kansas
2020
Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019
Team - Baylor
Individual - William Buhl, Arkansas
2018
Team - Oklahoma
Individual - Blaine Hale, Oklahoma and William Buhl, Arkansas
2017
Team - Arkansas
Individual - Ian Holt, Kent State
2016
Team - Oklahoma
Individual - Grant Hirschman, Oklahoma
2015
Team - Oklahoma
Individual - Max McGreevy, Oklahoma
2014
Team - Baylor
Individual - Victor Wiggins, Charlotte
2013
Team - New Mexico
Individual - Corey Conners, Kent State
2012
Team - California
Individual - Corey Conners, Kent State
2011
Team - Arkansas
Individual - Chris Brant, Iowa
2010
Team - LSU
Individual - John Hahn, Kent State
2009
Team - SMU
Individual - Kelly Kraft, SMU
2008
Team - LSU and Texas
Individual - Mike Van Sickle, Marquette
2007
Team - Lamar
Individual - Case Clendenon, Lamar and Danny Zimmerman, Wisconsin
2006
Team - Stanford
Individual - Zack Miller, Stanford and Colt Knost, SMU
2005
Team - Minnesota
Individual - Niall Turner, Minnesota
Past champions that have gone to earn their TOUR cards:
Max McGreevy (2015)
Corey Conners (2012, 2013)
Kelly Kraft (2009)
Colt Knost (2006)
Zack Miller (2006)
The inaugural 54-hole event featured 12 of the top collegiate teams in the country, including SMU, Washington, Stanford, Purdue, Indiana, Georgia State, UAB, Notre Dame, UNC Wilmington, Memphis and Georgia Southern. Teams played 36 holes on Saturday, Sept. 17 and the final 18 holes on Sunday morning Sept. 18. Not only did Minnesota capture the team title by a tiebreaker over the Washington Huskies, but junior Niall Turner won the individual title by one stroke, firing a 1-under-par 215 for the weekend. The win was Turner's first collegiate tournament victory in his career.
The Gophers opened their 2013 fall season by hosting the Gopher Invitational for the ninth season in a row, but for the first time at Windsong Farm Golf Club where it has been held since. Windsong Farm is consistently rated among Minnesota's top golf courses and also nationally recognized as one of the top modern courses in the nation. Windsong's breathtaking views and unmatched course conditions contribute to the ultimate golfing experience, helping the Gopher Invitational to become one of the nation's finest collegiate tournaments.
In just 15 years of the tournament existing, 29 players that have played in the Gopher Invitational have eventually earned their PGA Tour card.
Alex Prugh, Washington (2005)
Dawie Van der Walt, Lamar (2006)
Colt Knost, SMU (2006, 2007)
Bronson La'Cassie, Minnesota (2006, 2007)
Zack Miller, Stanford (2006, 2007)
Ryan Brehm, Michigan State (2007)
Andrew Landry, Arkansas (2007)
David Lingmerth, Arkansas (2007, 2009)
Donald Constable, Minnesota (2008, 2010)
Kelly Kraft, SMU (2008, 2009, 2010)
Austin Cook, Arkansas (2009, 2010, 2011)
Erik Van Rooyen, Minnesota (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Corey Conners, Kent State (2010, 2012, 2013)
John Peterson, LSU (2010)
Sebastian Cappelen, Arkansas (2011, 2012)
Harry Higgs, SMU (2011, 2012)
Carlos Ortiz, North Texas (2011, 2012)
Abraham Ancer, Oklahoma (2012)
Bryson DeChambeau, SMU (2012)
Brandon Hagy, California (2012, 2013)
Max Homa, California (2012)
Michael Kim, California (2012)
Victor Perez, New Mexico (2012, 2013)
Jon Rahm, Arizona State (2012)
Austin Smotherman, SMU (2012, 2015)
Lee Hodges, UAB (2014)
Max McGreevy, Oklahoma (2015, 2016)
Collin Morikawa, California (2015, 2016)
Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine (2016, 2017)
Gopher Invitational Champions
2021
Team - Kansas
Individual - Luke Kluver, Kansas
2020
Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019
Team - Baylor
Individual - William Buhl, Arkansas
2018
Team - Oklahoma
Individual - Blaine Hale, Oklahoma and William Buhl, Arkansas
2017
Team - Arkansas
Individual - Ian Holt, Kent State
2016
Team - Oklahoma
Individual - Grant Hirschman, Oklahoma
2015
Team - Oklahoma
Individual - Max McGreevy, Oklahoma
2014
Team - Baylor
Individual - Victor Wiggins, Charlotte
2013
Team - New Mexico
Individual - Corey Conners, Kent State
2012
Team - California
Individual - Corey Conners, Kent State
2011
Team - Arkansas
Individual - Chris Brant, Iowa
2010
Team - LSU
Individual - John Hahn, Kent State
2009
Team - SMU
Individual - Kelly Kraft, SMU
2008
Team - LSU and Texas
Individual - Mike Van Sickle, Marquette
2007
Team - Lamar
Individual - Case Clendenon, Lamar and Danny Zimmerman, Wisconsin
2006
Team - Stanford
Individual - Zack Miller, Stanford and Colt Knost, SMU
2005
Team - Minnesota
Individual - Niall Turner, Minnesota
Past champions that have gone to earn their TOUR cards:
Max McGreevy (2015)
Corey Conners (2012, 2013)
Kelly Kraft (2009)
Colt Knost (2006)
Zack Miller (2006)
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Friday, April 25
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Sunday, August 18
Cinematic Recap: Gopher Invitational
Monday, September 18