University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
100 Years of Minnesota Men’s Golf: Angus Flanagan
3/15/2022 10:36:00 AM | Men's Golf
A native of Woking in Surrey, England, Angus Flanagan joined the Gophers in the fall of 2017, bringing international experience to Minnesota. He was part of England's winning team at the 2016 Boys' Home Internationals. Flanagan also played for England's U16 team in matches against Wales, Scotland and Ireland in 2015. He was selected to the 10-member 2016-17 England boys' squad.
Based on that victory and results in other designated tournaments, Flanagan was runner-up on the England Boys' Order of Merit for 2016. Some of his other tournament finishes included sixth place in the Duke of York Young Champions and fifth in the South East Boys' County Qualifier. At the Duke of York Young Champions, he accepted the Lowest Round Medal from the event's namesake after carding a 68. Flanagan finished third in the Peter McEvoy Trophy, a U18 junior boys' tournament. In the European Golf Rankings, he checked in 16th among all golfers 18 and under with a scoring average of 71.80 in his six qualifying events. Flanagan won the 2016 Carris Trophy, claiming the English boys' under-18 open stroke play championship. He finished 11 under and went on to win a playoff for the trophy.
Competing in all 11 tournaments during his Freshman year, Flanagan finished second on the squad for the season with a 73.22 scoring average. In the fall portion of the schedule alone, no one had a better scoring average than Flanagan's 71.75. He led the team with eight rounds under par for the year and was tied for the most tournaments as the team's top finisher, doing so on three occasions. In just the second tournament of his collegiate career, Flanagan came in fifth at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate after finishing four strokes under par.
In his sophomore season, Flanagan participated in nine of the team's 10 tournaments and recorded 2,150 strokes over 30 rounds, good for a scoring average of 71.67. Not only did that lead the team by nearly two strokes, it ranked as the third best in program history for one season. Only former NCAA champion James McLean had lower season averages in 1998-99 (70.89) and 1997-98 (71.39). Flanagan also led the Gophers this season in rounds under par (11), tournaments leading the team (7), best finish to par (-7), low score for 54 holes (206), most top-10 finishes (3) and most top-20 finishes (5). After earning a share of the Big Ten individual title, Flanagan earned a spot as an individual at the NCAA Regional in Austin, Texas. He finished in a five-way tie for 20th with a 4-over-par 217 which was the best showing by a Gopher at an NCAA Regional since Jose Mendez tied for ninth at the Raleigh Regional in 2014.
Flanagan posted a 69.33 stroke average through five tournaments in the 2019 fall season. He tallied three top-10 finishes including medalist honors at the Macdonald Cup while also placing second at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate just over one week later.
In addition to his scoring average, Flanagan led the Golden Gophers this fall in percentage of scores counted (96.7), rounds under par (11), tournaments leading the team (4), top-10 finishes (3) and top-20 finishes (3).
Believed to be the first Gopher to ever play in a PGA Tour event while still in school, Flanagan made his PGA Tour debut at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn. in July of 2020. Flanagan, who had teammate Thomas Longbella serve as his caddie, earned his way into the tournament by winning the 2020 Minnesota State Open earlier in the month.
As a senior, Flanagan finished the season by accumulating 1,517 strokes over 21 rounds, good for a scoring average of 72.24 that ranks 10th all-time at Minnesota. In addition, he finished the season with a career scoring average of 71.87 that is second in program history behind only James McLean's 71.48. Flanagan also led Minnesota in tournaments won (2), tournaments leading the team (5), birdies (73), rounds under par (8), best finish to par (-9), low score for 18 (66) and 54 holes (207), most top-10 finishes (2) and most top-20 finishes (3). A Division I PING Midwest All-Region and All-Big Ten First Team honoree, Flanagan was a two-time medalist during the regular season, winning the Boilermaker Invitational and Git R Done Husker Invitational in back-to-back tournaments. He became the first Gopher to win consecutive tournaments in the spring of 2014. As a result, Flanagan also was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week after both performances. He went on to earn an invitation to the NCAA Noblesville Regional where he tied for 38th.
Flanagan became just the third golfer in program history to earn at least three all-region honors in his career. Bronson La'Cassie was a four-time all-region pick during his career and Erik Van Rooyen also garnered three such honors.
After making his PGA Tour debut at the 3M Open earlier in the year, Flanagan claimed his sport in his second PGA Tour event in dramatic fashion during his senior season. Competing at the Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, Flanagan birdied the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat out a field of six other collegiate golfers and earn an exemption into The Genesis Invitational.
In May of 2021, Flanagan represented Great Britain and Ireland in the 48th Walker Cup. The competition takes place every two years and pits 10 amateurs from the United States against those from Great Britain and Ireland. It is believed Flanagan joined John Harris (1993, '95, '97, '01) as the only Gophers to ever compete in the event.
After finishing 11th in the inaugural PGA TOUR University Rankings, Flanagan earned membership to the newly-created Forme Tour and decided to pursue a professional career following the 2020-21 season, foregoing his remaining year of collegiate eligibility.