Two Gopher Golfers Take On The World

Only knowledgeable golf fans will recognize the name Erik van Rooyen. However, if Erik and Alex Gaugert, his caddie, work their plan, Erik van Rooyen will become a household name in the world of golf. In the decades I have watched the University of Minnesota Gopher men’s golf team there have been several exceptional players with promising professional tour careers. Erik van Rooyen is the first since Tom Lehman, who graduated in 1980, to become a successful tour player

Born in 1990, Erik grew up in South Africa and left to attend the University of Minnesota in 2009. He was recruited by former Gopher coach Brad James, now the High Performance Director for the Australian Golf Union. 

“I only followed his scores which were good,” said Brad. “Whenever I asked him to do something, like sending his transcript or returning a phone call, he did it. He had a close relationship with his dad, but Erik drove the bus. I liked that.” Erik is disciplined and responsible.

Playing number one for the University of Minnesota Golf team, he had a good college career finishing in the top ten of the Big Ten tournament three times.

“He had all the physical tools,” said Tyler Stith, assistant coach at Minnesota during Erik’s tenure and now the head coach at Iowa. “But there are thousands of players with the physical attributes and skills to be great. Erik had a great wedge and short game and put a beautiful roll on the ball putting. He wanted to win badly and was aggressive, was a gifted player and a great person. He needed to learn how to play the game.” 

After turning pro following graduation in 2013, Erik played the Sunshine Tour in South Africa until 2017. He then qualified for the Challenge Tour, the European Tour’s version of the Korn Ferry Tour (formerly the Web.com Tour).  In 2017 he finished in the top 15 on the Challenge Tour, winning one event, the Hainan Open. The high finish qualified him for the European Tour for 2018.

In 2018 he finished 38th on the money list earning $1,300,000. He led the Irish Open at Ballyliffin, Ireland after three rounds, eventually finishing fourth. He was in tenth place after two rounds of The Open the following week at Muirfield, Scotland, finishing 17th. 

In 2019 his close friend Alex Gaugert joined Erik’s team as caddie. A college teammate at Minnesota, from Lake Geneva, WI, Alex has been on board as Erik has rocketed up the list of the top players in the world, currently ranking number 84.

“I think I bring an understanding of the game along with an honest opinion,” said Alex. “He is my closest friend. I bring a perspective as to what is important. Erik always made plenty of birdies. Now he is making fewer bogies by getting it up and down. He understands professional golf, he’s learned to play.”

“The travel schedule is crazy. Are you ready for this?” he said. “We have been to Mexico City, Kenya, Malaysia, India, Morocco, China, New York, Denmark, Columbus, Ohio, Toronto, Monterey, Germany, Ireland and Scotland, all in four months.”

Crazy is too kind a word. “I go out for two, three or four weeks, then come home to Scottsdale for a week,” said Alex. “It depends on where Erik is as to what he does. It’s all about saving his body. For instance, after Germany it was easier on him to go to Ireland and rest than to go home to South Africa, then have to fly all the way to Ireland for the next tournament.”

I asked Alex, “How does a body adapt to the travel?”

“You just get it done.”

“The goal is to get to number one in the world,” Alex said. “And I wouldn’t be out here doing this if I didn’t think he could make it.” 

Erik has had an exceptional 12 month stretch. Most impressively he has made the cut in the three majors he has played in: The Open, PGA and US Open, including an eighth place finish at the PGA. Up to the 2019 Open, he has made twelve of seventeen cuts. He is in the top fifteen money winners on the European Tour.

“Several events we got into late, like the PGA, the Toronto PGA Tour event and the US Open. That makes the travel schedule crazy,” Alex added.   

I asked Alex who had been an interesting pairing in a tournament. “We were paired with Jordan Spieth at the PGA at Bethpage,” said Alex. “He’s a good guy, out going, talkative with a great attitude.” 

At the US Open Erik made six birdies the final nine holes. Unfortunately, mixed in was a triple bogey and bogey for a 43rd place finish.

“We have a good team,” said Alex. “He travels with his wife and me. His agent/manager, trainer, and swing coach come out some weeks.” 

“So what caused your play to improve the past two years?” I asked Erik. 

“I can tell you exactly when it happened.  It was at the end of 2015. I went to a sports psychologist in South Africa. I was having trouble dealing with expectations.”

Like many professional golfers Erik worked hard at improving and was not seeing results. 

“She helped me with positive self talk. I did not realize how many negative thoughts I had. She helped me with acceptance and to organize my thoughts. Then in 2017 I had a win on the Challenge Tour and success.”

“I now have a team with everybody working together. I feel I can compete with anybody. I changed swing coaches a year ago and adding Alex has been good. We are close friends. He understands me and knows when to get on me. There is a sense of calmness. We both want the same thing, to be number one in the world.”

Erik continued. “I focus on the process. I try to get one percent better every day. I practice smarter. There is a purpose for every shot, not just beating balls.”

Erik has a goal of getting on the PGA Tour. “It’s a great place to measure yourself,” he said. “My goal is to beat the best in the world.” 

The path Erik is on will take him to that goal. What is it that has propelled him to the highest stratosphere in professional golf? Why has he reached success on tour when so many other great players did not? Several other Gopher golfers won college tournaments, including the NCAA. Many were at the same level, even ahead of him at the college level. Why has Erik made it when others did not? Determination, focus, mental control and his ability to continue to improve contribute to his success.  

Several times in the past eighteen months he has come close to winning. In 2018 he led the Irish Open after three rounds, finishing fourth. He is fearless. His play in The 2018 Open, the PGA and US Open show that. In the 2019 Scottish Open he was second going into the final round.  Wins are in his future.

Everybody needs a friend to give an honest opinion when we go through life. Alex Gaugert provides that for Erik. Not since Tom Lehman has a University of Minnesota golfer had such success. The excitement builds with each successful tournament as I watch Erik van Rooyen in a Life in Golf.