Alex Gaugert's Excellent Adventure

Erik van Rooyen (left) with Alex Gaugert at the 3M Open, August 2023

“Now on the tee from Edina, Minnesota, Alex Gaugert.” It was 2:00 PM on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at the 3M Open, a PGA Tour event in Blaine, Minnesota. An adventure that started five days earlier in Reno, NV had become reality. Alex was playing in a PGA Tour event.

I have known Alex a 2014 graduate of the University of Minnesota, since he played golf for the team. I wrote a blog about Alex and Erik van Rooyen, his teammate, four years ago. Erik turned pro and Alex became his caddie. Alex was an excellent college player, but as he will readily admit, not as good as his best friend Erik.

Getting into the field for a PGA Tour event is difficult for someone with no status. Other than being given one of four sponsor’s exemptions, the only way to get in is to qualify on Monday of the week of the tournament. There are four spots given to Monday qualifiers.

In any given week there are between 50 and 200 players playing on Monday for one of the those four spots. It generally takes a score of at least five under par to get in. As they say, “It’s crazy hard.”

I had volunteered to caddie for a friend, Nick Voke, as he attempted to qualify Monday for the same 3M Open. I reviewed the starting sheet on Sunday night seeing several past PGA Tour tournament winners, familiar names of former great players, good local players and Alex Gaugert.

How was Alex Gaugert going to play in the Monday qualifying in Blaine, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis, when I knew he was in Reno, NV caddying for Eric Van Rooyen in the Barracuda Open on Sunday? In addition Erik Van Rooyen had been playing for several weeks with Alex on his bag, thus little chance for Alex to play or practice.

But there he was on Monday morning on the practice putting green, with Jim Venewitz, hitting putts. Jim is an Interlachen employee and a friend of Alex’s, whom he had called Sunday night to caddie.

Alex had gotten on a flight from Reno to Seattle and was on a flight from there to Minneapolis which was to leave about 12:00 AM. However mechanical problems delayed the flight until 3:30 AM. “I didn’t think the flight was going to leave,” said Alex.

After catching what sleep he could on the plane he arrived in Minneapolis, was home for 20 minutes and off to Victory Links Golf Course, in a far northern suburb. He arrived at the course at 10:30, in plenty of time for his 11:10 starting time!

“We’ve never seen this course before,” said Jim Venewitz as he stood next to Alex. “What’s it like?”

Not wanting to dampen their spirits I said, “It’s straight forward. You’ll do fine.” Knowing full well they had no chance.

It was a hot day, just the kind that is ripe for a pop up thunderstorm. And that’s what happened, twice. I sat with Alex and Jim during both suspensions of play.

It was no secret what score it was going to take to get in, 6 under par. At both of the delays Alex was several shots away from getting to -6. Nick Voke, my player, on the other hand was marching smartly toward the number. It was clear Nick was in better shape than Alex.

“He almost quit after the first siren brought us off the course,” said Jim. “He was only one under. He encouraged me to leave. I told him I was in for the long haul. And he went back out.”

On the strength of an eagle, birdie, par, finish Alex vaulted to -6. However it still wasn’t over. The last player on the course also finished -6 forcing a four players for three spots playoff.

It was 7:00 at night. One of the players in the playoff, Sam Harned, was the first player off the tee at 8:00 AM, 11 hours earlier. Sam finished his round seven hours earlier. As can be imagined, waiting around did not work to his benefit and a wild tee shot sent him down the road. Alex Gaugert was in the 3M.

It was a great human interest story that captured the golf world for the week. Erik van Rooyen sent out a Tweet asking if anybody would like to caddie for him.

On Tuesday the pairings were released. The PGA Tour paired Erik and Alex together along with their friend Ryan Moore.

Their Thursday 2:00 PM starting time found Alex’s brother, also a PGA Tour caddie, carrying Alex’s bag. Robert Bell, assistant golf coach at the University of Minnesota and former teammate, was on Erik’s bag.

It was a hot with temps over 90 degrees and as often happens on hot summer afternoons, the wind blows hard. It was not a good break to play Thursday afternoon, as the scoreboard showed.

“He missed the fairway a couple of times by two or three yards and was in the deep stuff,” said Jim Venewitz who spectated. “He caught a flier another time and was dead in a bunker over the green.” The result was a six over par 77.

Friday was a different story. On the strength of an eagle on his 9th hole and a birdie on his final hole, Alex shot an even par 71, which tied his boss, van Rooyen and beat Ryan Moore.

“It was fantastic, absolutely fantastic,” said the 6’ 3” Gaugert after the experience. “Seeing how much love and how many friends reached out was surprising. Caddies, players, friends, family. I received about 1000 texts. Players that did not have my contact information, somehow got it and reached out to me. They didn’t have to do that.”

It was no surprise to me as the out going, likable Gaugert has built friendships wherever he has gone.

How did he qualify without seeing the course?” I asked him.

“It was beneficial having seen so many courses over the past few years,” he said. “I could look at a hole and figure out what the architect was doing.”

“I had no expectations. It was just such an enjoyable place to play from,” he said. “My Whoop Band showed that I had 50 minutes less stress than caddying!”On the first tee Erik van Rooyen gave him a big hug. “He asked me how I was feeling. I told him I was not nervous.”

“I really don’t practice much. When you practice you have expectations. I equate it to grabbing a wet piece of soap. The more you practice, it’s equivalent to grabbing the soap tighter and the more it slips out of your hand.”

Alex continued. “The more I play the more comfort I get, but the greater the expectations. I will always look for competition, whether it’s Monday qualifiers or Minnesota PGA section events. I have played better and better the last few years.”

“I believe there are three different ways to learn, by watching, listening and doing. I believe I learn best by watching.” Alex has watched a lot of great players, play great golf the past few years.

Alex Gaugert has figured out how to love golf by having no expectations. His trip from Reno to the first tee at the 3M Open with little sleep, allowed his talent to come to the surface, not distracting his emotions with expectations. The golf world loved Alex’s story in A Life In Golf.