Women's Golf

Erik Van Rooyen is a professional golfer in a Gophers uniform.

The senior on the men’s golf team has been one of the program’s best golfers since he first set foot on campus. He plans to turn pro after the NCAA tournament this spring.

In January, Van Rooyen earned a spot in the Sunshine Tour, a PGA Tour affiliate based in his native South Africa.

But he has at least one more tournament to play at Minnesota — the NCAA regional starting May 16.

A victory in that tournament is the only way he can advance  to the NCAA championships May 28.

The Gophers women’s golf team purposely stayed home the past two weekends to prepare for the Big Ten championships.

A busy spring schedule, with practice on the first day of spring semester, took Minnesota out of the Midwest for all five tournaments.

This weekend the Gophers will travel their shortest distance of the spring — about 700 miles — to French Lick, Ind.

Coach Michele Redman said the team was simply worn out after playing in the Rebel Intercollegiate in Mississippi three weeks ago.

The Gophers women’s golf team shot 56-over par to finish 15th out of 18 teams at the Rebel Intercollegiate during the weekend.

Coastal Carolina University won the tournament with a 1-under par score of 863. Minnesota shot 920.

The Gophers played well in Friday’s opening round but struggled during the weekend at the Ole Miss Golf Course in Oxford, Miss.

Coach Michele Redman said the team struggled with its short game and putting but also from mental mistakes.

She said the busy spring schedule has taken its toll on the women.

The Gophers women’s golf team shot 40-over par to finish eighth out of 16 teams at the Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz.

Minnesota shot a team score of 904 at the Longbow Golf Club — its best score of the spring season by 17 strokes.

Oklahoma ran away with the tournament, finishing with a team score of 862. Southern Methodist finished second at 18 strokes behind the Sooners.

Sophomore Anna Laorr tied for 19th to lead the Gophers with a season-best score of 223. She shot 7-over par in her first top-20 finish of the spring season.

The Gophers women’s golf team shot 57-over par to finish 10th out of 12 teams at the Central District Invitational in Tampa, Fla.

Southern Methodist won the 54-hole tournament at 24-over par.

Gophers coach Michele Redman said her team struggled with its short game at the River Wilderness Golf Club.

“We’re still a little rusty,” she said. “We need to keep continually getting better with chipping and putting.”

The Gophers women’s golf team finished sixth out of 16 teams in its season-opening Hurricane Invitational on Monday and Tuesday in Coral Gables, Fla.

Minnesota shot 69-over par in the 54-hole event. Baylor won the tournament at 31-over par.

This is the Gophers’ first of five spring tournaments before the Big Ten championships in late April. Minnesota finished third in its last two fall tournaments.

Coach Michele Redman said she was happy with her team’s first performance of the season.

The University of Minnesota argued in Hennepin County Court last Tuesday against paying $5,000 for mishandling text messages as part of a 2-year-old discrimination lawsuit filed by former women’s golf coach Katie Brenny.

The task force created in September to determine the cost of a renovation to Les Bolstad Golf Course has released its recommendations.

In a report released last month, the task force recommended changes to the course and its dysfunctional clubhouse that are estimated to cost about $7 million. University President Eric Kaler had set a $7.5 million limit for the project in September.

Both the course and the clubhouse are more than 80 years old. But after years of use and disrepair, both need upgrades.