Erik Van Rooyen Paired With Caddie During 3M Open

Earlier in the week, it was confirmed that Erik Van Rooyen would need a new caddie when he tees it up in the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities.

However, the reason was particularly unusual – his regular looper, Alex Gaugert, would be competing against him after he sensationally qualified for the PGA Tour event on Monday.

Now, there has been another twist with confirmation that the duo have been paired for the opening two rounds! Van Rooyen and Gaugert will get their challenges under way at 2pm local time in Minnesota on Thursday, along with Ryan Moore. Van Rooyen reacted to the news by taking to Twitter to write: "The gift that keeps on giving."

Van Rooyen heads into the tournament in decent form following his T6 in last week’s Barracuda Championship, but only time will tell if having his trusty bagman in competition, rather than working with him, will have an effect on his game.

Meanwhile, he’ll know all too well that he’s likely to face a stern test playing alongside Gaugert, After all, he has substantial playing experience of his own to draw from. 

Gaugert enjoyed a successful college career that included multiple top-10 finishes during his senior season. After leaving university, he played on the Sunshine Tour in 2015 and made an appearance in the Australian PGA Championship the same year. 

As well as his regular job alongside Van Rooyen, Gaugert is also the PGA Professional at Tonto Verde Golf Club in Arizona, while his latest on-course achievement suggests he still has plenty to offer as a player.

While much of the attention will be on the performances of high-profile players including defending champion Tony Finau and two-time PGA Major winner Justin Thomas as the action unfolds, the – hopefully – friendly rivalry between Van Rooyen and Gaugert will surely be a fascinating sub-plot in the penultimate PGA Tour event before the FedEx Cup Playoffs.