Gopher Men Tied for Fourth to Open 2023-24 Season at Gopher Invite

View full size image

  MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. – The University of Minnesota men’s golf team combined for a team score of 287 to begin the 2023-2024 season Sunday, and followed it by shooting 280 during the second round of the 2023 Gopher Invitational at Windsong Farm to sit in a share of fourth place after the opening day of competition.

Looking to build on a fourth-place finish from a year ago, the Gophers will begin Monday’s final round in a share of fourth with Rutgers University, four shots back of the lead.

The Gophers got a boost from graduate student Jacob Pedersen Sunday, shooting back-to-back rounds of 1-under 70 to finish the first two rounds in a share of ninth at 2-under 140 with teammate Eduardo Galdos.

Pedersen enters his final collegiate season following a strong summer showing, advancing to the semifinal round of the Minnesota Golf Association Players’ Championship at St. Cloud Country Club in June before placing sixth at the MGA Amateur Championship at Minneapolis Golf Club the following month.

Playing as an individual this week, sophomore Jack Wetzel carded an even par 71 early Sunday and would finish the first day of competition in a tie for 14th following a 1-under 70 during the afternoon session.

Senior Ben Warian bounced back from an opening-round 73 by carding a 1-under 71 to sit tied for 25th at 1-over 143, while junior Bennett Swavely contributed with back-to-back rounds of 1-over 72.

Minnesota placed fourth a year ago for its best finish at the event since 2014.

Former Red Wing High School standout and two-time MGA Players’ champion Cecil Belisle enters this week’s event coming off his first Division I collegiate victory at last week’s Folds of Honor Collegiate in Michigan to begin his senior season at the University of Kansas.

Belisle, who claimed back-to-back NJCAA national individual titles, sits tied for 35th with University of Notre Dame sophomore and former Northfield High School star Nate Stevens.

Belisle notched a top-5 finish at last year’s Gopher Invitational.

Northwestern University and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington finished the first two rounds of play in a share of the lead at 5-under 563, while the University of Kansas sits three shots back of the lead ahead of Monday’s final round.

Jayhawk sophomore Will King opened the championship with a 3-under 68 early Sunday before posting a bogey-free 66 during Sunday’s afternoon session to sit atop the individual leaderboard by two strokes over UNC-Wilmington’s Walker Isley.

The final round of the 2023 Gopher Invitational gets underway at 7:15 a.m. Monday at Windsong Farm.



THE 2023 GOPHER INVITATIONAL
WINDSONG FARM GOLF CLUB
MAPLE PLAIN, MINN.
7,543 YARDS, PAR 71


SUNDAY’S TEAM RESULTS
T1. Northwestern, 285-278—563
T1. Univ. of North Carolina-Wilmington, 284-279—563
3. Kansas, 286-280—566
T4. MINNESOTA, 287-280—567
T4. Rutgers, 286-281—567
6. Kent State, 284-284—568
7. Miami Univ., 286-283—569
T8. Notre Dame, 292-278—570
T8. Marquette Univ., 286-284—570
T8. West Virginia, 289-281—570
T11. Utah, 292-282—574
T11. Iowa State, 298-276—574
13. Northern Illinois, 294-285—579
14. Furman, 298-294—592


SUNDAY’S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Will King, Kansas, 68-66—134
2. Walker Isley, UNCW, 69-67—136
3. Rhett Sellers, Rutgers, 71-67—138
T4. Daniel Svard, Northwestern, 71-68—139
T4. Jordan Gilikson, Kent State, 70-69—139
T4. Max Lyons, Marquette, 69-70—139
T4. Danny Fisher, Miami Univ., 68-71—139
T4. Gray Mitchum, UNCW, 68-71—139
T9. EDUARDO GALDOS, MINNESOTA, 72-68—140
T9. Cade Breitenstine, Kent State, 71-69—140
T9. Luke Wells, Rutgers, 70-70—140
T9. Cameron Adam, Northwestern, 70-70—140
T9. JACOB PEDERSEN, MINNESOTA, 70-70—140

T14. JACK WETZEL, MINNESOTA, 71-70—141 (playing as individual)
T25. BEN WARIAN, MINNESOTA, 73-70—143
T35. BENNETT SWAVELY, MINNESOTA, 72-72—144
T35. CECIL BELISLE, KANSAS, 72-72—144
T35. NATE STEVENS, NOTRE DAME, 73-71—144
T39. GUNNAR BROIN, KANSAS, 73-72—145
T49. MASON ROLOFF, MINNESOTA, 76-71—145 (playing as individual)
T58. CORMAC SHARPE, MINNESOTA, 77-73—150 (playing as individual)
T63. BROCK WINTER, MINNESOTA, 76-75—151
T67. GAVIN HAGSTROM, MINNESOTA, 77-75—152 (playing as individual)
T70. KYLER SCHWAMB, MINNESOTA, 75-78—153 (playing as individual)

For complete tournament results go to: https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=28142