Erik van Rooyen and Alex Gaugert spend most weeks walking the fairways of the PGA Tour together. As a player-caddie duo, they’re stuck by each other’s side more often than not.
At the 3M Open, they’ll once again be walking the fairways together — but this week, there’s a twist. Instead of Gaugert schlepping van Rooyen’s clubs around TPC Twin Cities, he’ll be playing alongside his boss.
While Gaugert’s day job is caddying, he’s a pretty nifty player himself, and at this week’s 3M Open Monday qualifier, he earned a spot in the event via a playoff after posting a six-under 65. That means Gaugert will make his first Tour start Thursday — and leaves van Rooyen looking for a fill-in looper for the week.
Van Rooyen didn’t waste any time taking to social media to help find a replacement bagman for the week.
“So my caddie [Alex Gaugert] just qualified for the 3M Open!” he tweeted. “What a STUD!!! Soooooo anyone want to loop this week?”
So my caddie @lil_gaugs just qualified for the @3MOpen! What a STUD!!! Soooooooo anyone want to loop this week?! @PGATOUR
— Erik van Rooyen (@FredVR_) July 25, 2023
Teeing it up in a Tour event for the first time is sure to be a thrill for Gaugert, but this story gets even better. As an added bonus, Gaugert will be grouped with his boss during the first two rounds. Teeing off at 2 p.m. Thursday, the caddie and his boss will be competing against one another.
“The gift that keeps on giving,” van Rooyen tweeted.
The gift that keeps on giving 🤣 @3MOpen pic.twitter.com/klsBl0y80o
— Erik van Rooyen (@FredVR_) July 25, 2023
It might seem unlikely that the looper could best his player on the course, but Gaugert is no slouch. He played four years at the University of Minnesota (alongside van Rooyen) and carried a 73.97 scoring average his senior season. In addition to suiting up for the Gophers, Gaugert won the 2014 Wisconsin State Amateur.
It’s not often we get to see a caddie compete with his boss, but this week we’ll get just that.
