The University of Minnesota has produced many sporting greats through the years. Locals will know the Minnesota Golden Gophers, or the “Gophers” for short, are the sports teams at the University of Minnesota.
When it comes to golf, the Gophers have produced some big names too – the two most notable being Tom Lehman and Erik van Rooyen. Tom Lehman won the 1996 Open Championship. Another Gopher who won several events on the PGA Tour was Time Herron, often referred to as “Lumpy” by his friends.
Erik van Rooyen is the most famous golfer still playing to have attended the University and he features regularly on the First.com golf tips page. Van Rooyen was eighth in all time University of Minnesota collegiate career stroke average between 2009 and 2013. The South Arican won the 2012 Minnesota State Amateur. His best friend was teammate and fellow Gopher Jon Trasamar.
Winner Alright
After turning pro, Erik Van Rooyen went on to win several golf tournaments around the world including on the DP World Tour at the Scandinavian Invitational. He picked up a trophy on the Hotel Planner Tour at the Hainan Open. On the South African Sunshine Tour, van Rooyen won the Eye of Africa PGA Championship, before earning his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Barracuda Championship in 2021.
The 36-year-old has several accolades and achievements under his belt in golf. In 2019 van Rooyen finished tied for eighth in the PGA Championship golf major. He was European Tour Graduate of the Year in 2018.
Tragedy Strikes
In 2023 bad news would hit Erik van Rooyen and his caddie Alex Gaugert (who was also a Gopher). Former teammate Jon Trasamar who van Rooyen was best man for at his wedding was terminally ill. Van Rooyen and Gaugert were preparing for the Worldwide Technology Championship in Mexico as van Rooyen looked to retain his PGA Tour card.
Maybe it was written in the stars as Erik van Rooyen went on to pick up his second PGA Tour win that week and said, “It would mean everything”, before shooting 8-under par on the final day to win by two strokes. “Every shot out there today was for him, and when you’re playing for something bigger than winning some silly trophy, it puts things in perspective,” the South African Gopher said.
Jon’s brother Ryan added “He fought to make it onto the PGA TOUR literally as long as he was able to physically play golf”.
Where is he now?
Van Rooyen is still doing the Gophers and particularly Jon proud, competing regularly in big tournaments. He lined up for South Africa in the World Cup of Golf in 2018 and he has been as high as 40th in the Official World Golf Rankings after finishing third in the WGC Mexico Championship in February of 2020. He’s still teeing it up in the biggest events as I write.
Despite still being a top 100 in the world golfer with two runner-up finishes under his belt in 2025, Erik van Rooyen nowadays may be known more for his trendy attire, grooming and fashion sense on the golf course!