25 July 2024
An absence for Erik van Rooyen at this week’s 3M Open certainly would’ve fallen under the category of “excused.” After all, the Gophers alum is competing for South Africa in the Olympics next week across the pond in France.
Erik van Rooyen of South Africa reacts on the 16th green during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 04, 2023 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Mexico. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
But there was no way van Rooyen was going to pass on some form of a home game this week in Minnesota.
This week always marks an opportunity to spend time with his wife’s family and trudge around familiar stomping grounds.
“The connection with Minnesota. The fact that I know this course so well. I’ve got friends here. I’ve got family here,” van Rooyen said. “It’s amazing man. It’s weird for me that there’s a tournament here. I’ve played this course so many times. It feels like I’m coming out with my buddies to play again. It’s a lot of fun.”
Also, van Rooyen noted, honestly, this week provides another chance to climb the FedExCup standings. Currently, van Rooyen is No. 56 in the standings. Those in the top 50 after the first playoff event are locked into each of next season’s lucrative signature events. That’d be a massive leap for a player who’d struggled mightily for much of last season before winning in the fall.
van Rooyen noted his form is “good” — he’s played well of late. He’s hoping that translates to success here in Minnesota this week, but knows that’s not a given.
“I wish I had a glass ball and I could say what’s going to happen,” he said. “I’ve obviously got some great memories. You know, funny enough I haven’t played great in this tournament the few times I’ve played it. I hope I can turn that around.”
Travel troubles
Credit is due to the 3M Open staff, which worked endless hours to get players to Minnesota for this week’s tournament after last week’s tech troubles caused a number of airlines to cancel flights and set various travel plans back days.
As of Tuesday, 40-plus players were having issues getting into town. But the tournament worked closely with players to arrange plans, and as of Wednesday night, there were no travel-related withdrawals.
One player, Wesley Bryan, told MondayQ.com that his flight from Utah to Minnesota was cancelled, and the best Delta could do was promise him a flight later in the day Wednesday.
Bryan instead opted to take a rental car and drive to Blaine. Avis wasn’t allowing cars to be taken on one-way trips, so Bryan fibbed and said he’d be dropping it off back in Utah, and figured he’d deal with any added fees when he instead dropped it off in Minnesota.
Committed
Billy Horschel was asked by reporters Wednesday if he considered withdrawing from this week’s event after such an emotional week at The Open, where he was in contention until late Sunday and finished in a tie for second. Answer: “No.”
“When I commit to something I try to hold to that commitment unless crazy circumstances arise. When you’re playing well, you want to continue to play well,” Horschel said. “Yes, I’m coming halfway around the world, six different time zones, different grasses and everything. But confidence-wise, I want to continue to build on that confidence, I want to continue to put myself back in that chance of winning. That’s why I’m here. I feel like I can play well this week, I feel like I’ve got a chance to win, and the goal is to win so I can move higher up in the FedExCup, I can get a second win on PGA Tour this year. So yeah, I’m excited to be here, and like I said, I always hold myself to my commitments.”
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