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3M Open: Top 10 power rankings

By Mike Randleman

BLAINE, MINNESOTA - JULY 07: A general view of the 18th green during the final round of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on July 07, 2019 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
BLAINE, MINNESOTA - JULY 07: A general view of the 18th green during the final round of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on July 07, 2019 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA – JUNE 21: Erik van Rooyen of South Africa lines up a putt on the second green during the final round of the RBC Heritage on June 21, 2020 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA – JUNE 21: Erik van Rooyen of South Africa lines up a putt on the second green during the final round of the RBC Heritage on June 21, 2020 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

While there will be no fans in attendance to root him on, it was still a nice gesture by the 3M Open to extend a sponsor’s exemption to Erik van Rooyen.

The South African played collegiately at the University of Minnesota, located about 20 miles south of TPC Twin Cities.

Not only does van Rooyen add some hometown flavor, but he’s worthy of the exemption as a top 50 player in the world.

Most of his OWGR points have been accumulated on the European Tour. He won there in 2019 at the Scandinavian Invitation and also was T-2nd at the Turkish Airlines Open.

Van Rooyen shined against an elite field this year at the Euro Tour/PGA Tour co-sanctioned WGC-Mexico Championship where he posted T-3rd.

The 30-year-old has played four out of the past six weeks with a couple top-25s to show for it at the RBC Heritage (T-21nd) and last week at the Memorial Tournament (T-22nd).

Rounds of 76-69-73-73 were fairly impressive at a very tough Muirfield Village. Van Rooyen is not a big hitter, but his iron play can be stellar. He was second in strokes gained approach last week (2.08 per round).

Van Rooyen is 20th (.539) in that stat this season on the PGA Tour. He’s in the positive in all strokes gained categories except for putting.

At the least, I see van Rooyen as the “low Gopher” this week with another U of Minnesota grad, Tom Lehman, in the field on an exemption.

More likely is van Rooyen gets as close to winning a PGA Tour event as he has in his career.

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