MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's golf team opens its fall season Sunday at the Gopher Invitational, hosted by Minnesota. Five UW golfers will tee off around 7:15 a.m. at the Windsong Farm Golf Club, playing two continuous rounds Sunday, before Monday's final round, which is set to start at 7:15 a.m. The four-of-five lowest scores across three rounds are counted. 

The Badgers find themselves up against three Big Ten foes, including the Gophers, Rutgers and Nebraska. Power 4 programs like Texas A&M, South Carolina, Iowa State, West Virginia, and more, will compete as well. 

Fans can follow the action via @Badgermensgolf on Instagram and @BadgerMGolf on X. 

1. BIG TEN EXPERIENCE

UW will start five returners from the 2024-25 campaign, all of which played in at least one tournament for the Badgers last year. Three of the five were a part of the Badgers' sixth place finish at the 2024-25 Big Ten Championships, including Jacob Beckman, William Harned and Charles Erlandson. 

Beckman led the Badgers in Baltimore, tying for 12th in the conference at +2. The Middleton native's 212 strokes across three rounds was the second-lowest mark of his career. 

2. PROVEN PLAYERS

Spencer Turtz and James Boustead will also make their season debuts after a myriad of tournaments with the Badgers last year. Turtz, who was recently named to the 2025-26 Big Ten Golfers to Watch List, brings back foundational experience with UW. He led the Badgers at last year's Seminole Intercollegiate, earning a three-round career-low 213 to finish 23rd at +3. He was second on the squad at the Schenkel Invite, trailing only Harned, tying for 44th at +5. In 2023-24, Turtz posted sub-220 scores in three consecutive spring tournaments. He was key to UW's team victory at the Invitational at the Ford, going +1 to tie for 25th. 

Boustead, a native of South Africa, made his '24-25 debut at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate last September, finishing 85th overall. 

3. BEYOND THEIR YEARS

Despite their vast experience, UW returns two true sophomores that were key throughout their freshman campaigns. Harned and Erlandson both find themselves in good form, looking to make an even bigger impact for this year's lineup. 

Harned, a Nashotah native, tied for 23rd at Big Ten Championships at +6, posting the third lowest score of any freshman. He followed it up this summer with three top-10 finishes at amateur events, including the Wisconsin State Amateur (3rd), Ray Fischer Invitational (5th) and Wisconsin Match Play Championship (5th). He also took 37th in the Wisconsin State Open, a professional tournament. 

Erlandson paced the Badgers at multiple NCAA events last spring, while earning amateur accolades of his own in the summer. The Verona native posted a team-low +1 at April's Ford Collegiate, tying for 11th and stamping a career-best 211 strokes across three rounds. In July, he finished as the runner-up at the Wisconsin Amateur Championship, falling just short in a playoff at -2. He took to the Wisconsin State Open an event later, notching 16th-place.

4. AROUND THE GROUNDS

Wisconsin's remaining players will also be in action Sunday, competing individually at the Minnesota Classic - hosted by Bethel College. Senior McCord Grice, sophomore Drew Sacia and true freshman Vijay Kumar are set to tee off in an event with over 30 other Division I golfers. 

5. SAVE THE DATE

Bucky returns home for the Badger Invitational on Sept. 22-23. For the first time, the tournament will be held at TPC Wisconsin, one-of-thirty championship courses in the PGA's network. The former Cherokee Country Club underwent a drastic $25 million renovation in 2022, designed in part by Wisconsin-native Steve Striker, and will host a Division I tournament for the first time.