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The Nebraska men’s golf team travels to the Twin Cities to compete at the 15-team Gopher Invitational at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Maple Plain, Minn., Sept. 20-21.
The two-day, 54-hole event starts with a shotgun start on Sunday at 8 a.m. (CT) to set up two rounds of continuous play. The tournament concludes Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. (CT) shotgun start for the final round. Live scoring for the event will be available at scoreboard.clippd.com.
The strong field features 11 teams that finished among the top 100 nationally a year ago, led by Oklahoma (16) and Georgia (27). Little Rock (53), West Virginia (55), Cincinnati (61), Iowa State (69), Marquette (71), the hosts from Minnesota (73), Rutgers (81), Nebraska (83) and Grand Canyon (88) round out the tournament’s top-100 teams.
Tommy Kelley has led Nebraska in back-to-back tournaments to open his career. The freshman from Omaha tied for 21st at the Bearcat Invitational in Cincinnati (Sept. 14-15). Kelley’s even-par 213 followed his tie for 27th with a 217 (+4) at the New York Harbor Cup. He owns a team-best 71.67 stroke average through six rounds.
Gavin Gerch, a junior out of Lincoln Southeast, added a tie for 36th at 215 (+2) as Nebraska’s No. 2 finisher in Cincinnati. Gerch was also NU’s No. 2 golfer at the Harbor Cup, closing in a tie for 38th at 221 (+8). He owns a 72.67 stroke average through six rounds.
The two-day, 54-hole event starts with a shotgun start on Sunday at 8 a.m. (CT) to set up two rounds of continuous play. The tournament concludes Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. (CT) shotgun start for the final round. Live scoring for the event will be available at scoreboard.clippd.com.
The strong field features 11 teams that finished among the top 100 nationally a year ago, led by Oklahoma (16) and Georgia (27). Little Rock (53), West Virginia (55), Cincinnati (61), Iowa State (69), Marquette (71), the hosts from Minnesota (73), Rutgers (81), Nebraska (83) and Grand Canyon (88) round out the tournament’s top-100 teams.
Tommy Kelley has led Nebraska in back-to-back tournaments to open his career. The freshman from Omaha tied for 21st at the Bearcat Invitational in Cincinnati (Sept. 14-15). Kelley’s even-par 213 followed his tie for 27th with a 217 (+4) at the New York Harbor Cup. He owns a team-best 71.67 stroke average through six rounds.
Gavin Gerch, a junior out of Lincoln Southeast, added a tie for 36th at 215 (+2) as Nebraska’s No. 2 finisher in Cincinnati. Gerch was also NU’s No. 2 golfer at the Harbor Cup, closing in a tie for 38th at 221 (+8). He owns a 72.67 stroke average through six rounds.
Caden Mickelson managed a 219 (+6) to tie for 60th at the Bearcat as Nebraska’s No. 3 finisher. The sophomore from Kansas City posted back-to-back rounds of 72 to help the Huskers.
Jackson Benge, who owns Nebraska’s top returning stroke average from a year ago, will be making his third straight lineup appearance to open the spring. The junior out of Omaha Westside will be looking for a breakout performance in Minnesota.
Freshman Zack Erstad is expected to make his first lineup appearance for the Big Red at the Gopher. Erstad led Lincoln East to back-to-back Class A state titles in 2025 and 2026, and including an individual runner-up finish as a senior. He was also the 2025 Nebraska Junior PGA Champion.
2nd Swing Gopher Invitational
Maple Plains, Minnesota
Host: Minnesota
Windsong Farm Golf Club (Par 71, 7,489 Yards)
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 20 (Rounds 1 & 2) - 8 a.m. CT (shotgun)
Monday, Sept. 21 (Round 3) - 8:30 a.m. CT (shotgun)
Live Scoring: Scoreboard.Clippd
Participating Teams (15)
Jackson Benge, who owns Nebraska’s top returning stroke average from a year ago, will be making his third straight lineup appearance to open the spring. The junior out of Omaha Westside will be looking for a breakout performance in Minnesota.
Freshman Zack Erstad is expected to make his first lineup appearance for the Big Red at the Gopher. Erstad led Lincoln East to back-to-back Class A state titles in 2025 and 2026, and including an individual runner-up finish as a senior. He was also the 2025 Nebraska Junior PGA Champion.
2nd Swing Gopher Invitational
Maple Plains, Minnesota
Host: Minnesota
Windsong Farm Golf Club (Par 71, 7,489 Yards)
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 20 (Rounds 1 & 2) - 8 a.m. CT (shotgun)
Monday, Sept. 21 (Round 3) - 8:30 a.m. CT (shotgun)
Live Scoring: Scoreboard.Clippd
Participating Teams (15)
Cincinnati, Georgia, Grand Canyon, Iowa State, Kent State, Little Rock, Marquette, Miami (Ohio), Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oral Roberts, Rutgers, St. Thomas, West Virginia.
Nebraska Lineup (5-count-4)
1. Tommy Kelley, Fr., Omaha, Nebraska
2. Gavin Gerch, Jr., Lincoln, Nebraska
3. Caden Mickelson, So., Kansas City, Missouri
4. Jackson Benge, Jr., Omaha, Nebraska
5. Zack Erstad, Fr., Lincoln, Nebraska
In addition to the Huskers traveling to Minnesota, individuals James Ackerman, Thomas Bryson, and Jaxson Hinze will compete at the Bluejay Invitational at Shadow Ridge Golf Club (par 72, 7,013 yards) in Omaha (Sept. 21-22).
The 54-hole event will begin with a 9 a.m. (CT) shotgun start for 36 holes on Monday, before Tuesday’s final round also begins at 9 a.m.
Benge Leads Large Crop of Homegrown Huskers
Jackson Benge headlines a big crop of six homegrown Nebraska golfers on the 2026-27 roster. A third-year Husker from Omaha, Benge competed in all 38 rounds for the Big Red and produced the team’s top returning stroke average (71.76) a year ago. He also posted eight top-25 finishes, including Nebraska’s best conference tournament finish (13th) since Brady Schnell’s third-place showing in 2007.
The Omaha Westside grad is joined by fellow Omahan Tommy Kelley, Lincolnites Thomas Bryson, Gavin Gerch and Zack Erstad, along with Jaxson Hinze (Waco/York) in giving the Cornhusker State its largest contingent on the Nebraska men’s golf roster since seven Nebraskans filled an 11-player roster in 2008-09.
The 2026-27 Husker roster also features the highest percentage (66.7) of native Nebraskans since five, including current head coach Judd Cornell, filled a seven-player Big Red roster in 2003-04 (71.4 percent).
Gerch, a junior out of Lincoln Southeast, spent his first two seasons at Creighton where he was one of the top golfers on the Jays roster. He was a high school teammate of Bryson, who competed in six rounds and posted a pair of top-25 finishes for the Huskers as a true freshman a year ago.
Kelley (Omaha Creighton Prep) and Hinze (York) have been two of the state’s most highly rated recruits as junior golfers the past several years. Hinze was the 2025 Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion, while Kelley claimed the title in 2026.
Erstad, a true freshman who joined the Husker roster on June 30, led Lincoln East High School to back-to-back Class A state championships in 2025 and 2026. He was the Class A individual runner-up in 2026 and was the Nebraska Junior PGA Champion in 2025.
Husker Trio Among Big Ten Golfers to Watch in 2026-27
Nebraska’s Jackson Benge, Caden Mickelson and Evan McDermott were included in the group of Big Ten Men’s Golfers to Watch for the 2026-27 season.
The golfers to watch were announced by the conference on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Benge, a junior from Omaha, Neb., wrapped up an incredible sophomore season at Nebraska with a 13th-place finish at the Big Ten Championship. Benge matched his collegiate career best with a 54-hole total of 210, 7,003-yard layout of the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore. Benge’s Big Ten finish was the best by a Husker since the school joined the conference, and the best by a Nebraska golfer at a conference tournament since Brady Schnell’s third-place finish in 2007. Benge, who produced eight top-25 individual finishes, posted a 71.76 stroke average on the year.
Jackson Benge headlines a big crop of six homegrown Nebraska golfers on the 2026-27 roster. A third-year Husker from Omaha, Benge competed in all 38 rounds for the Big Red and produced the team’s top returning stroke average (71.76) a year ago. He also posted eight top-25 finishes, including Nebraska’s best conference tournament finish (13th) since Brady Schnell’s third-place showing in 2007.
The Omaha Westside grad is joined by fellow Omahan Tommy Kelley, Lincolnites Thomas Bryson, Gavin Gerch and Zack Erstad, along with Jaxson Hinze (Waco/York) in giving the Cornhusker State its largest contingent on the Nebraska men’s golf roster since seven Nebraskans filled an 11-player roster in 2008-09.
The 2026-27 Husker roster also features the highest percentage (66.7) of native Nebraskans since five, including current head coach Judd Cornell, filled a seven-player Big Red roster in 2003-04 (71.4 percent).
Gerch, a junior out of Lincoln Southeast, spent his first two seasons at Creighton where he was one of the top golfers on the Jays roster. He was a high school teammate of Bryson, who competed in six rounds and posted a pair of top-25 finishes for the Huskers as a true freshman a year ago.
Kelley (Omaha Creighton Prep) and Hinze (York) have been two of the state’s most highly rated recruits as junior golfers the past several years. Hinze was the 2025 Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion, while Kelley claimed the title in 2026.
Erstad, a true freshman who joined the Husker roster on June 30, led Lincoln East High School to back-to-back Class A state championships in 2025 and 2026. He was the Class A individual runner-up in 2026 and was the Nebraska Junior PGA Champion in 2025.
Husker Trio Among Big Ten Golfers to Watch in 2026-27
Nebraska’s Jackson Benge, Caden Mickelson and Evan McDermott were included in the group of Big Ten Men’s Golfers to Watch for the 2026-27 season.
The golfers to watch were announced by the conference on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Benge, a junior from Omaha, Neb., wrapped up an incredible sophomore season at Nebraska with a 13th-place finish at the Big Ten Championship. Benge matched his collegiate career best with a 54-hole total of 210, 7,003-yard layout of the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore. Benge’s Big Ten finish was the best by a Husker since the school joined the conference, and the best by a Nebraska golfer at a conference tournament since Brady Schnell’s third-place finish in 2007. Benge, who produced eight top-25 individual finishes, posted a 71.76 stroke average on the year.
2026-27 Season Bests
Team Total: 864 (+12), Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Team to Par: +12 (864), Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Team Finish: 9th, Harbor Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Individual Finish: T21st, Tommy Kelley, Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Individual Total: 213 (E), Tommy Kelley,Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Individual to Par: (E), 213, Tommy Kelley, Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Individual Round: 69 (-2), Gavin Gerch, Harbor Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Individual Round to Par: (-2) 69, Gavin Gerch, Harbor Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Eagles (2):
Tommy Kelley, No. 8 (Par 5), 3rd, Harbor Cup, Sept. 1
Jaxson Hinze, No.8 (Par 5), 1st, Bearcat, Sept. 14
Team Total: 864 (+12), Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Team to Par: +12 (864), Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Team Finish: 9th, Harbor Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Individual Finish: T21st, Tommy Kelley, Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Individual Total: 213 (E), Tommy Kelley,Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Individual to Par: (E), 213, Tommy Kelley, Bearcat Invitational, Sept. 14-15
Individual Round: 69 (-2), Gavin Gerch, Harbor Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Individual Round to Par: (-2) 69, Gavin Gerch, Harbor Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 1
Eagles (2):
Tommy Kelley, No. 8 (Par 5), 3rd, Harbor Cup, Sept. 1
Jaxson Hinze, No.8 (Par 5), 1st, Bearcat, Sept. 14