Amateur Golf Podcast: Minnesota Open and Amateur champion Caleb VanArragon
8/22/2023 | by Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com
Caleb VanArragon's red hot summer included two blowout wins and an invite to play in the 3M Open in July
Caleb VanArragon has had quite a summer in Minnesota. The fifth-year senior at Valparaiso won the Minnesota State Open by 9 shots and backed that up with a 12-shot victory in the Minnesota State Open.
Those two performances gained him some attention, and he received a last-minute invite to the 3M Open. During his interview with Justin Golba, VanArragon talks about what helped him get on such a heater, competing alongside the world’s best, and how he hopes to continue the momentum into the fall.
Highlights
On making an albatross: It was definitely a weird mental challenge to try to stay in the moment after making a two. I actually made a two in our state match play tournament last year on a par five. That was my only other albatross. But it was in a match play tournament. So I was like, "Oh, come on. If I just made birdie, I would have still won the hole."
On getting an exemption into the 3M Open:
So I got an exemption into the Monday qualifier for winning the State Open. I played a practice round Saturday. On Sunday, I was out at the course pretty much all day practicing. And then I got a call from Mr. Kavner - The tournament director - that night. He said "You're not going to have to play tomorrow; you're actually going to be playing in the Pro-Am for the 3M Open." And that was crazy. It was one of the most unbelievable moments I've ever had just like, "oh my gosh, I'm actually going to get to play a PGA Tour event."
Those two performances gained him some attention, and he received a last-minute invite to the 3M Open. During his interview with Justin Golba, VanArragon talks about what helped him get on such a heater, competing alongside the world’s best, and how he hopes to continue the momentum into the fall.
On making an albatross: It was definitely a weird mental challenge to try to stay in the moment after making a two. I actually made a two in our state match play tournament last year on a par five. That was my only other albatross. But it was in a match play tournament. So I was like, "Oh, come on. If I just made birdie, I would have still won the hole."
On getting an exemption into the 3M Open:
So I got an exemption into the Monday qualifier for winning the State Open. I played a practice round Saturday. On Sunday, I was out at the course pretty much all day practicing. And then I got a call from Mr. Kavner - The tournament director - that night. He said "You're not going to have to play tomorrow; you're actually going to be playing in the Pro-Am for the 3M Open." And that was crazy. It was one of the most unbelievable moments I've ever had just like, "oh my gosh, I'm actually going to get to play a PGA Tour event."
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