Golf

Augsburg golf coach Eric Rolland qualifies for U.S. Senior Open

Eric RollandOCONOMOWOC, Wis. -- Augsburg University men's and women's golf coach Eric Rolland '97 has qualified to compete in the 2025 U.S. Senior Open, after finishing in a tie for fifth place in a final qualifying tournament on Tuesday at the Oconomowoc Golf Club.

An NCAA Division III All-American during his playing days at Augsburg, Rolland finished in a six-way tie for fifth place in the 59-golfer final qualifier, which earned him a spot in the 2025 U.S. Senior Open, which will be held at The Broadmoor East Course in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 26-29. Rolland shot a 1-under-par 69 in the single-round qualifier on Tuesday, with three birdies against two bogies in his round. He finished with two birdies and three pars in his final five holes to earn his spot in the U.S. Senior Open.

Rolland reached the final qualifier, one of 12 held nationally by the United States Golf Association, by winning a three-way playoff for ninth place, the last qualifying spot in a local qualifier on May 5 at Bearpath Golf and Country Club in Eden Prairie, Minn. 

In 2023, Rolland competed at the 3M Open golf tournament at the TPC Twin Cities course in Blaine, Minn., after earning Minnesota PGA Rolex Player of the Year honors in 2022. As a professional, Rolland has won 32 times in the Minnesota Section of the PGA since 2010, including three Assistant Championships and five Minnesota PGA major titles. He won three Minnesota Section tournaments in 2024, and In 2013, he earned Minnesota PGA Section Assistant's Player of the Year honors.

A 2017 inductee into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame, Rolland has served as Augsburg's men's and women's golf head coach since 2014, leading the Auggie men to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and a national tournament berth in the 2014-15 season. 

During his collegiate career, Augsburg won the MIAC team championship in 1995, while recording second-place conference finishes in both 1994 and 1996. As an individual, Eric finished third in the conference meet in 1995 and fourth in 1996, each time earning All-MIAC honors. The Auggies competed in the NCAA Division III national tournament his sophomore, junior and senior years, with Eric finishing 17th, 35th and 34th in individual national competition. He earned Golf Coaches Association of America Division III All-America honors in 1995 and all-district honors in 1997. In his career at Augsburg, he finished with a 77.12 stroke average, the eighth-best average in school history.

Rolland served as an assistant pro at Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata, Minn., before being named Augsburg's golf coach.