The annual Gopher Invitational teed off Sunday at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minn.

The 12-team field, which includes Minnesota and top-ranked California, played the first two rounds of the tournament and will finish the final round Monday.

“Everything is really bunched,” head coach John Carlson said of the leaderboard at the tournament. “The weather is going to possibly dictate the scoring tomorrow, but today we did an OK job.”

Sophomore Jon DuToit posted the lowest score of five Gophers competing as a five-person team.

DuToit sits at 1-over par after shooting a 1-over 72 in the first round and an even-par 71 in the second round. He’s alone in
15th place for the tournament.

Junior Tyler Lowenstein is tied for 16th and is one shot behind DuToit.

Iowa State’s Nick Voke and Kent State’s Corey Conners are tied for first at 5-under.

New Mexico stands alone atop the team standings.

The Gophers are comfortably nestled in sixth place. They trail fifth place Iowa State by two strokes and are 13 strokes off the team lead.

“The big concern is that we’re mentally sharp for tomorrow,” Carlson said. “It takes a lot out of you being out there for nine hours. … The mental strain is more than the physical strain.”