Not surprisingly, former champion Tony Finau has already committed to the 3M Open, along with defending champion Lee Hodges.

There have also been commitments from fan favorites like Sam Burns, a member of the Ryder Cup last year, Sahith Theegala, an emerging presence in the sport, and Joel Dahmen, a household name largely because the Netflix series “Full Swing” showcased his big personality on screen.

As excited as tournament director Mike Welch is about the field so far, he’s still hopeful to attract a few more big names to TPC Twin Cities with play set to take place from July 25-28. He mentioned players such as Patrick Cantlay, Will Zalatoris and Adam Scott as possibilities.

“We’ve got a few weeks,” Welch said. “We’re just going to keep on them until they say they’re in.”

No doubt the biggest thing working against the 3M Open at this point is where it falls in the PGA Tour schedule. It’s sandwiched between the Open Championship, which will take place at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, and the Olympics, which will take place at Le Golf National in France. The travel will likely be enough to deter some players.

There’s a chance the 3M Open could attract a number of late additions based how the standings look when play rolls around. On the PGA Tour, the top 70 players in the standings qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs, meaning some players might need extra points to secure their spot.

You never know, maybe somebody like Jordan Spieth will be on edge by then, or maybe somebody like Rickie Fowler could be looking to add to his total.

“There are some interesting names in there,” Welch said. “Our hope is that they give us a look.”

Notably, players have until 4 p.m. on July 19 to commit to the 3M Open, and they can withdraw at any time.

Briefly

There will be a concert on the grounds of TPC Twin Cities on July 27 with country music star Chris Lane performing. The show will start shortly after play wraps up.

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St. Paul gymnast Suni Lee struggled to put her feelings into words on Sunday night at Target Center in Minneapolis. She met with reporters roughly 45 minutes after being selected to compete for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and joked that she hadn’t stopped crying yet.

“It’s insane,” Lee said. “I can’t believe that I’m here.”

The fact that she’s headed back to the Olympics is a testament to her mental toughness. After being diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease last year, Lee admitted that she seriously considered walking away from gymnastics for good. She didn’t think she she would ever be the same, and while she still loved the sport at its core, she thought it might be time for her to move on to the next chapter.

Still, a little voice in her head kept bringing her back to Midwest Gymnastics in Little Canada, the only place she felt normal given everything going on in her life. It started as a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It turned into a challenge to get back to where she knew she belonged.

“I’m so glad that I never gave up,” Lee said. “I’ve learned that I’m a lot stronger than I think and that I am capable of anything if I put my mind to it.”

Though she wasn’t necessarily thinking about the Olympics in the early stages of her return, it wasn’t long before she started to push herself to do more. She got the green light from her doctors around Christmas and immediately told longtime coach Jess Graba that she wanted to start training with a purpose.

Suni Lee during the vault at the United States Women’s Olympic Gymnastics trials finals at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Together, Lee and Graba navigated the incurable kidney disease, figuring out a plan that worked while setting their sights on the Olympic Trials. Her confidence ebbed and flowed as she started to regain her form, and it wasn’t until she took first place on balance beam at the Core Hydration Classic a couple of months ago that she truly started to believe she might actually be good enough.

“I’m so glad that I had people around me who kept me motivated,” Lee said. “I wouldn’t be here without them.”

The culmination of her hard work came at the Olympic Trials over the weekend. Fittingly, the competition took place right across the river from where she grew up. She shook off the pressure of being the hometown hero and made herself indispensable for Team USA in the process.

“I was super, super nervous,” Lee said. “It was hard when I had to go up and everybody was screaming my name. I love it. I just got so freaked out in the beginning, like, ‘Oh my gosh. I didn’t know people actually liked me that much.’

As the competition unfolded, Lee shined under the bright lights, and it became more and more clear that she was headed back to the Olympics. She broke down crying as soon as it became official while her family shed tears of joy in the crowd.

It’s been a long road back for Lee. As proud as she is of herself, she also made it clear that she’s not done yet.

“I still think there’s more in the tank,” Lee said. “I’m never going to be satisfied.”