SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda: Camilo Villegas ended an extended and emotional drought when he got here up with key birdies down the stretch Sunday for a 6-under 65 to win the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, his first victory since shedding his 22-month-old daughter to most cancers in 2020.
Villegas went shot for shot with Alex Noren for 5 hours till all he had left was a tap-in for par for his first PGA Tour title since 2014.
He stood erect, evenly pumping his fist, after which seemed skyward earlier than Latin gamers rushed onto the inexperienced to have fun. Villegas grabbed one bottle of bubbly and took a swig.
More than going 9 years with out successful, Villegas and his spouse coped with the demise of Mia, who died of mind most cancers in the summertime of 2020. Villegas was misplaced on the course and completed final 12 months at No. 654 on the earth.
Now he has a two-year exemption and returns to the Masters and PGA Championship for the primary time since 2015. His spouse started a basis in Mia’s title, and their son, Mateo, was born in December.
“It’s tough to put into words right now. Wow, what a ride, man,” Villegas stated. “I love this game. This game has given me so many great things, and in the process, it kicks your butt. Life has given me so many great things and in the process it kicks your butt, too.”
He look skyward once more and stated, “I’ve got my little one up there watching.”
Villegas completed at 24-under 260 to win by two photographs over Noren, who by no means recovered from two errors across the flip and closed with a 68.
Villegas, a 41-year-old from Colombia, cut up time between the Korn Ferry Tour and no matter occasions he might get in on the PGA Tour, neither with a lot success. He stored grinding on his sport after which watched it come collectively on the proper time.
He was a runner-up final week in Mexico. He was a winner in Bermuda, his fifth tour title.
Noren, who began the ultimate spherical with a one-shot lead, went 48 consecutive holes with out a bogey till he made back-to-back bogeys on the flip. The Swede went from a one-shot result in a one-shot deficit, and he by no means caught up.
Noren hit his wedge to 7 toes on the fifteenth, just for Villegas to hit the highest of the pin and have the ball settle a foot away for matching birdies. Both missed good birdie probabilities on the par-3 sixteenth alongside the ocean.
The turning level got here on the par-5 seventeenth, which performed into the wind for the ultimate spherical. Noren got here up quick and left under the inexperienced and performed his pitch to low and powerful, the ball operating by the inexperienced onto the perimeter. Villegas went into the bunker and rapidly blasted out to about 18 inches for birdie. That grew to become a two-shot lead when Noren missed his birdie putt.
He felt small comfort that Villegas merely outplayed him. Noren additionally might recognize the enjoyment Villegas felt from the hand life has dealt him.
“My wife is close to his wife and I know what he’s been through, and it’s terrible what happened to him and his family, so I’m so happy for him,” Noren stated. “I’ve got kids of my own and I can’t imagine. So I’m very, very happy for him and the way he played and the way he’s handled his life after. It’s remarkable.”
Matti Schmid of Germany needed to make two late birdies for a 67 to complete alone in third, which ought to go a great distance in giving him a PGA Tour card for subsequent 12 months. Schmid moved to No. 120 within the FedEx Cup. The prime 125 after the ultimate occasion of the season subsequent week get full playing cards.
Carl Yuan shot 66 to complete alone in fourth and moved as much as No. 125.
For the FedEx Cup Fall, it was one other emotional victory. Every week in the past, Erik van Rooyen was in tears after his victory in Mexico occupied with the very best man in his wedding ceremony with solely months to reside due to most cancers.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
