In an exciting closing of the tournament, South African golfer Erik van Rooyen became champion of the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship, an emblematic PGA TOUR event held for the first time in Mexico. The tournament, which reached its seventeenth edition, took place at the majestic El Cardenal Golf Club, designed by the legendary Tiger Woods.

Van Rooyen, 33, surprised the crowd with an impressive performance in the final round, where he holed a five-meter putt for eagle on the 72nd hole, completing the final nine holes of the championship with a staggering total of 28 strokes. His final round of 9-under par 63 and a total of 27-under par 261 for the week earned him the victory, edging out by two strokes outstanding Colombian golfers Camilo Villegas and American Matt Kuchar, who tied for second place with 25 -under par after final rounds of 66 strokes.

The start of the day was not ideal for Van Rooyen, who made a bogey on the 1st hole. However, he managed to quickly recover with a spectacular 40-foot birdie putt on the 2nd hole. Despite a relatively quiet start, Van Rooyen He saw his rivals, Villegas and Kuchar, start strongly.

The real transformation took place on the back nine, where Van Rooyen pulled off an epic comeback. He made an impressive birdie on the 10th hole and almost holed the ball from outside the green on the 11th. Then, on the 12th hole, he made a beautiful putt from about four meters with a drop from left to right that found the center of the hole.

The climax came on holes 16, 17 and 18, where Van Rooyen kept his calm and made extraordinary putts. After a birdie on the 17th hole, Camilo Villegas reached the last hole just one stroke away. However, the South African left his rival with no chance by making a spectacular eagle putt on the last hole, sealing his second victory on the PGA TOUR.

Camilo Villegas praised Van Rooyen's performance and expressed his pride in the fight he maintained during the week. This outstanding performance allowed Villegas to rise in the FedExCup Fall rankings, going from 223rd to 147th place and ensuring his participation in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR season.

With this performance, Villegas is in a strong position to earn conditional status for the 2024 PGA TOUR season. Continuing to improve his performance in the remaining two tournaments could propel him into the top 125, earning him the full card.

The exciting conclusion to the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship and standout performances from Erik Van Rooyen and Camilo Villegas leave golf fans eager for what the future holds in this exciting PGA TOUR season.