University of Minnesota Athletics
Van Rooyen Takes Home PGA Tour Title in Mexico Sunday
11/5/2023 6:35:00 PM | Men's Golf, M Club
MINNEAPOLIS – Former University of Minnesota men's golfer Erik van Rooyen took home his second win on the PGA Tour with a win at the World Wide Technologies Championship Sunday, held at El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Van Rooyen closed out his final round with two birdies and an eagle on the 72nd hole to finish two shots ahead of Camilo Villegas and Matt Kuchar. Van Rooyen carded a nine-under 63 in his final round to finish his tournament at 27-under par.
"I was calm because there is bigger stuff in life than golf," he told NBC Sports after his win. "If you look at my ball there are little music notes and the initials JT for Jon Trasamar, my best friend who has melanoma and he's not going to make it. Every shot out there today was for him."
Van Rooyen and Trasamar were teammates at Minnesota for three seasons.
A native of Oudtshoorn, South Africa, van Rooyen was a three-time NCAA regional qualifier during his time as a Gopher and thrice finished among the top-10 at the Big Ten Championships. Van Rooyen played in three NCAA Regionals and was a three-time All-Region honoree with the Maroon and Gold.
Trasamar, a native of Blue Earth, Minn., was a two-time letterwinner, as well as an Academic All-Big Ten and Cleveland Golf/Srixon All American Scholar during his tenure at Minnesota.
Van Rooyen's previous win on the PGA Tour came at the 2021 Barracuda Championship.
Van Rooyen closed out his final round with two birdies and an eagle on the 72nd hole to finish two shots ahead of Camilo Villegas and Matt Kuchar. Van Rooyen carded a nine-under 63 in his final round to finish his tournament at 27-under par.
"I was calm because there is bigger stuff in life than golf," he told NBC Sports after his win. "If you look at my ball there are little music notes and the initials JT for Jon Trasamar, my best friend who has melanoma and he's not going to make it. Every shot out there today was for him."
Van Rooyen and Trasamar were teammates at Minnesota for three seasons.
A native of Oudtshoorn, South Africa, van Rooyen was a three-time NCAA regional qualifier during his time as a Gopher and thrice finished among the top-10 at the Big Ten Championships. Van Rooyen played in three NCAA Regionals and was a three-time All-Region honoree with the Maroon and Gold.
Trasamar, a native of Blue Earth, Minn., was a two-time letterwinner, as well as an Academic All-Big Ten and Cleveland Golf/Srixon All American Scholar during his tenure at Minnesota.
Van Rooyen's previous win on the PGA Tour came at the 2021 Barracuda Championship.
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