Erik van Rooyen drained a 16-foot eagle putt on the par-5 closing hole Sunday to claim victory at the World Wide Technology Championship.
Playing alongside Matt Kuchar, who blew a six-stroke lead late on Saturday, at El Cardonal at Diamante on the tip of Baja California, van Rooyen sizzled with an 8-under 28 on the back nine en route to a 63. He finished at 27-under 261 for the four days, two strokes ahead of Kuchar and Camilo Villegas.
“Quite numb after that putt went in on 18,” van Rooyen said. “You imagine yourself full of euphoria and just being ecstatic and I was just numb. I think it’s because of everything the past six days with my friend Jon [Trasamar] being so sick. I guess just the moment just hasn’t hit me yet.”
Kuchar and Villegas each shot 66, with the 45-year-old Kuchar parring the final four holes. Tied for the lead on 18, Kuchar — after van Rooyen and Villegas hit fairway-wood second shots near each other on the green — hit his approach left of the green and chipped 20 feet past the hole.
“I’m pretty bummed,” Kuchar said. “You come out with a great chance to win a golf tournament — and the goal is to win a golf tournament. But I hold my head held high. Erik played incredible golf.”
On Saturday, Kuchar was six strokes ahead at 24 under when he pulled his drive on 15 left into dense bushes and made a quadruple-bogey 8. He then bogeyed the par-3 16th, and ended up tied for the lead with Villegas.
“I think I played 71 really good holes,” Kuchar said. “It kind of turns out to be the difference, you need to play 72 good holes out here. I had one jump up and get me.”
Justin Suh (65) was solo fourth on 24 under. Andrew Putnam (62) and Ryan Palmer (64) were two further back on 22 under.
AP wire report used to produce recap.
