Erik van Rooyen eagles 18 to win World Wide Technology Championship

LOS CABOS, Mexico — Erik van Rooyen delivered a thrilling finish at the World Wide Technology Championship, sinking an impressive 16-foot eagle putt on the par-5 closing hole. This victory came on the heels of Matt Kuchar’s heartbreaking collapse, where he squandered a six-stroke lead in dramatic fashion.

Contesting at the renowned El Cardonal at Diamante golf course, designed by Tiger Woods himself, van Rooyen showcased exceptional skill throughout the back nine, carding an impressive 8-under 28 for a total score of 9-under 63. Ultimately, he finished the tournament at a remarkable 27-under 261, securing a two-stroke lead over Kuchar and Camilo Villegas.

Emotionally overwhelmed, van Rooyen remarked, “I felt quite numb after that putt sank in on the 18th hole. You envision yourself overflowing with euphoria and sheer excitement, but I was simply in a state of shock. I believe it’s because of everything my friend Jon [Trasamar] has gone through over the past six days battling illness. I suppose the magnitude of the moment just hasn’t fully sunk in yet.”

Kuchar and Villegas both posted rounds of 66, with the 45-year-old Kuchar securing par on the final four holes. Tied for the lead on the 18th hole, Kuchar’s approach shot veered left of the green, leaving him with a challenging chip that ended up 20 feet past the hole.

Reflecting on his performance, Kuchar expressed his disappointment, saying, “I’m pretty bummed. 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 had a comfortable six-stroke lead at 24-under when he encountered a disastrous quadruple-bogey 8 on the 15th hole, followed by a bogey on the par-3 16th. This setback ultimately led to him being tied for the lead with Villegas.

“I think I played 71 really good holes,” Kuchar explained. “It turns out you need to play 72 good holes out here. I had one hole that jumped up and got the best of me.”

Van Rooyen’s tournament began with a bogey on the first hole but quickly rebounded with birdies on the 2nd and 6th holes.

Reflecting on his game, van Rooyen humorously stated, “Starting with a 6 on the first hole left a sour taste in my mouth. Then, draining a remarkable 35- to 40-foot putt on the second hole, it was like, ‘Okay, it’s alright. This is a silly game, so just keep playing.’

During his impressive back-nine surge, van Rooyen carded birdies on holes 10 to 12, as well as the 14th, 16th, and 17th holes. His triumph culminated with the incredible eagle on the closing hole.

“Things just turned on the back nine,” van Rooyen shared with enthusiasm. “I had a fantastic birdie on the 10th, came so close to holing it on the 11th, and drained a beautiful 13- to 14-foot putt on the 12th. Those moments got my momentum going, and I just hung in there and made some awesome putts on the 16th, 17th, and 18th.”

Finishing in fourth place was Justin Suh, with an impressive overall score of 24-under after shooting a 65. Meanwhile, Andrew Putnam (62) and Ryan Palmer (64) tied for fifth place at 22-under.