2023 in Review
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Playing alongside Matt Kuchar and Camilo Villegas at the Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante on the tip of Baja California, van Rooyen played the back nine in 8-under 28 in a 9-under 63. He finished at 27-under 261, two strokes ahead of Kuchar and 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."
Van Rooyen opened play Sunday with a bogey on the par-5 first and made birdies on Nos. 2 and 6.
"Making a 6 on one left a sour taste in my mouth," said van Rooyen, who won the 2021 Barracuda Championship under the modified Stableford scoring system. "Then you drain a 35-, 40-footer on two and it's like, 'OK, it's all right. This is a silly game, so just keep playing.'"
In his back-nine charge, he birdied Nos. 10-12, 14, 16 and 17 and closed with the eagle.
"Things just turned on the back nine," van Rooyen said. "Great birdie on 10, almost holed it on 11, beautiful 13-, 14-footer on 12, left-right breaker in the heart and you're off and running. Just hung in there and made some awesome putts on 16, 17 and 18."
Justin Suh was fourth at 24 under after a 65. Andrew Putnam (62) and Ryan Palmer (64) were 22 under.
