Brandy and Coke is one definite mixture that will be part of a celebration by Erik van Rooyen.
The South African claimed his first PGA Tour title – the Barracuda Championship – in California over the weekend. He finished with 50 points in the Modified Stableford scoring system used for this tournament to achieve what he said was the next step for him in his career.
The champion is quoted in a statement saying he’d celebrate in typical SA fashion with a Brandy and Coke.
“Obviously this was, in my mind, kind of the next step for what I wanted to achieve. I’ve got big dreams and aspirations, and winning on the PGA Tour was certainly part of that. I’m really, really happy,” Van Rooyen said.
He is is the third Sunshine Tour player to win on the PGA Tour this season, and also the sixth consecutive first-time winner of the Barracuda Championship. Van Rooyen set a record for the best winning score since the tournament changed to a Modified Stableford scoring system in 2012. He is also the first player since Major champion Collin Morikawa to win the tournament on his debut.
“It’s massive. It’s massive. It’s been a difficult sort of 18 months for me golf-wise. I haven’t been playing well,” he was quoted. “There’s been glimpses of it in the last six months. But I haven’t been able to put four good rounds together. To win here under the conditions, you know, the pressure that I was under, I’m going to take so much confidence from this.
"I think it reiterates that patience is key. I was forcing things there for a long time. And ironically, with this game, when you do that, it kind of tends to go the other way. You have to let things happen and let things come to you.”
Van Rooyen joins Garrick Higgo and Branden Grace as winners on the PGA Tour this season. The last time three South Africans won in the same season on the PGA Tour was in 2010 with Tim Clark, Ernie Els and Louis Oosthuizen.
Van Rooyen also paid tribute to his wife Rose and daughter Valerie. “My wife’s been my rock. She’s been absolutely amazing. And she’s been pretty much a single parent for three of the last four weeks, ever since we had Valerie.
"Her parents were with her when I was playing the British Open, but I’ve been gone three out of the four weeks. So, as I mentioned earlier, this goes out to my wife, Rose, and little Valerie,” he said.
Van Rooyen to toast his first PGA Tour title in style
Brandy and Coke to flow during celebration
Image: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
Brandy and Coke is one definite mixture that will be part of a celebration by Erik van Rooyen.
The South African claimed his first PGA Tour title – the Barracuda Championship – in California over the weekend. He finished with 50 points in the Modified Stableford scoring system used for this tournament to achieve what he said was the next step for him in his career.
The champion is quoted in a statement saying he’d celebrate in typical SA fashion with a Brandy and Coke.
“Obviously this was, in my mind, kind of the next step for what I wanted to achieve. I’ve got big dreams and aspirations, and winning on the PGA Tour was certainly part of that. I’m really, really happy,” Van Rooyen said.
He is is the third Sunshine Tour player to win on the PGA Tour this season, and also the sixth consecutive first-time winner of the Barracuda Championship. Van Rooyen set a record for the best winning score since the tournament changed to a Modified Stableford scoring system in 2012. He is also the first player since Major champion Collin Morikawa to win the tournament on his debut.
“It’s massive. It’s massive. It’s been a difficult sort of 18 months for me golf-wise. I haven’t been playing well,” he was quoted. “There’s been glimpses of it in the last six months. But I haven’t been able to put four good rounds together. To win here under the conditions, you know, the pressure that I was under, I’m going to take so much confidence from this.
"I think it reiterates that patience is key. I was forcing things there for a long time. And ironically, with this game, when you do that, it kind of tends to go the other way. You have to let things happen and let things come to you.”
Van Rooyen joins Garrick Higgo and Branden Grace as winners on the PGA Tour this season. The last time three South Africans won in the same season on the PGA Tour was in 2010 with Tim Clark, Ernie Els and Louis Oosthuizen.
Van Rooyen also paid tribute to his wife Rose and daughter Valerie. “My wife’s been my rock. She’s been absolutely amazing. And she’s been pretty much a single parent for three of the last four weeks, ever since we had Valerie.
"Her parents were with her when I was playing the British Open, but I’ve been gone three out of the four weeks. So, as I mentioned earlier, this goes out to my wife, Rose, and little Valerie,” he said.
Erik van Rooyen earns Barracuda title for first PGA Tour win
SA-born golfer wins Games silver for Slovakia in Tokyo
Ice cool American Collin Morikawa wins British Open
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