This is the most emotional and dramatic story of Camilo Villegas’ victory

The Colombian Camilo Villegas This Sunday ended a long and emotional drought of victories in PGA Tour -over 9 years- by winning the Butterfield Bermuda Championshipof Fall Series of the American circuitwhich is no more or less his first victory since losing his 22-month-old daughter, that is, before the age of 2, to cancer in 2020.

Villegas fought a good fight with the Swede Alex Noren for five hours until the final putt came to secure his first PGA Tour title since 2014. He stood tall, raised his fist slightly, and then looked to the sky before the Latin golfers attacked the th -18 green to congratulate him

Villegas took a bottle of champagne and took a sip. More than nine years without winning, Villegas and his wife coped with the death of Mia, who died of brain cancer in the summer of 2020. Villegas ended a veritable journey through the desert on Sunday as he has been absent from tournaments for a long time, finishing 654th in the world rankings last year.

He will now have a two-year exemption and play again Augusta Masters and the PGA Championship for the first time since 2015. His wife started a foundation under the name Mia and their son, Mateo, was born in December 2021.

“It’s difficult to find the right words to define this moment right now. Wow, what a trip, man,” said Villegas excitedly. “I love this sport. It has given me so many great things, and in the process, it goes and kicks your ass. Life has given me so many great things, and in the process, it kick your ass too.” He looked up at the sky again and said: “I have a little girl watching”.

Noren was very happy for him

Villegas won by two strokes ahead of Noren. The 41-year-old Colombian has divided all this time between the Korn Ferry Tour – the second division of the American circuit – and any event where he can get an invitation to the PGA Tour, but without success. When Noren missed his birdie putt on the 18th, the lead became two strokes, and he took comfort in knowing that Villegas had just beaten him. Noren also appreciated the joy that Villegas felt at the blow that life gave him today.

“My wife is very close to her husband and I know what he went through, and what happened to him and his family was terrible, so I am very happy for him,” said Noren. “I have children and I can’t imagine it. So I am very, very happy for him and the way he played and the way he has handled his life afterwards. It’s extraordinary,” added the Scandinavian.

Villegas’ last PGA Tour victory came at the Wyndham Championship in August 2014. He arrived at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico last week in 752nd place in the World Ranking and rose to 318th by tying for second place, his best result of the season up to that point.

More importantly, Villegas jumped to 75th in the FedEx Cup Fall Series, ensuring he would finish in the top 125 to retain full PGA Tour status for the 2024 season. It was a long shot two weeks ago, when he was ranked 223.

“I know what he’s going through. I watched it with my daughter,” Villegas said, referring to last week’s winner, South African Erik Van Rooyen, who also won to dedicate it to a close friend with cancer. “It should be like that. He said, to play for a different reason than just a trophy and it was his moment, it was his time. We held on. And here I am. I think it was my week. Everything went well. I was very patient and I ended up winning,” concluded an excited Villegas.