Social Media Reacts To Camilo Villegas' Emotional PGA Tour Victory
Villegas' Butterfield Bermuda Championship victory is one of the feel good golf stories of 2023, with social media reacting to the Colombian's first PGA Tour win in nine years
At the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Camilo Villegas secured his first PGA Tour title in nine years and, in the process, created one of the feel good stories of the year.
From 2008 to 2014, the Colombian was one of the best players in the world, with four PGA Tour titles, including two FedEx Cup playoff event wins, putting him inside the world's top-10. However, a drop in form followed, with Villegas falling to No. 752 in the world at the start of November 2023.
Along with the drop in form and, just three years prior, during July 2020, Villegas sadly lost his 22-month-old daughter, Mia, who unfortunately passed away after battling tumours on her brain and spine.
Villegas is a fighter though and, coming agonisingly close at last week's World Wide Technology Championship, an event which Erik van Rooyen emotionally won, the Colombian returned to an excellent run of form, which was backed up by a hugely popular victory at the Bermuda Championship.
It was an emotional win for Villegas, who not only claimed his first victory in 3,374 days, but also guaranteed full playing rights on the PGA Tour for next season. Obviously, social media had nothing but praise for the 41-year-old and below we have taken a look through the many hundreds and thousands of reactions to the two-shot win.
So so cool for Camilo to get a W. I’ve gotten to know him better in the last couple years and is def one of the coolest guys out here. https://t.co/eU6NkJ94aCNovember 12, 2023
They don’t come much better than this dude. What he and his wife have been through… couldn’t be more happy for him. #Vamos https://t.co/NC0dARGAXbNovember 12, 2023
This is one of the greatest things I’ve seen on Tour in a long time! Awesome! @CamiloVillegasR https://t.co/6HILHP25lTNovember 12, 2023
You just LOVE to see it. What a couple weeks for Camilo. https://t.co/Q2rE03xNV1November 12, 2023
He did it again. Can’t be happier for him after all. He is just a normal Colombian that went through tough times and turn them around with hard work and believe. Congratulations @CamiloVillegasR , true inspiration and a hero for many of us. 💪🏽 🇨🇴💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/8ye0TDHYtgNovember 13, 2023
Another incredible finish on the PGA Tour! Couldn’t be happier for @CamiloVillegasR! https://t.co/SucoCJE3h1November 12, 2023
Congratulations @CamiloVillegasR !!! The MACC Fund was rooting hard for you! #ForMia 🎗️💛🥹 https://t.co/t4wKceIPzYNovember 12, 2023
What a beautiful human https://t.co/0N2YNgoGNyNovember 13, 2023
Congrats @CamiloVillegasR what a great and emotional win!! The entire golf world is happy for you and Maria.November 12, 2023
“My little one up there, watching.”In 2020, his 17-month-old daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with brain and spine cancer. She passed only 4 months later.What a winhttps://t.co/fl4kVIYXnU https://t.co/1ycwuivtxPNovember 12, 2023
Congratulations to @CamiloVillegasR amazing strength and character by you and your family after everything that you all have been through. 👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏻 Well deserved!! #sopleasedforyou 😉 https://t.co/yB1XM3VhUKNovember 12, 2023
💙 https://t.co/urhubNtXY7November 12, 2023
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 https://t.co/evkj8UTOR5November 12, 2023
After almost a decade... Fantastic win for @CamiloVillegasR!What an amazing couple of weeks:64 - 64 - 69 - 66 - 67 - 63 - 65 - 65And a total of 57 birdies... 🏆🇨🇴 https://t.co/cnsJVKf4b5November 12, 2023
And now on the really, really, really good news front… ❤️ https://t.co/TSVk3gux2mNovember 12, 2023
Wonderful to see Camilo get the win. ❤️ https://t.co/ijHVJ92SkINovember 13, 2023
Camilo made golf cool for us growing up. From losing tour status, to losing his little one, to fighting back and winning again on the PGA Tour? Hard to not love the guy. https://t.co/VOvsgScvRrNovember 12, 2023
What a story!!! 🙌🙌 https://t.co/R5Za4GFE4HNovember 12, 2023
We are pumped about this one! https://t.co/uqktljb3aHNovember 12, 2023
About as good as it gets in terms of closing out a tournament from Villegas, who in 11 days has changed the entire course of this final phase of his career. How can you not be happy for someone like him, a symbol of hope for many parents going through the worst things imaginable.November 12, 2023
Hard to put into words. https://t.co/IEulHl55YhNovember 12, 2023
With Mia looking down and 9 years since the last win on tour!! Beautiful stuff!! @CamiloVillegasR #pgatour #Champion https://t.co/plHcI53dYoNovember 12, 2023
Such good golf of late. Much deserved! Crazy last few years. Congrats @CamiloVillegasR #golf #PGATour https://t.co/nDAAmbTh4kNovember 13, 2023
Good life lesson here. Be patient and you'll get what you are looking for. I stayed put and kept rolling and then got this gem of a moment @CamiloVillegasR https://t.co/ggWkhbSFHcNovember 12, 2023
👏👏👏👏👏👏 https://t.co/H2M3Z8rNqjNovember 12, 2023
Wonderful to see Camilo Villegas win again! https://t.co/Mt6MlPiRy1November 12, 2023
Very happy for Camilo! Seems like a great dude who has endured tragedy I can’t imagine. https://t.co/wrvkaUNeZYNovember 12, 2023
Congratulations on returning to the winners circle, @CamiloVillegasR. We’ll see you at @TheSentry to kick off the 2024 season. #TheSentry https://t.co/RCD59bjvl4November 12, 2023
One of the best stories all year, @CamiloVillegasR ending a 9-year drought and winning @Bermuda_Champ, what a deserving champion and such a special win 👏 https://t.co/OZOcqvGUtnNovember 12, 2023
Amazing stuff! Congratulations @CamiloVillegasR couldn’t be happier for you!! 😀🏆 https://t.co/m8RjglByPaNovember 12, 2023
Camilo Villegas came T2 last week in Mexico and has now won in Bermuda to regain PGA Tour status for 2024. He’s been through it all in his career and it’s so cool to see him playing well again. Golf has a wonderful way of delivering great storylines and this is another one! 🔥🇨🇴 https://t.co/jvCTRsu1DSNovember 12, 2023
Can't help but think back to this interview June 2020, a month before Camilo Villegas' daughter Mia passed away from cancerHis humanity and love for Mia were on full display. Amazing to see him persevere and hoist a TOUR trophy again. Mia smiles down ❤️https://t.co/kzMjvkjFc3November 12, 2023
Vengo flojita 🥹 y veo esto. @CamiloVillegasR gana en el PGA después de 9 años y su dedicatoria va al cielo. (Su hija Mia, de 22 meses falleció). Ejemplo de fortaleza👏👏👏 https://t.co/zinAvuBeE1November 12, 2023
Someone’s cutting onions in here. Winning golf tournaments isn’t everything, but just so happy for this guy. Can’t imagine what he’s gone through to get here. https://t.co/pSvqmDxexkNovember 12, 2023
Congratulations Camilo. So happy to see you win again. This one has to be very special. A job well done. https://t.co/SDt98aXeRcNovember 12, 2023
One the games best people. This is so good. https://t.co/SxNRc1WOgjNovember 12, 2023
Great to see 🙌 https://t.co/hLQSD7en8NNovember 12, 2023
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Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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