RSM Classic: Camilo Villegas Continues to Bounce Back from Tragedy

Camilo Villegas has experienced unimaginable tragedy over the last year. That made it especially good to see him playing well at the RSM Classic Thursday.

Camilo Villegas finds himself in a share of the lead following the first round of the RSM Classic. That, in and of itself, is not a great story. But if one thinks about what Villegas has been through over the last year, it becomes much more powerful.

Villegas and his wife Maria Ochoa experienced the pain that no parent ever wants to experience. In July, their daughter Mia, who was only 22 months old, died of cancer after undergoing treatments at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

More from Golf News

Now, Villegas is trying to get back to a job that he once did very well, but also one that he has largely stayed away from over the last two years as Mia went through her health battle. He played in only one event last season but is already playing his sixth event on the PGA Tour this week in Sea Island, Georgia.

Previously, Villegas tied for 23rd at the Sanderson Farms Championship and tied for 55th at the Bermuda Championship. He missed the cut at the Safeway Open, the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the Houston Open.

But he’s had nothing like the experience he had on Thursday. His 6-under par 64 was his lowest score this season.

It was a very solid round of golf all the way around. Villegas started with a birdie on the 10th hole, then recorded four straight pars. On the 15th hole, he recorded a birdie, then followed that with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes. He was 4-under par at that point, and he would finish his first nine at that number.

On his second nine, Villegas birdied the fourth and nine holes to go with seven pars. That left him with a 6-under par 64 and in a tie for the lead with Matt Wallace after 18 holes of play.

Some may forget that Villegas was once one of the best players on the PGA Tour. He was second in the FedEx Cup standings in 2008 after winning the Tour Championship and the BMW Championship during a stellar playoff run. Those are two of his four career wins so far. His others came at the Honda Classic in 2010 and at the Wyndham Championship in 2014.

Next. Tony Finau Being Sued for Nearly $16 million. dark

The native of Colombia, who played college golf at Florida, was a fan favorite in his younger days because of his good looks and how he athletically read putts. But also because of his solid play.

After Thursday’s round, there is hope that Villegas can bounce back from his great tragedy and be a factor on tour again.

Home/Golf News