Rafael Campos prevails at Bermuda for first PGA win

Field Level Media|published: Sun 17th November, 14:52 2024

Apr 27, 2024; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Rafael Campos looks on from the tenth fairway during the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Rafael Campos shot a final-round 3-under 68 to put the finishing touches on his first PGA Tour victory Sunday at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in Southampton, Bermuda.

In his 80th start, the Puerto Rico native grabbed his third ever top-five finish by carding an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys.

Campos came into the day tied for the lead having shot the lowest round of his career (62) on Saturday. He started slow with a bogey on No. 4 and was 1-over stepping up to the drive on No. 6, which is when he made his move.

A three-shot birdie on the par-4 gave him momentum, which he parlayed into an eagle on the par-5 seventh.

Shaking off another bogey on No. 9, Campos quickly sank back-to-back birdies on the next two holes, putting him at 3-under with seven holes to play.

Saturday's other co-leader, Andrew Novak. had a similar slow start, and while he applied some pressure with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8, a bogey on 11 put him at even-par 71 for the day, three strokes behind Campos.

Justin Lower, who entered the day a stroke back, fell off the pace, carding bogeys on 14 and 15 to fall to 1 over, taking him out of the running as he finished the round with a 72.

From there, Campos did exactly what he need to do, shaking off his final bogey on 14 to sink a birdie on 17, setting up a two-stroke lead on Novak going into the final hole.

Any hopes of a playoff were quickly dashed, as Novak's first shot sailed into the rough and his second went into the bunker. He ended up with a bogey on the par-4 No. 18.

Campos calmly hit for par to sew up his first career win on the same week his wife gave birth to the couple's daughter.

--Field Level Media