Woods Reaches Out To Praise ‘Down Under’ Star Vilips In Winning Puerto Rico Open.

8 months ago by Comments Off on Woods Reaches Out To Praise ‘Down Under’ Star Vilips In Winning Puerto Rico Open.

Aussie Karl Vilips is riding doubly high of golf’s cloud nine not only after his stunning maiden success in just his third event on the PGA Tour but receiving a surprise congratulatory voicemail message from none other than Tiger Woods.

Vilips, 23, posted a closing eight-under 64 in ‘preferred lie’ conditions to capture the Puerto Rico Open by three shots thanks to an even more impressive 26-under tally.

The new World No. 106 and up 140 places on the rankings is the Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red clothing maiden ambassador and no-one could have been prouder than Woods seeing Vilips handed the first of what is sure to be many trophies in the years and decades ahead for Vilips.

Vilips secured a second pro career win in his 17th event since turning pro last June following the US Open.

Victory not only attracted a two-year Tour exemption till the end of the 2027 season but the win earns him entry into this week’s Players Championship and a tee-time in May’s PGA Championship.

And to top off his second pro career win in some nine months, Woods reached out to congratuate the young Aussie however Philips was not sure at first who had sent him a voicemail message and it was none other than ‘TW’.

“I got on my phone after the round and I was just scrolling, like who was texting me?”, said Vilips.

“I think I got one from a random number that called me as well.

“Then there was a voicemail saying it’s Tiger and I couldn’t like process it in the moment, I was just trying to — I’ll get back to that later. That’s pretty cool.”

Philips grew-up in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Perth before moving to the US. He turned pro after last year’s US Open after a brilliant college career at Stanford University and Woods’ alma mater.

He won in his seventh pro career event on 4th August at the Utah Championship on the KornFerry Tour.

The Puerto Rico Open was first staged in 1956 and became a part of the PGA Tour in 2008 with former champions including Alex Cejka (2015), Toy Finau (2016), Viktor Hovland (2020) and Branden Grace (2021).

“It’s a dream come true for me and my dad,” said Vilips, referring to a father who helped create a path to a U.S. school since Vilips was 11, a top junior career and scholarship to Stanford.

“This is what we dreamed of as a kid,” he said.

Vilips responded to a sensational charge by Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen of Denmark, who birdied six straight holes to start the back nine and closed with a 63. The Dane briefly took the lead when Vilips made a bogey on the 12th hole with a wedge from the fairway.

Vilips never flinched. He birdied the next three holes, including a nifty pitch to set up birdie on the par-5 14th hole to regain the lead, and a tee shot to 5 feet for birdie on the par-3 15th.

He was never out of position the rest of the way and holed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a three-shot victory.

“Come on!” he yelled when the final birdie fell.

 

 



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