Camilo Villegas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Camilo Villegas
Personal information
Full name	Camilo Villegas Restrepo
Nickname	Spider-Man
Born	(1982-01-07) 7 January 1982 (age 43) Medellín, Colombia
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg; 11 st)
Nationality	Colombia
Residence	Jupiter, Florida
Partner	Maria Ochoa Mora
Career
College	University of Florida
Turned professional	2004
Current tour(s)	PGA Tour
Former tour(s)	European Tour PGA Tour of Australasia Korn Ferry Tour NGA Hooters Tour
Professional wins	12
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	5
Japan Golf Tour	1
Other	6
Best results in Major Championships
The Masters Tournament	T13: 2009
U.S. Open	T9: 2008
The Open Championship	T13: 2009
PGA Championship	T4: 2008

Camilo Villegas Restrepo, born on January 7, 1982, is a professional golfer from Colombia. He plays on the PGA Tour, which is one of the biggest golf tours in the world. Many people call him "Spider-Man" because of his unique way of reading the golf course.

Early Life and Golf Beginnings

Camilo Villegas was born in Medellín, Colombia. He started playing golf when he was a young child. He won many junior championships in Colombia between the ages of 8 and 15.

Winning as an Amateur

When he was 16, Camilo made history in Colombian golf. He won the "Amateur's Grand Slam" in one year. This included the National Junior Championship (both stroke play and match play), the National Amateur Championship, and the Colombian Open in the amateur group. In 2001, he became only the second amateur to win the Colombian Open. Because of his many wins in the 1990s, the Colombian Golf Federation named him "Player of the Decade."

College Golf Career

Camilo received a sports scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He played for the Florida Gators men's golf team from 2001 to 2004.

College Achievements

In 2001, as a freshman, Camilo helped his team win the NCAA championship. During his time in college, he was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year in 2001. He was also the SEC Player of the Year in 2002 and 2004. He was recognized as an All-American player for four years in a row. Camilo finished college in 2004 with a degree in business administration.

Fitness and Style

Camilo is known for being very dedicated to physical fitness. He looks up to golf legend Gary Player as his mentor. Camilo and Gary Player even appeared in a MasterCard commercial together. Camilo is also known for his stylish golf clothes. He often visits the University of Florida's golf course when he is in Gainesville. His younger brother, Manuel, also played golf for the University of Florida.

Professional Golf Journey

Camilo Villegas started playing on the PGA Tour in 2004. By 2006, he had earned his full PGA Tour card. He had a great start to his rookie year in 2006. He finished second twice and third once in his first nine tournaments.

First Major Appearances

He almost qualified for the 2006 Masters Tournament in his first year. He made his first Masters appearance in 2007. He also played well in the 2007 FedEx Cup Playoffs. He had three top-10 finishes, which helped him qualify for the Tour Championship.

Winning on Different Tours

In September 2007, Camilo won his second professional event. This was the Coca-Cola Tokai Classic on the Japan Golf Tour. He won in a playoff by making a 20-foot putt. In June 2008, he won the Telus World Skins Game. He took home $230,000 by winning several "skins" (money for winning a hole).

PGA Tour Victories

Camilo had a record-breaking second round at the 2008 Open Championship. He shot a score of 65, which was the lowest second-round score ever at Royal Birkdale. In September 2008, he won his first PGA Tour title at the BMW Championship. He won by two shots. This win moved him up to 18th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

He then won the Tour Championship in 2008, beating Sergio García in a playoff. This victory pushed him to a career-high rank of 7th in the world. He became the highest-ranked golfer from South America. He finished the 2008 season 7th on the PGA Tour money list.

In March 2010, Camilo won his third PGA Tour event, The Honda Classic. He won by five strokes. In 2014, he won the Wyndham Championship, which was his first win in over four years. This win earned him a spot in the 2015 Masters Tournament. It also gave him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

In November 2023, Camilo won his fifth PGA Tour event, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. This was his first win since 2014. This victory also helped him qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

Olympic Decision

In July 2016, Camilo decided not to play in the Olympics in Rio. He wanted to focus on the PGA Tour to keep his playing card for the next season. He also mentioned concerns about the Zika virus.

How to Say His Name

There is some discussion about how to pronounce Camilo Villegas's name.

• In Spanish, which is the official language in Colombia, Villegas is said as "bee-YAY-gahss" or "bee-JAY-gahss."
• Many people, including Camilo himself, use "bee-JAY-gahss" for his last name. His first name, Camilo, is pronounced "kah-MEE-lo."

Personal Life

Camilo Villegas is often compared to Spider-Man. This is because of his unique way of reading the putting green. He leans very low to the ground, almost touching it with his chest and head. He balances on one leg while stretching out the other. This helps him see the putt better.

Family and Tributes

On July 26, 2020, Camilo's 22-month-old daughter, Mía, passed away. She had been battling tumors. After her passing, the PGA Tour honored her memory. Players wore small rainbow pins on their caps during tournaments, including the PGA Championship. Camilo had shared that Mía loved rainbows. Many players continued to wear these pins. Camilo received a lot of support from the golf community and his fans.

Despite this very sad time, Camilo said he would try to reconnect with golf. He wanted to return to playing well. He said that even though he couldn't change what happened, he would look to the future with Mía's memory by his side. A month after her passing, Camilo returned to playing golf.

Amateur Wins

• 2002 Mexican Open
• 2003 Players Amateur

Professional Wins (12)

PGA Tour Wins (5)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	7 Sep 2008	BMW Championship	−15 (65-66-66-68=265)	2 strokes	Dudley Hart
2	28 Sep 2008	The Tour Championship	−7 (72-66-69-66=273)	Playoff	Sergio García
3	7 Mar 2010	The Honda Classic	−13 (66-66-67-68=267)	5 strokes	Anthony Kim
4	17 Aug 2014	Wyndham Championship	−17 (63-69-68-63=263)	1 stroke	Bill Haas, Freddie Jacobson
5	12 Nov 2023	Butterfield Bermuda Championship	−24 (67-63-65-65=260)	2 strokes	Alex Norén

Japan Golf Tour Wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	30 Sep 2007	Coca-Cola Tokai Classic	−2 (68-72-71-71=282)	Playoff	Toyokazu Fujishima

Other Wins (6)

• 2001 Colombian Open (as an amateur)
• 2005 Savannah Lakes Resort Classic (NGA Hooters Tour)
• 2008 Telus World Skins Game
• 2008 CVS Caremark Charity Classic (with Bubba Watson)
• 2008 Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge
• 2010 World Golf Salutes King Bhumibol Skins Tournament

Results in Major Championships

Camilo has played in many major golf championships. These are the most important tournaments in golf.

     Top 10      Did not play CUT = missed the half-way cut (did not play all rounds)
"T" = tied (finished with the same score as others)
NT = No tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Team Appearances

Camilo has represented Colombia and the PGA Tour in several team golf events.

Amateur Teams

• Eisenhower Trophy (representing Colombia): 1998, 2000, 2002

Professional Teams

• World Cup (representing Colombia): 2006, 2011
• Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 2007
• Presidents Cup (International team): 2009

See also

In Spanish: Camilo Villegas para niños

• List of Florida Gators men's golfers on the PGA Tour
• List of University of Florida alumni