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see also: Kieron van Wyk
The College of Charleston senior and native of South Africa defeated Chase Johnson and Luis Gagne in a playoff
Kieron van Wyk made a huge impression in his APGA Tour debut, winning the Farmers Invitational and making history.
The College of Charleston senior secured a victory in the APGA Tour’s season-opening Farmers Insurance Invitational on Sunday at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South), becoming the first amateur golfer to win an APGA event since the Tour started in 2010.
According to the website, the APGA (Advocates Professional Golf Association) Tour's mission is to bring greater diversity to the game of golf by developing African Americans and other minorities for careers in golf.
A native of South Africa, van Wyk made par on No. 18 in regulation to finish 2-over and force a three-man playoff. He then birdied the same hole twice to defeat Chase Johnson and Luis Gagne.
“I'm proud of myself and how I did,” Kieron van Wyk told the PGA Tour after his win. “I played well yesterday, and I just struggled a little bit mentally on the greens. I knew I had the game to compete and win out here, coming off a good season I had last semester. Yeah, I'm proud of myself. Only good things can come from this.”
“I think the APGA is doing really good stuff,” van Wyk continued. “I think as a young professional or soon-to-be professional, you need as many opportunities as you can. It's tough out here to play as a pro. You need those opportunities to get yourself going and familiarize yourself with the environment and everything that it has to offer. I'm truly grateful for all that they do and the opportunity that they've given me this week.”
According to the College of Charleston Athletics, last season marked the third consecutive year that van Wyk was named First Team All-Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). He was the individual conference champion in 2022, making him the first Black golfer in CAA history to win medalist honors at the league tournament.
This event is conducted with the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open, which finishes on Saturday. This allows the APGA to play its final round on Sunday on the South Course at Torrey Pines.
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