What per week for Rafael Campos.
On Monday, he and his spouse, Stephanie, welcomed their first youngster into the world, a actuality that this couple didn’t consider was potential not too way back. Therefore, Campos known as it the “greatest day of his life,” one thing hundreds of thousands of latest dad and mom all over the world can relate to. However turning into a brand new father additionally cleared Campos’ thoughts. He might solely give attention to his new household and never his anxieties about dropping his PGA Tour card. He sat at 147th within the FedEx Cup Fall standings final week, not even sniffing the highest 125 and on the point of dropping conditional standing.
To make issues worse because it pertains to his golf, Campos didn’t actually have a likelihood to follow or see the golf course forward of this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He and his household left the hospital on Wednesday and Campos flew to Bermuda early Thursday, touchdown on the island a mere hours earlier than his first spherical tee time.
And he went on to win the golf event, the first PGA Tour title of his profession. He additionally grew to become the primary Puerto Rican to win on tour since Chi Chi Rodriguez, who final did so in 1979.
“Simply grateful, man. Simply extraordinarily grateful to have had this chance and particularly such an unbelievable week with my daughter,” Campos mentioned.
“I’m simply extraordinarily blissful to be a champion and never have to fret about the place I’m going to be enjoying the subsequent couple of years. That was one thing that was bothering me for the final like six months, and ironic how all the things simply flipped, and luckily, I can simply exit and luxuriate in and play golf.”
Not solely does Campos soar up the FedEx Cup Fall rankings to eightieth, however he additionally will tee it up at Augusta Nationwide for the primary time subsequent April. It is going to be his first main championship begin. He may also have standing on the PGA Tour via 2026.
“Crucial factor for me was job safety. That’s one thing we battle with right here on the PGA Tour as a result of it’s so onerous to stand up right here, and it’s really easy to lose all the things,” Campos added.
“I’ve been a professional for 15, or 16 years, and this yr was actually the primary time that I most likely would have had zero standing anyplace like if I had not completed effectively this week and type of beginning again from earlier than PGA Latin America. At the back of my thoughts, I’m like, man, ‘It’s going to be powerful’ simply because I’m older.
“I wish to present as a lot as I can for my household, so cash was by no means an element. I didn’t even—I actually had not even realized that I simply gained a event. Such as you simply saying these issues, potential invitation to those issues, cash, all I needed was job safety, to inform you the reality. That was the one factor on my thoughts. Simply to have the ability to know that I’ve just a few years arising now of not having to fret whether or not or not I’m in a event or not and having the ability to set a superb schedule and mentally put together myself for all these is simply unbelievably enormous. That’s crucial factor proper now for me.”
Campos dedicated to subsequent week’s RSM Basic in Sea Island, Georgia, so he’ll tee it up there, too. Who is aware of. Possibly he can maintain his successful methods going. In spite of everything, he’s undefeated as a father. However no matter what occurs, Campos will depart the RSM Basic, head dwelling to his new household, and have a beautiful—and anxiety-free—vacation season.
That’s fairly particular, and tales like these are what makes the PGA Tour Fall so distinctive.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.