By The Star Staff
Karl Vilips notched his first victory on Sunday in the 2025 Puerto Rico Open held at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Río Grande.
The 23-year-old Australian finished with a final performance of 64 strokes, with a total of 262 strokes (-26). The victory marks Vilips’ first title on the PGA TOUR, in only his fourth entry in the professional circuit.
Vilips broke the tournament record by surpassing the mark of 267 strokes that had been set by Nico Echavarría in 2023 and Chesson Hadley in 2014. He earned 300 points for the FedExCup standings with the victory, along with a guaranteed place in the PLAYERS Championship and the PGA Championship in 2025.
The Australian golfer carded a final round with seven birdies, an eagle and a bogey. Despite having played only three tournaments before this one, his victory demonstrated his talent and potential.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen of Denmark, in his first PGA TOUR tournament, finished in second place with 265 strokes (-23). Neergaard-Petersen completed his final round with a 63, with nine birdies, including six in a row. His performance earned him a spot in the Valspar Championship.
American Joseph Bramlett, who had already had good results on the PGA TOUR, finished third with 267 strokes (-21) in his best showing on the tour. Bramlett, who led in driving distance, stood out for his consistency on the course and his performance in the tournament.
South African amateur Kieron Van Wyk surprised everyone with his strong performance, tying for fourth place with 269 strokes (-19). In his first tournament on the PGA TOUR, Van Wyk earned a top-10 finish along with a spot in the Valspar Championship.
Defending champion Brice Garnett of the U.S. finished in 40th place at 12-under.
The Puerto Rico Open is part of the 2025 PGA TOUR season, with a prize pool of $4 million and 300 FedExCup points for the winner.
Greetings to all sports fans! Carl Phillips’ incredible victory at the Puerto Rico Open is a real sensation! His record score of -26 underlines how talented this Australian golfer is. In just four tournaments on the PGA TOUR, he has won his first victory, and that is truly impressive! I look forward to seeing what he will show in the upcoming competitions. And if you want to try your hand at sports in a different format, I recommend you to visit Pin-Up - https://pin-up.pk/bonus/. There you can enjoy the excitement of sports betting on various events. It is a great way to get your adrenaline pumping and support your favorite athletes! Why not give it a try?