Camilo Villegas Restrepo Bio
Camilo Villegas Restrepo (born 7 January 1982) is a Colombian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Since turning professional in 2004, he has won five PGA Tour titles and spent more than 30 weeks inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings, reaching a career-best seventh position in September 2008. Known for his aggressive ball-striking and deep commitment to physical fitness, Villegas has become one of the most recognizable South American players of his generation.
Beyond the course, Villegas has been an ambassador for the game in his home country and a popular figure in the broader golf community. His personal life has also shaped his public story, including his marriage to Maria Ochoa Mora and the loss of his young daughter Mia in 2020, an experience that drew wide support from the PGA Tour and players around him.
Early Life and Background
Camilo Villegas Restrepo was born in Medellín, Colombia, and grew up in a country where golf was still establishing a foothold. He first picked up the game as a child and quickly rose through the junior ranks, capturing several National Junior Championships in Colombia between the ages of 8 and 15. By the time he was 16, he had become the first player in Colombian golf history to complete the amateur Grand Slam in a single year, winning the National Junior Championship in stroke play, the National Junior Championship in match play, the National Amateur Championship, and the Colombian Open in the amateur category.
He added another chapter to that record in 2001, when he became only the second player to win the Colombian Open as an amateur. His dominance throughout the 1990s later earned him the distinction of “Player of the Decade” from the Colombian Golf Federation. These early accomplishments laid the foundation for a scholarship to the University of Florida, where he would compete at the collegiate level.
Path to Golf
Following his amateur success in Colombia, Villegas accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville. He played for head coach Buddy Alexander’s Florida Gators men’s golf team from 2001 to 2004, and as a freshman he was part of the Gators’ 2001 NCAA championship squad. His college résumé also included SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2001, SEC Player of the Year recognition in 2002 and 2004, and All-American selections in each of his four seasons.
While at Florida, Villegas credits golf icon Gary Player as a mentor and inspiration, a relationship that later led to a MasterCard “priceless” commercial together. He graduated in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and by that point his amateur pedigree made the transition to the professional ranks a natural next step.
Camilo Villegas Restrepo Career
Early Career (2004–2006)
Villegas began playing on the PGA Tour in 2004 and earned his full PGA Tour card just before the 2006 season. His 2006 rookie year was a strong debut, highlighted by two runner-up finishes and a third place at The Players Championship in his first nine events. He narrowly missed qualifying for the Masters Tournament that spring, finishing 11th on the money list, a single position below the cutoff.
In June 2006, Golf Digest named Villegas the “sexiest player on tour, Tiger Woods included,” helping raise his profile beyond the leaderboard. He made his first Masters appearance in 2007 by closing the 2006 season inside the top 40 on the money list, and his blend of athletic conditioning and flashy J. Lindeberg apparel was beginning to set him apart.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2007–2008)
Villegas won his second professional event at the 2007 Coca-Cola Tokai Classic on the Japan Golf Tour, draining a 20-foot putt to defeat Toyokazu Fujishima in a playoff. A year later, he added the Telus World Skins Game in June 2008, taking six skins for $130,000 before winning an additional four skins in a closest-to-the-pin playoff. He also produced a record-tying 65 in the second round of the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, the lowest score for any Open Championship second round at that course.
His first PGA Tour title came at the 2008 BMW Championship, where he beat Dudley Hart by two shots and went 44 consecutive holes without a three-putt. He followed that with a dramatic win at the Tour Championship, rallying from five shots back in the final round to defeat Sergio García in a playoff. The back-to-back victories pushed him to a career-high seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking and made him the highest-ranked golfer from South America at the time.
Honda Classic and Slump (2010–2013)
In March 2010, Villegas earned his third PGA Tour victory at The Honda Classic, winning by five strokes over Anthony Kim. He chose not to maintain full status on the European Tour during this period, focusing his schedule in the United States. A dip in form in 2012 dropped him to 144th on the money list, forcing him into PGA Tour Qualifying School, and he entered 2013 with conditional status in the 126-150 priority category.
Despite the limited status, he pieced together enough starts through sponsor exemptions and past-champion categories to regain full PGA Tour privileges for 2014. The turnaround set the stage for another signature win the following summer.
Wyndham Championship and Comeback (2014)
In August 2014, Villegas won the Wyndham Championship by one stroke, his first PGA Tour title in more than four years. The victory moved him to 37th in the FedEx Cup standings heading into the playoffs and earned him an invitation to the 2015 Masters Tournament. It also secured a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, restoring his place among the game’s full-time competitors.
The Wyndham win served as a reminder of the form that had once carried him into the world’s top 10. It also marked a return to relevance after several lean seasons.
Bermuda Championship Return (2023)
In November 2023, Villegas captured the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, his fifth PGA Tour title and his first since the 2014 Wyndham Championship. He entered the FedEx Fall ranked 223rd, climbed to 147th with a T2 at the World Wide Technology Championship, and then vaulted to 75th in the final standings with the win in Bermuda. The performance also helped him qualify for the 2024 Olympic golf competition.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Villegas’s most memorable moments is the 2008 BMW Championship and Tour Championship double, which carried him to a career-high seventh in the world. He also made a rare albatross at the 2009 Chevron World Challenge, holing a 262-yard second shot on a 568-yard par 5. His 65 in the second round of the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale remains the lowest second-round score posted at that course in Open Championship history.
Camilo Villegas Restrepo Career Wins
Across his career, Villegas has accumulated 12 documented professional wins, with five coming on the PGA Tour. He has also recorded one Japan Golf Tour title, one Korn Ferry Tour victory, one NGA Hooters Tour win, and one South American title, along with several exhibition and unofficial victories.
PGA Tour Highlights
His PGA Tour victories include the 2008 BMW Championship, the 2008 Tour Championship, the 2010 Honda Classic, the 2014 Wyndham Championship, and the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. The Tour Championship win over Sergio García stands out as the most dramatic, given that he trailed by five shots entering the final round. The Bermuda win was a long-awaited return to the winner’s circle after a nine-year gap, and it also secured his Olympic qualification.
Camilo Villegas Restrepo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Villegas’s younger brother, Manuel, also played on the University of Florida golf team and has competed on the Korn Ferry Tour. The Villegas brothers have represented a notable golfing family from Colombia, with Camilo often credited for inspiring Manuel’s path into the professional game.
Personal Life
Villegas is married to Maria Ochoa Mora, and the couple has been a steady presence throughout his career. The family has made their residence in Jupiter, Florida, with Villegas also spending time in Gainesville, where he frequently visits the University of Florida’s Mark Bostick Golf Course. In July 2020, the couple’s 22-month-old daughter Mia died after battling tumors on her brain and spine, a tragedy that drew an outpouring of support from the PGA Tour and players who wore rainbow pins in her memory. A month after her passing, Villegas returned to competition on the Korn Ferry Tour and has spoken openly about carrying her memory with him.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, Villegas holds PGA Tour status following his 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship victory and remains a recognizable presence on the circuit. His career-best form came during the 2008 season, but his late-career resurgence has allowed him to keep a full schedule and compete in select events.
His trademark intensity, deep fitness regimen, and willingness to attack pins have continued to define his game. While the consistency of his peak years is difficult to match, his recent results suggest he can still contend on the right week.
Looking ahead through 2025, Villegas is expected to balance PGA Tour starts with selective appearances designed to maintain his card and stay in the mix for major championships. With experience on his side and a renewed appreciation for the game, his season is likely to emphasize steady play and the chance to add to his five PGA Tour titles.