SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Willy Pumarol of the Dominican Republic has had starts on the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and the PGA Tour Americas, but he certainly seems to have found a home on the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour.
While strong winds whipped across the grounds at TPC San Antonio, causing most of the players who came off the Canyons Course on Wednesday to shake their heads in disbelief, Pumarol remained unfazed.
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And incredibly, the Berry University product improved on the second-place finish he posted in his APGA debut at TPC Sawgrass two weeks ago, outlasting the field and capturing the title at the APGA at TPC San Antonio on the third playoff hole.
Pumarol edged Andrew Walker, who missed a 10-footer on the third playoff hole that would have kept him alive.
“It feels awesome,” Pumarol said, after posting a 67 in the second round of the two-day event, and finishing with a score of 11 under. “It was really windy yesterday and today. It kind of makes me feel like playing in the Dominican Republic. I played great and didn’t make a bogey in either round, which isn’t something that I could have imagined while playing the practice round on Monday.”
Willy Pumarol of the Dominican Republic captured the title at the APGA even in San Antonio on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old captured the top prize of $8,000 and, despite missing the opening tournament of the season, has jumped up the Cisco Cup Series and the APGA’s Jeff Dailey Player of the Year standings. Pumarol was a Golf Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American in 2010 and has made a half-dozen starts in the Corales Puntacana Championship since turning pro in 2011. He finished 53rd in the PGA Tour event a year ago.
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“I played in the last group a few weeks ago in Ponte Vedra and was super nervous, but I have been working pretty hard on my game and was able to handle the nerves,” Pumarol said.
Walker, who made it through to the final round of U.S. Open qualifying in June, birdied the final two holes on Wednesday to force the playoff.
David Kim of Anaheim, California, finished third after an opening-round 65 that had him as the Tuesday leader. Two-time Jeff Dailey Player of the Year Chase Johnson tied for fourth with Gregory Odom, Jr. of Memphis, Tennessee (seven-under 137).
Now in its 16th season, the Advocates Professional Golf Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring an inclusive future through the game of golf.
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Next up on the schedule is the APGA Daugherty Foundation Championship at Glen Echo Country Club in St. Louis from May 11-14. The season runs through November with 12 tournaments currently on the schedule, although as many as four more could be added.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: APGA at TPC San Antonio: Willy Pumarol wins in a playoff
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