Campillo Claims 1st European Tour Title; Van Rooyen Ties for 2nd

RABAT, Morocco -- The 229th time was the charm for Jorge Campillo, a 32-year-old from Spain who won his first European Tour title on Sunday at the Trophee Hassan II.

Campillo has been playing full-time on the Euro Tour since 2012, and he came into this tournament with six second-place finishes on his resume -- but no firsts. And his final round at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam didn't start off all that well. He bogeyed two of the first three holes, and he was still 2 over after seven. But he birdied four of his last 11 holes, including decisive birdies at the 16th and 17th holes.

The result was a 2-under-par 71 for a 72-hole total of 283 -- and a two-stroke victory. It was worth 416,660 Euros to the former University of Indiana All-American (he won a school record nine times in college before graduating in 2009), and that moved him up to No. 6 on the European Tour money list. Campillo has made 767,987 in 10 events so far during the 2018-19 season. 

Erik Van Rooyen, the former Minnesota star from South Africa, started Sunday's round with a one-stroke lead, and he led by two with nine-holes remaining. But his putter betrayed him when it mattered. He had to settle for a 74 and a three-way tie for second at 285. 

His putter misfired on a short par putt at the third hole. He also three-putted the 14th hole to surrender the lead, and he made only one birdie in the first 15 holes. That was two-putt from 12 feet at the 598-yard, par-5 fifth. The the 2012 Minnesota State Amateur champion -- and 2016 Tapmark Charity Pro-Am winner -- did finally make a birdie putt that wasn't a tap-in at the 453-yard, par-4 16th, which kept him within one of Campillo. But Van Rooyen, who averages 307 yards off the tee, couldn't take adavantage of the drivable (286-yard), par-4 17, or the reachable-in-two 580-yard, par-5 18th 

Two Americans -- Sean Crocker and Julian Suri -- matched his 285. Suri got there with a closing 71. Crocker had to rally late. He drove the 17th green and two-putted for a birdie, and then made a second straight birdie at the 18th to finish off a valedictory 72.

This was the third runner-up finish for the 29-year-old Van Rooyen since he became a regular member of the European Tour at the beginning of the 2017-18 season. Like Campillo, he came to Rabat without a European Tour victory. Nevertheless, the 186,423 Euros that he made for finishing second on Sunday pushed his total for the 2018-19 season to 458,752 (in 10 tournaments) and moved him up to No. 19 on the money list.  

MEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF

European Tour

Trophee Hassan II

At Royal Golf Dar Es Salam

Rabat, Morocco

Final results 

1. Jorge Campillo, Spain                 416,660 Euros      72-71-69-71--283

T2. Erik Van Rooyen, So. Africa   186,423 Euros      74-69-68-74--285

T2. Julian Suri, USA                        186,423 Euros      71-71-72-71--285

T2. Sean Crocker, USA                   186,423 Euros      67-74-72-72--285

5. David Lipsky, USA                       106,000 Euros     71-70-74-72-287