Van Rooyen Ties for 8th at PGA, Cracks Top 100 in OWGR

National

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Sunday's final round of the 2019 PGA Championship was an adventure for anyone who teed it up at Bethpage Black, and Erik Van Rooyen was no exception. The former University of Minnesota star from South Africa had a wild ride, as he went 3 over par in the first six holes and then held on from there, making three birdies and three bogeys over the last 12 holes, on the way to a closing 73 and a tie for eighth place at 281.

This was only the second major that Van Rooyen has played in, but he's acquitted himself very well both times. His first major was the 2018 British Open, where he tied for 17th.

Brooks Koepka, who survived four consecutive bogeys on the back nine Sunday to win by two strokes over Dustin Johnson, made $1,980,000. He also passed Johnson in the Official World Golf Rankings and took over the No. 1 spot. 

Van Rooyen earned $264,395 his share of the six-way tie for eighth. In addition, his efforts at Bethpage Black enabled him to move up into the top 100 in the golf rankings for the first time. The 29-year-old former Minnesota State Amateur champion -- and 2016 Tapemark Charity Pro-Am champ -- started the week at No. 106 but now resides at No. 89. 

That's the highest anyone with Minnesota connections has risen since Troy Merritt, who went to high school at Spring Lake Park, was there in 2015 and '16. Merritt's high water mark was No. 82 in March of 2016.

For anyone who might be wondering, neither his official ranking nor his finish at the PGA will get Van Rooyen into the Masters. You have to finish in the top four at the PGA to get invited to Augusta the following April, or be in the top 50 in the rankings at the end of the year, or the week before that year's Masters. 

Only one other former Gopher has been in the top 100. That was Tom Lehman, also a former State Amateur and Tapemark champ. He spent 15 years in the top 100, from 1992 (when he was 33 years old) to 2006. After winning the British Open in 1996, Lehman rose to No. 2 in the rankings late in the season. Even though he was the leading money-winner that year  and the PGA Tour's Player of the Year, he ended '96 at No. 2 in the rankings.

Lehman remained at No. 2 for the first 10 weeks of 1997, then moved up to No. 1, but was there for only one week.

Van Rooyen is a regular on the European Tour. He is No. 17 on that money list, with 690,041 euros (worth $1.12 currently) in 17 tournaments. The money he earned Sunday counts toward the money lists (or point lists) for both the European and PGA tours. He is not listed on the American tour's money list, however, because he is not an official member of the PGA Tour. If he were, the $417,033 that he has collected in three events would put him at No 146 on the list.  

(In 1988, Curtis Strange became the first player to earn $1 million in a single season on the PGA Tour. Things have definitely changed since then. So far this season, there are 71 players who have made more than $1 million -- Jordan Spieth in No. 71 on the list with $1,023,338 -- with slightly more than three months left on the schedule.) 

PGA Championship

At Bethpage State Park

Black Course 

Par 70, 7,459 yards

Farmingdale, N.Y.

Final results 

1. Brooks Koepka                 $1,980,000      63-65-70-74--272

2. Dustin Johnson                 $1,188,000      69-67-69-69--274

T3. Jordan Spieth                    $575,500      69-66-72-71--278

T3. Patrick Cantlay                  $575,500     69-70-68-71--278

T3. Matt Wallace                     $575,500     69-67-70-72--278

6. Luke List                              $380,000    68-68-69-74--279

7. Sung Kang                          $343,650     68-70-70-72--280

T8. Erik Van Rooyen             $264,395      70-68-70-73--281

T8. Jordan Spieth                  $264,395       69-66-72-71--281

T8. Gary Woodland               $264,395       70-70-73-68--281

T8. Matt Kuchar                     $264,395       70-70-72-69--281

T8. Rory McIlroy                    $264,395       72-71-69-69--281

T8. Shane Lowry                   $264,395       75-69-68-69--281 

T8. Adam Scott                     $264,395        71-64-72-74--281

Missed cut      (144)

Troy Merritt                                                      72-75--147

Alex Beach                                                      77-75--152