Who is Erik van Rooyen? Exploring all about the South African golfer

Erik van Rooyen is a professional golfer of South African descent. His recent appearance at the 2023 Fortinet Championships saw him finish at a respectable T30 with a score of -7, earning him $42,532.

Erik van Rooyen's golf journey began when he attended the University of Minnesota in 2009. He turned professional in 2013 and primarily played on the Sunshine Tour. In 2017, he secured his first professional win at the Eye of Africa PGA Championship.

Transitioning to the Challenge Tour in 2017, van Rooyen added another victory to his name at the Hainan Open. Strong performances placed him third in the Challenge Tour Race to Oman rankings, earning him a card for the 2018 European Tour season.

In 2018, he made his mark by earning a spot in the prestigious Open Championship. His career took a significant turn in August 2019 when he secured his first European Tour title at the Scandinavian Invitation. Van Rooyen's remarkable journey continued with a career-best 40th position on the Official World Golf Ranking after the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship.

August 2021 marked a significant milestone as he won his first PGA Tour event at the Barracuda Championship, setting a new tournament scoring record.

Currently at 196th spot in the World Rankings, Erik van Rooyen is expected to perform better and go up the charts.

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How did Erik Van Rooyen start playing golf?

Erik van Rooyen's journey into the world of golf started at the age of 7 when he was introduced to the game by his grandfather and father. His father's membership at a local club provided the young van Rooyen an opportunity to play nine holes on Sunday afternoons.

At the outset, van Rooyen enjoyed the outdoor aspect of the game and the satisfaction of hitting the ball straight. However, as he delved deeper into golf, he developed a passion for the competition it offered.

His competitive journey began at the age of 14, and during his senior year of high school, the prospect of playing college golf emerged. It was during this time that he started contemplating a career in professional golf, with college as a potential route to achieve his aspirations.

“That’s when I started thinking about how I kind of want to play professionally and college was a route that I wanted to go,” Van Rooyen said (via The Gremlin).