The Puerto Rican Rafael Campos (-16), aged 36, celebrated the birth of his daughter last Monday. However, his situation in the FedEx Fall, ranked 147th and fighting for his card for the next season, has forced him to be in Bermuda this week instead of with his family. An important effort that could have the dreamed reward if he plays tomorrow at the same level he showed this Saturday, a ‘moving day’ where he gave an authentic recital.
With 62 strokes, he signed the best card of his career on the circuit. Nine birdies without a fault at the Port Royal Golf Course to climb nine positions in the standings and become co-leader of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship alongside the American Andrew Novak (-16), who mirrored his result and his leap on the table. A boost he will try to confirm in the last 18 holes of the tournament so that his first daughter, Paoloa Isabel, instead of arriving with a loaf of bread, arrives with her father’s first victory on the tour.
Both Rafael and Andrew managed to come through unscathed on a day when the wind blew very strongly. Just like Justin Lower (-15), who led the standings for much of the third round until he sent his ball into the water on the par five of the 18th to close with a bogey, a card of 68 strokes that places him third alone, one stroke behind the leaders. Further back, three strokes behind, is Wesley Bryan (-13), who, without his brother on the field, shone with a tremendous 61 to climb 42 places and get fully into the fight for the win.
SO close!
After his tee shot found the water, @justinlower_1 nearly dunked it for par 😲
In search of his first TOUR victory, he will tee it up in the final group for the second week in a row @Bermuda_Champ. pic.twitter.com/qG2bormGvm
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 16, 2024
Campos has this Sunday and the RSM Classic next week to try to get into the top 125 of the overall standings and maintain full playing rights in 2025. Novak and Lower have them secured. Meanwhile, Bryan, who started the week as 128th in the FedEx Fall, staying high in the standings after tomorrow’s round would practically seal his goal.
“My wife is very understanding about my situation in the FedEx,” said Rafael after this third round. “The whole process of trying to induce labour on Monday was so I could try to get to the tournament, so we were always on the lookout to see if I could play,” he explained. He arrived home with his family on Wednesday at five in the afternoon and shortly after had to leave for the airport to arrive in time in Bermuda.
An emotional week for Rafa Campos 🥹
The new dad shares the 54-hole lead @Bermuda_Champ five days after the birth of his daughter. pic.twitter.com/JDrzXPrW1r
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 16, 2024
“I hugged my daughter and thought that in 20 minutes I had to leave for the airport. Luckily everything went well and I can be here,” he said after leaving, sharing the lead after 54 holes for the first time in a PGA Tour tournament (he was also a leader in the Puerto Rico Open and the Corales Puntacana in 2021). “I’m in a difficult situation in the standings and I want to have a job next year. I’ve worked a lot in recent months. But now I think everything has changed. It doesn’t matter if I play well or badly. If I end up losing my job, I have a beautiful daughter and wife at home waiting for me. I hope to have a good day tomorrow and then we’ll see how it ends,” he concluded.
