KAPALUA, Hawaii — The cream-colored envelope arrived on the Puerto Rico house of Rafael Campos on Dec. 23, and there was no mistaking who it was from — Augusta Nationwide — or what it contained. That’s why he waited a number of days to open it and discover his invitation to the Masters.
“I wished that to be my Christmas current,” Campos mentioned. “And it was surreal. Simply making an attempt to know, ‘That is actually taking place, proper?’ And it was so cool.”
Six weeks after the 36-year-old Campos delivered a type of feel-good moments in golf by profitable the Bermuda Championship, he nonetheless has a tough time fathoming what occurred.
He feared he must miss the Bermuda Championship as a result of his spouse was due with their first baby. He introduced their daughter house and arrived in Bermuda some two hours earlier than his tee time. After which he received.
No surprise he can’t cease smiling.
“A minimum of one evening of the week for the final month-and-a-half, my spouse have made a press release like, ‘It actually occurred,’” Campos mentioned.
However for the way for much longer?
The PGA Tour has an extended historical past of such moments, and so they would possibly occur quite a bit much less usually below the brand new construction for 2026 . Solely the highest 100 gamers — down from 125 — preserve full playing cards. Area sizes are shrinking. Monday qualifying spots are being diminished. That is extra reduce throat.
Campos remembers when he first heard rumblings of this new system.
“At the back of my thoughts I used to be like, ‘Man, it’s going to be even more durable for us now,’” he mentioned. “I’m not a fan of it. I perceive why they’re doing it, like slicing time so everybody can end, and supposedly it’s for the sponsors. Then once more, you’re taking away jobs from us. And it’s not straightforward. There’s so many hundreds and hundreds of unbelievable golfers that need to be there.”
The out-of-nowhere victory — the primary by a Puerto Rican because the beloved Chi Chi Rodriguez, who had died three months earlier — is what introduced Campos to Maui for the beginning of a PGA Tour season that he figured wouldn’t embrace him.
It gave him job safety for 2 years, one thing he has by no means had, and an opportunity to plan a schedule as a substitute of hoping tournaments had room for him. And sure, he’s going to the Masters.
None of this appeared remotely doable for a lot of the 12 months.
Campos realized his spouse, Stephanie, was pregnant within the spring and all he might take into consideration was ensuring he might present for them. After which he began lacking cuts, three in a row, then 9 in a row. He was operating out of time, and so was his spouse.
Her due date was the Sunday of the Bermuda Championship, the penultimate match of the season. Campos was No. 147 within the FedExCup, and even when he stayed within the prime 150, possibilities to play have been going to be severely restricted in 2025.
He couldn’t afford to overlook Bermuda.
“I’ve at all times had a backup plan,” mentioned Campos, who turned professional after taking part in at Virginia Commonwealth and who had managed just one earlier season within the massive leagues. “This was the primary time — truthfully, issues have been going extraordinarily dangerous — I didn’t have a fallback plan. It was powerful on my thoughts understanding that, ‘Man, I labored so arduous for 15 years, I might lose the whole lot and begin again at sq. one.’”
His spouse advised they induce labor. Campos was not keen to go away Puerto Rico till he might deliver his spouse and baby house. Their daughter, Paola, was born Monday night and he was in a position to deliver them house Wednesday, lower than 24 hours earlier than his tee time.
“I keep in mind telling my spouse, ‘Can I’ve 20 minutes with the child, simply on my own within the room?’ It was so cool simply holding her,” he mentioned.
Gone was the stress of making an attempt to make cuts the final six months, changed by peace and pleasure. After which he flew to Boston, arriving after midnight and sleeping within the airport till his connection to Bermuda within the morning. He arrived at Port Royal just below two hours from his tee time.
That’s usually sufficient time to organize to tee off, besides Campos stored speaking concerning the start of his little woman. What adopted the following 4 days is a blur.
Campos struggled together with his ball-striking and to get begins this 12 months, however the 36-year-old from Puerto Rico received the Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Sunday for his maiden Tour title.
He made the reduce after which shot 62 within the third spherical to tie for the lead. And on Sunday, he held his nerve and pulled away with a 68 to win by three. A Golf Channel reporter approached him on the 18th inexperienced and Campos was sobbing.
“I simply can’t consider that is taking place to me,” he mentioned.
The $1,242,000 was greater than he had received in his earlier 53 begins on the PGA Tour. However this wasn’t about simply cash. This was about being a tour winner, a lifelong dream. He didn’t even notice he can be going to Kapalua, a lot much less the Masters.
He thought again to when he was 9 and his father was invited to play golf for the primary time, considering it could take an hour or two. He dropped his children off on the driving vary. Six hours later, Campos was nonetheless hitting the little white golf ball. He was hooked.
After which in his 14th 12 months as a professional, the week he grew to become a father and feared dropping his job, he received the Bermuda Championship.
How did that occur?
“It’s humorous how everyone says, ‘All it takes is one week.’ And also you at all times consider it and all that, however you don’t notice it. It’s true on this sport. One week can actually change your life and your loved ones’s life.”
