SEBRING, Fla. -- Former Barry University men’s golfer Willy Pumarol won the PGA Tour Latinoamerica North America Qualifying Tournament to earn an exemption for this season’s tour.
Pumarol, a Dominican native, sank a three-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole at Deer Run the Sun ’n Lake Golf Club to beat American Matt Bryant to earn his card for the season. The 19-tournament season in 13 countries runs from March through June, and September through November before concluding Dec. 3-6 at the PGA Tour Latinoamerica Championship.
“I was free the first two years of the Tour, and had not been exempted,” Pumarol said in a release through PGA Tour Latinoamerica. “Last year was difficult to rely on invitations and only eight tournaments to play. I could not play the full year, as I wanted. I’m very happy with the start of the year, and (am going to) keep working hard.”
Pumarol and Bryant each shot 10-under 278 through four rounds. The playoff was staged on the 170-yard, par-3 18th hole, surrounded by water.
Pumarol, who played for the Buccaneers from 2008-11, was a Golf Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American at Barry in 2010.
PGA Tour Latinoamerica’s season-opening event is the Colombian Open March 19-22 at Club los Lagartos in Bogota, Colombia.