By Darren Walton
Doing Tiger Woods proud, Australian golf sensation Karl Vilips has etched his name once again in the history books with a life-changing victory in his just fourth start on the PGA Tour.
Vilips withstood a fierce challenge from inspired Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen to secure a stylish three-shot triumph at the Puerto Rico Open.
“It’s a dream come true for me and my dad doing it, going at it for a long time, and this is what we dreamed of when I was a kid,” Vilips said.
“So yeah, it’s pretty surreal.”
After starting Sunday’s final round with a one-stroke advantage, the 23-year-old closed with a sublime eight-under-par 64 to join the legendary Seve Ballesteros as one of only 12 players since 1970 to win on the world’s biggest tour in one of his first four starts.
With a tournament record 26-under total, Vilips’ breakthrough is the latest incredible milestone for a former child prodigy destined for super-stardom ever since winning the US Kids Golf World Championship at age seven and nine and the Callaway World Junior at 10 and 12.
Karl Vilips of Australia poses with the winner’s trophy.Credit: Getty Images
Winning at every level, at 15, the Melbourne-born, Stanford University graduate beat Wood’s long-standing record as the youngest Junior Orange Bowl winner by eight months.
After also winning on the secondary Korn Ferry Tour in 2024 to gain his PGA status, Vilips was last month named as the first brand ambassador to wear Woods’ Sun Day Red.
Dubbed “Koala Karl” in the US, now the five-time AJGA All-American has wasted no time living up to his star billing, overcoming a spirited challenge from Neergaard-Petersen to shatter the Puerto Rico Open scoring record by five shots.
A spectacular hole-out from the fairway for eagle on the par-5 sixth vaulted Vilips three shots clear of the chasing pack.
Neergaard-Petersen was six shots behind Vilips before producing a blazing back nine to snatch the lead with a sixth straight birdie on the 15th hole.
When Vilips found the rough and made his first bogey of the day at the 12th, he suddenly found himself chasing for the first time.
But he responded brilliantly with a bounce-back birdie on 13 to regain a share of the lead, then added further birdies on 14 and 15 as well to see off his pursuers.
Karl Vilips of Australia plays his shot from the 17th tee.Credit: Getty Images
Vilips paid credit to his caddy for helping him stay cool under the intense pressure.
“It’s frustrating to make a bogey with a wedge from the middle of the fairway,” he said.
“My caddy just said to me to stay in the present and try to do everything you can to execute the next shot and I was able to put that behind me and just start again.”
Vilips let out a huge roar after holing his ninth birdie of the day at the last to clinch a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a dream start at next week’s prestigious Players’ Championship in Florida.
With a closing 63, Neergaard-Petersen finished outright second.
