Former Texas Golfer First Venezuelan To Earn PGA Tour Card
Jhonattan Vegas, a long-driving Venezuelan who played golf for UT from 2004 to 2007, is the first of his countrymen to make it onto the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 25 of the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list.
Vegas joins a distinguished group of former Texas players now in the PGA, including Justin Leonard, Bob Estes, Harrison Frazar, and Omar Uresti. With more than $300,000 in winnings this year, Vegas finished No. 7 on the money list, placing in the top-10 five times.
“I am really proud of Jhonattan as he graduates to the PGA Tour,” UT head coach John Fields said. “He has played the Nationwide Tour for three years and certainly has the game to be successful on the PGA Tour.”
Vegas, who grew up hitting rocks with a broom in the oil fields in his native country, made 32 career starts in four seasons as a Longhorn and helped Texas to an 11th place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships, where he placed 39th individually. He came to the United States in 2003 speaking almost no English.
His younger brother Julio is currently a sophomore on UT’s team.
Photo courtesy UT Athletics.
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