Rising from the Ashes: Camilo Villegas Triumphs After Unfathomable Loss
Camilo Villegas, fueled by unimaginable personal tragedy, triumphs once again With a mesmerizing gaze, he watches as the ball gracefully finds its way into the hole A gentle pump of his fist, a whispered message to the heavens A champion's resurgence
Camilo Villegas stood still for a moment, watching as the ball rolled into the hole. Then, with a subtle fist pump, he looked up at the sky and murmured a quiet thank you to Mia for inspiring him.
Nine years and 8,496 holes after his last victory on the PGA Tour, Villegas became a champion once again. His two-stroke win at the Bermuda Championship earlier this month marked his long-awaited return to the winner's circle.
The Colombian's journey back to the top shares many similarities with other players - dealing with injuries, loss of form, and fighting to maintain his Tour status. However, Villegas has also faced unimaginable personal tragedy.
Villegas and his wife, Marias, tragically lost their 22-month-old daughter, Mia, on July 26, 2020, after she fought a brave battle against tumors on her brain and spine for four months.
Villegas shared with CNN Sports Patrick Snell, "She was such a lively little girl, and everything was looking so promising."
"But trust me, life goes in circles and it takes sharp bends - things change."
Rainbow
During the weeks that followed, players, caddies, and staff began wearing rainbow ribbons on their caps and shirts at tournaments as a tribute to Mia's love of rainbows. This gesture continued throughout the season. Before Mia's passing, Villegas had been thinking about giving up golf. Following a two-year absence from competition due to a tough shoulder injury in 2018, the four-time PGA Tour winner, nicknamed "Spider-Man" for his unique putting style, was considering retirement.
Just under a month later, the World No. 1,015 returned to compete at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship in Ohio and managed to make the cut. "I'm telling you, 80% of the guys who play on the PGA Tour have, at some point, considered quitting," Villegas stated.
"It's normal to experience ups and downs. But with the Mia situation, it wasn't because of that that I ever considered quitting the game. In fact, it kept the engine running and motivated me to keep grinding."
Phil Mickelson plays the 2020 World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational with a rainbow ribbon on his cap.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship was the perfect event for Villegas to rejoin. Mia had received treatment at the Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, which was named after the renowned golfer Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara following a generous $60 million donation from their Children's Health Care Foundation.
Villegas and Maria were leading their own charitable efforts through their foundation, Mias Miracles, which supports US and Colombian families facing medical crises with their young children. With a rainbow as its logo, the foundation raised over $750,000 in 2022.
"We felt a deep sense of compassion and desire to help others, to bring joy to those who are struggling, even in the midst of our own loss," Villegas mused. "We were privileged to have the support and resources we needed during this difficult time, but we are aware that this is not the reality for many, which is why we are committed to giving back."
"Its turned around a tragedy into something that can inspire others."
Maria and Camilo Villegas at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Front row seat
Slowly, but surely, momentum began to change for Villegas, "a little snowball" gathering speed and size.
Under Maria's leadership, Mias Miracles thrived, and Villegas returned to compete in PGA Tour events. In December 2021, their son Mateo was born at 7:56 a.m, a remarkable moment of synchronicity as Mia had been born at 7:56 p.m. However, as the 2023 season approached, Villegas was still outside the top 600 in the world. Changes were made, including a new instructor, mental coach, and "drastic" swing changes, and finally, in November, everything fell into place in a truly memorable way.
Following his tied-runner up finish at the World Wide Technology Championship, Villegas arrived in Bermuda and delivered an outstanding performance at the Port Royal course. He finished 24-under overall, securing a two-shot victory over Sweden's Alex Noren. This win earned Villegas $1.17 million in prize money, his 2024 PGA Tour card, and a spot at The Masters for the first time since 2015.
Villegas - seen here in 2009 - coined the "Spider-Man" moniker early in his career due to his unusual style of reading greens.
Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Villegas trophy lift revealed the words tattooed on each wrist: positive energy and attitude. It is those two traits - and Mia - to which he attributes his success.
"She is in a better place, trust me," Villegas assured.
"Although I wish she were here, we have come to accept that she is not. She now has a front row seat to send me energy and witness what has transpired in the last couple of weeks."
"I want to encourage those with bumps to approach them with a positive energy and attitude. Instead of dwelling on the past and feeling regret, it's important to accept what's happening and focus on turning it around for the better. Life keeps moving forward no matter what, so it's crucial to look ahead and find ways to transform a difficult experience into something positive."
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Villegas reflects on emotional Bermuda Championship victory
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Villegas' victory was made even sweeter by the fact that he scored the most birdies out of any player, earning him a $50,000 charity donation from sponsor RSM Classic as part of their "RSM Birdies for Love" campaign, which was held during seven PGA Tour events in the fall.
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No surprises as to which foundation Villegas directed the donation towards.
"Mia is here with us all the time and that will be the case forever," Villegas said.
"Weve got a little angel up there looking at us and theres a big connection. Well keep going, well keep grinding, well keep giving it our best, and Mia will be watching."
