GolfPlayerMania

There are some professional athletes who transcend their sport for reasons other than their ability at their particular craft.  The most recent example is Anna Kournikova, who is a decent tennis player compared to her peers, however is most well known for her physical attributes and many appearances in magazines, photo shoots, websites and etceteras.  Golf has several players who fit this same mold, notably on the men’s side in Camilo Villegas.     

Villegas is from Colombia and is noted as spending a significant amount of time on his exercise regimen and physique.  Villegas has appeared in GQ magazine and was listed in People Magazine’s “hottest bachelors” feature in 2006.  Villegas has a strong female following on the tour, similar to the strong male following Anna Kournikova had on the tennis tour.

It is not all about beauty and physical attributes with Villegas, however; he is quite good at the game of golf and has played very well in the past couple of years to prove it.  Villegas has earned over $8 million in his brief career, which started on the PGA tour in 2006.  In 2008 he earned roughly $4.4 million highlighted by victories at a the TELUS skins game, the BMW Championship and The Tour Championship.  With these victories, Villegas moved into the Top 10 player rankings in the world in 2008.

Some other interesting facts about Villegas other than his status as a rising star in golf include his nickname and popularity in the world of golf.  He is nicknamed “Spiderman” because of his putting routine, which is to crouch parallel to the ground while reading putts.  Although you cannot be 100% certain, it would not be a surprise if this was another method to promote his physical physique.

Villegas is immensely popular in Colombia, especially now that he is the highest ranked South American player in the world.  In fact, in early 2006 there were about 30 additional PGA golf events added to the regular TV lineup in Colombia for a chance to watch Villegas.  Villegas is up and coming in the world of golf because he is an attractive man, is proving to be an excellent golfer and has charisma.  Other players on the tour certainly wish they could be Villegas to have his skills and talents.  Villegas is hoping to make a name for himself on the tour through his play, not through his appearance only.  If the rest of the golf world did not take notice with his strong finishes in 2008, they certainly will now.