Senior Men's Golfer Kieron Van Wyk Set for PGA TOUR Debut at Puerto Rico Open
The Hogan Award Watch List nominee will tee off Thursday
Kieron Van Wyk is about to make history—again.
The College of Charleston senior will step onto golf’s biggest stage this week, making his PGA TOUR debut at the Puerto Rico Open. For a player who has spent his entire career defying expectations, this is just the next chapter in an already remarkable story.
Van Wyk earned his spot in the Puerto Rico Open after a dominant performance at the White Sands Invitational in the Bahamas last season, securing an automatic exemption. That win was just one of many highlights in a college career that has established him as one of the nation’s top golfers. Currently ranked No. 15 in the Clippd national rankings, Van Wyk also sits atop the Bridgestone APGA Collegiate Rankings, further proving that he belongs among the best in the game.
And if you needed more proof, he delivered it in January. Van Wyk became the first amateur to win an APGA Tour event, capturing the Farmers Insurance Invitational at Torrey Pines in a dramatic playoff. That victory, combined with his sustained dominance, has him in line for a Korn Ferry Tour exemption at the UNC Health Championship later this year. He’s also in position to earn an invitation to THE JOHN SHIPPEN Men’s Invitational, which provides a pathway for Black golfers to compete in the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Classic.
Van Wyk’s impact, however, extends far beyond the leaderboard. In a groundbreaking development for international student-athletes, he became the first golfer—and just the fourth foreign national—to receive a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) exemption. Thanks to Addison Sports and Entertainment, Van Wyk secured a P-1A visa, allowing him to continue competing and studying in the U.S. while cashing in on NIL opportunities. Before obtaining the visa, he had to travel internationally just to sign NIL deals, adding another hurdle to an already challenging process. Now, with a five-year visa in hand, he can focus on his game and brand without restrictions.
Now, he takes that talent to Grand Reserve Golf Club, one of the longest tracks on the PGA TOUR at 7,506 yards. But length won’t be an issue. Van Wyk brings a modern game—powerful off the tee, fearless with his irons, and unshakable in big moments. He enters the Puerto Rico Open as a sponsor exemption, joining a competitive field of established TOUR pros and up-and-coming stars.
He’s also racking up accolades at CofC. Van Wyk is a Ben Hogan Award Watch List nominee, an honor reserved for the top collegiate golfers in the country. And let’s not forget—he’s already made history as the first Black golfer to win the Coastal Athletic Association Championship back in 2022. He was also named CAA Golfer of the Year in 2022 and 2023, and co-individual CAA Champion in 2024.
Seeing a Cougar alum on the PGA TOUR is rare territory, but Van Wyk has always been different. He has the game. He has the confidence.
The senior from South Africa may be soft-spoken, but he has the chance to make real noise this week on golf’s biggest stage.
Now, all that’s left to do is tee it up and take on the world.
How to Watch:
Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday-Sunday: 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
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