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Oct. 31, 2010

DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. -- Texas-Ex Jhonattan Vegas (2004-07) earned one of 25 PGA Tour cards up for grabs Sunday by way of his top-25 finish on the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list. 

The long-driving Venezuelan earned well over $300,000 this year after making 23 starts on tour and securing five top-10 finishes, including four top-three showings.  He concluded the season on Sunday with a 16th-place finish at the Nationwide Tour Championship.  Vegas finished at No. 7 on the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list and became the first Venezuelan to be awarded a PGA Tour card. 

Vegas won his first event as a professional in August when he claimed the Nationwide Tour's Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.  He added second-place finishes this year at the South Georgia Classic and the Utah Championship and also tied for third at the Albertson's Boise Open. 

Vegas registered an additional top-10 finish at the Melwood Prince George's County Open, where he tied for seventh place.  Vegas made the cut in 15 of 23 Nationwide Tour events this season and landed nine top-25 finishes.  He made one PGA Tour appearance last spring at the Puerto Rico Open, where he tied for 24th place. 

"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.  Jhonattan has been on a consistently positive track as a golfer his entire career, from his junior golf days, to when he played college golf and now as a professional."   

Vegas made 32 career starts in his four seasons as a Longhorn and helped Texas to an 11th place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships, where he placed 39th individually.  He notched three top-five finishes and appeared in three Big 12 Championships and two NCAA Regional Championships.  He is the older brother of Texas sophomore golfer Julio Vegas, who competed in the Longhorns' last three fall events. 

"Jhonattan and his team have taken a positive road that has fit his progression as a person and as a player," Fields continued.  "The result may well be a significantly great career as a PGA Tour professional.  As a person, no one deserves this more than Jhonattan Vegas.  We're happy for him to join Texas-Exes Justin Leonard, Bob Estes, Harrison Frazar and Omar Uresti on the PGA Tour."