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PGA TOUR Latinoamérica team announced for 2017 Aruba Cup
Player of the Year José de Jesús Rodríguez leads the way among 10-man squad
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December 06, 2017
By Communications, PGATOURLA.COM
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December 06, 2017
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The inaugural Aruba Cup took place in 2016, with the team from PGA TOUR Latinoamérica defeating the Mackenzie Tour team, 13-7. (Enrique Berardi/PGA TOUR)
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR Latinoamérica announced its 10-man team for the second annual Aruba Cup on Wednesday. The squad is led by two-time winner and 2017 Player of the Year José de Jesús “El Camarón” Rodríguez.
The team, which features the leading 10 players on the 2017 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Order of Merit, will compete against a team of 10 players from the Mackenzie Tour PGA TOUR Canada in a Presidents Cup-style event at Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf in Aruba next week, December 11-16, 2017. The three competition days will four-ball, foursome and singles matches on December 14, 15 and 16, respectively.
Joining Rodríguez (Irapuato, Mexico) on the team are Jared Wolfe (Jacksonville, Florida), Brian Richey (Lakeland, Florida), José Toledo (Guatemala City, Guatemala), Nelson Ledesma (Tucuman, Argentina), Hank Lebioda (Winter Springs, Florida), Tee-k Kelly (Wheaton, Illinois), Brady Schnell (Phoenix, Arizona), Rodolfo Cazaubón (Tampico, Mexico) y Oscar Fraustro (Chihuahua, Mexico).
“I’m very pleased with the team that we have. This is a very experienced group of players and I know most of them quite well, having played with them at different levels. The fact that they just finished the season last week give us a bit of an edge, but I don’t think we are favorites. The Mackenzie Tour has a very strong team as well and I think we are going to have a fun battle for the Aruba Cup,” said PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Team Captain Roberto “Bobby” Díaz, a 30-year old from Veracruz, Mexico, who just entered his PGA TOUR rookie season.
Led by their Player of the Year, Kramer Hickok (Dallas, Texas), the players on the Mackenzie Tour team are Robby Shelton (Wilmer, Alabama), Johnny Ruiz (Camarillo, California), Patrick Newcomb (Benton, Kentucky), Rico Hoey (Rancho Cucamonga, California), Lee McCoy (Tampa, Florida), Max Rottluff (Dusseldorf, Germany), Chase Wright (Muncie, Indiana), Jordan Niebrugge (Mequon, Wisconsin), and T.J. Vogel (Jacksonville Beach, Florida).
“I think it’s going to be a great week. We have a good team, they have a good team. I think everybody will be kind of excited to finish their season with a win. We are going there to have fun, but we want to win,” said Brian Richey, who finished third on the Latinoamérica Tour Order of Merit with a record of one victory and seven top-10s.
“I think we have a great team,” said José Toledo, who finished the season ranked fourth on the Order of Merit with a win and two other top-10s. “It’s really exciting to finish the year with such an incredible event and I’m sure we are going to do our best to try and win the cup again.”
The inaugural Aruba Cup took place in 2016, with the team from PGA TOUR Latinoamérica defeating the Mackenzie Tour team, 13-7. The 2017 Aruba Cup consists of three competition days, featuring four-ball, foursomes and singles matches from December 14-16.
Below is the 10-man roster for the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica team:
Team PGA TOUR Latinoamérica
om player notes 1 José de Jesús Rodríguez, 36, Irapuato, Mexico Had six top-5s in 13 starts, including two victories at the Avianca Colombia Open and the Abierto del Paraguay Copa NEC. Had the lowest scoring average on Tour at 69.26 strokes. Won two PGA TOUR Latinoamérica events in 2013 and had Web.com Tour status in 2014 and 2015.
2 Jared Wolfe, 29, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Had four top-5s, including a wire-to-wire win at the inaugural BMW Jamaica Classic and runner-up finishes at the Molino Cañuelas Championship and the NEC Argentina Classic. Had Web.com Tour status in 2014 and 2016.
Had four top-5s, including a wire-to-wire win at the inaugural BMW Jamaica Classic and runner-up finishes at the Molino Cañuelas Championship and the NEC Argentina Classic. Had Web.com Tour status in 2014 and 2016.
3 Brian Richey, 31, Lakeland, Florida Led the Tour with seven top-10s, including a wire-to-wire win at the Roberto De Vicenzo Punta del Este Open Copa NEC in Uruguay. Had Web.com Tour status in 2015 and 2016.
Led the Tour with seven top-10s, including a wire-to-wire win at the Roberto De Vicenzo Punta del Este Open Copa NEC in Uruguay. Had Web.com Tour status in 2015 and 2016.
4 José Toledo, 31, Guatemala City, Guatemala Had three top-10s, with a victory at the Essential Costa Rica Classic and a runner-up finish at the Quito Open in Ecuador. Had Web.com Tour status in 2012 and 2014.
Had three top-10s, with a victory at the Essential Costa Rica Classic and a runner-up finish at the Quito Open in Ecuador. Had Web.com Tour status in 2012 and 2014.
5 Nelson Ledesma, 27, Tucuman, Argentina Had four top-10s, with a win at the Abierto OSDE del Centro presentado por FiberCorp in Cordoba, Argentina. Has a record of 91 career starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
Had four top-10s, with a win at the Abierto OSDE del Centro presentado por FiberCorp in Cordoba, Argentina. Has a record of 91 career starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
6 Hank Lebioda, 23, Winter Springs, Florida Played both Tours for a record of one win, two runner-up finishes and nine top-10s. Finished sixth on the Order of Merit in Latin America and eleventh in Canada, where he won the Mackenzie Investments Open.
Played both Tours for a record of one win, two runner-up finishes and nine top-10s. Finished sixth on the Order of Merit in Latin America and eleventh in Canada, where he won the Mackenzie Investments Open.
7 Tee-k Kelly, 23, Wheaton, Illinois Followed an opening 61 with a wire-to-wire win at the Puerto Plata DR Open in the Dominican Republic. Had four other top-10s, including two fourth place finishes in Brazil and Miami.
Followed an opening 61 with a wire-to-wire win at the Puerto Plata DR Open in the Dominican Republic. Had four other top-10s, including two fourth place finishes in Brazil and Miami.
8 Brady Schnell, 32, Phoenix, Arizona Won the last two events of the season, the VISA Open de Argentina presentado por Macro and the Shell Championship. Has played four full seasons on the Web.com Tour in 2010, 2015, 2016 y 2017.
Won the last two events of the season, the VISA Open de Argentina presentado por Macro and the Shell Championship. Has played four full seasons on the Web.com Tour in 2010, 2015, 2016 y 2017.
9 Rodolfo Cazaubón, 28, Tampico, Mexico Won the Aberto do Brasil at the Olympic Golf Course in Rio, shooting 17-under to break the course record set by Justin Rose at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Claimed PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Player of the Year honors in 2015. Had Web.com Tour status in 2016, a year in which he also tied for third at the Puerto Rico Open (PGA TOUR) and tied for 30th at the Olympic Games.
Won the Aberto do Brasil at the Olympic Golf Course in Rio, shooting 17-under to break the course record set by Justin Rose at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Claimed PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Player of the Year honors in 2015. Had Web.com Tour status in 2016, a year in which he also tied for third at the Puerto Rico Open (PGA TOUR) and tied for 30th at the Olympic Games.
10 Oscar Fraustro, 35, Chihuahua, Mexico Won the San Luis Championship in a three-way playoff in San Luis Potosi, Mexico and tied for second at the Aberto do Brasil in Rio. Played the 2013-2014 seasons on the Web.com Tour, where he earned PGA TOUR membership for the 2014-15 season.
Won the San Luis Championship in a three-way playoff in San Luis Potosi, Mexico and tied for second at the Aberto do Brasil in Rio. Played the 2013-2014 seasons on the Web.com Tour, where he earned PGA TOUR membership for the 2014-15 season.
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Had six top-5s in 13 starts, including two victories at the Avianca Colombia Open and the Abierto del Paraguay Copa NEC. Had the lowest scoring average on Tour at 69.26 strokes. Won two PGA TOUR Latinoamérica events in 2013 and had Web.com Tour status in 2014 and 2015.