Louis Oosthuizen couldn’t snatch the PGA Championship from Phil Mickelson but he did gain something else—a home in Ocala.
Oosthuizen finished in a tie for second place, 4 under par, 2 strokes behind Mickelson at the PGA Championship. The final round was May 23 at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
The PGA is one of the major professional tournaments of the year, and Oosthuizen, 38, from South Africa, has finished second in a major five times. His sole victory on the PGA tour came in 2010 when he won The Open Championship.
This year’s PGA was telecast by CBS-TV and during the tournament an announcer said that Oosthuizen had recently purchased a home in Ocala. Oosthuizen and his family have a passion for raising horses, the announcer said, and made the move from Palm Beach Gardens to Ocala.
The golfer sold his golf course home in Palm Beach last year for $5.5 million, according to the web site, The Real Deal.
Oosthuizen and his wife Nel-Mare have three daughters: Jana, Sophia and Emma. Oosthuizen was near the top of the PGA tournament leaderboard, battling with Mickelson for most of the way. Mickelson, 50, became the oldest professional to win a major and Oosthuizen was gracious in defeat.
“Sometimes, that’s how it goes,” he tweeted. “I’m happy with where the game is though, and grateful to play in the PGA Championship. Congrats (Phil Mickelson) on the W! Awesome to witness history on 18.”
Oosthuizen isn’t the only top professional golfer with connections to Ocala. Ted Potter Jr., who has multiple professional wins both on the PGA and Nationwide tours, was born in Ocala and lives in Silver Springs.