Omar Morales is a promising Mexican golfer who plays for the UCLA Bruins. As well as racking up a string of accolades and achievements for his college team, he has also had a taste of the action in two Majors.
Here are 10 things to know about the youngster.
1. Omar Morales was born in Puebla City in Mexico.
2. He was the number one junior amateur golfer in Mexico in the 2018-19 season.
3. Morales enrolled at UCLA in 2021 and claimed his maiden collegiate win at the 2023 El Macero Classic. Later in the year, he won again, this time in the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational.
4. His PGA Tour debut came at the 2023 Mexico Open thanks to a sponsor exemption. He missed the cut after rounds of 74 and 67.
5. Later that year he qualified for his maiden Major appearance, the US Open, after winning his qualifying round Hillcrest Country Club with a score of 12-under.
6. That edition took place not far from the UCLA campus, at Los Angeles Country Club, and Morales had the honor of taking the opening tee shot.
7. He even found himself at the top of the leaderboard at three-under after nine holes before eventually missing the cut after rounds of 71 and 78.
8. A year later, Morales reached the Major for the second time, again through qualifying. For the second successive year, he missed the cut after rounds of 73 and 74 at Pinehurst No.2. There was no disgrace in that, though, as his 147 shots across the two days was the same number managed by 15-time Major winner Tiger Woods.
9. During the 2023/24 season, he set several UCLA single-season records: a scoring average of 69.9, 25 rounds under par and 19 rounds in the 60s.
10. His sporting heroes are Tiger Woods, basketball's LeBron James, soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo and boxer Floyd Mayweather.
Omar Morales Collegiate Wins
- 2023 El Macero Classic
- 2023 Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational
