What makes Erik van Rooyen one of South Africa’s most compelling modern golfers? The answer includes three major international victories, a college career in the United States and an emotional PGA Tour win in 2023 that he dedicated to his late friend, Jon Trasamar. This Erik van Rooyen Biography covers his age, hometown, wife, children, parents, career results and personal background as of 2026.
Erik van Rooyen Biography: Quick Facts
| Full Name | Erik Johannes van Rooyen |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 21, 1990 |
| Age in 2026 | 35 years old, turning 36 on February 21, 2026 |
| Birthplace / Hometown | Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Height | Approximately 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) |
| Turned Professional | 2013 |
| College | University of Minnesota |
| Wife | Anya van Rooyen |
| Children | He is a father, although the family keeps most details about their children private. |
| Professional Wins | At least three major international tour victories, including two PGA Tour wins and one DP World Tour win |
Erik van Rooyen Age and Hometown
Erik van Rooyen was born on February 21, 1990, in Bellville, a suburb in the Cape Town metropolitan area of South Africa. He is 35 years old for most of 2026. Growing up in South Africa gave van Rooyen access to a country with a deep golf tradition, producing major champions and global stars such as Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
Although Bellville is his birthplace, van Rooyen later developed his game in both South Africa and the United States. His international background has helped him become comfortable competing on demanding PGA Tour and DP World Tour golf courses.
College Career at the University of Minnesota
Before becoming a professional golfer, Erik van Rooyen attended the University of Minnesota, where he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was an important member of the school’s golf program and developed friendships that remained central to his life long after college.
One of those friends was Jon Trasamar, a former Minnesota teammate. Trasamar’s battle with cancer became a deeply personal part of van Rooyen’s story. When van Rooyen won the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship, he learned that Trasamar had died shortly before the final round. His victory speech, dedicated to his friend, became one of the most emotional moments of the 2023 PGA Tour season.
Erik van Rooyen Professional Golf Career
Van Rooyen turned professional in 2013 and gradually built his reputation through the Sunshine Tour, Challenge Tour, DP World Tour and PGA Tour. His game is known for powerful driving, aggressive iron play and the ability to compete in windy or firm conditions, traits often associated with leading South African golfers.
His breakthrough victories have come on notably different golf courses, showing his versatility across formats and layouts.
| Year | Tournament | Tour | Golf Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Scandinavian Invitation | DP World Tour | Hills Golf & Sports Club, Gothenburg, Sweden |
| 2021 | Barracuda Championship | PGA Tour | Old Greenwood at Tahoe Mountain Club, California |
| 2023 | World Wide Technology Championship | PGA Tour | El Cardonal at Diamante, Los Cabos, Mexico |
At the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship, van Rooyen produced a spectacular final-round 63 at El Cardonal at Diamante. He finished at 27-under-par, winning by two strokes over Matt Kuchar and Camilo Villegas. The victory was his second PGA Tour title and secured a major career milestone during an intensely emotional week.
Erik van Rooyen Wife and Children
Erik van Rooyen is married to Anya van Rooyen. The couple has maintained a relatively private family life despite van Rooyen’s public career on the PGA Tour. They are known to have children, but the golfer and his wife do not regularly share extensive personal information about them through official tour channels.
Anya has been a visible source of support during important periods of van Rooyen’s career, including his rise from developmental tours to winning on the PGA Tour. Family support is especially significant in professional golf, where players spend long stretches traveling between tournaments and golf courses across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Erik van Rooyen Parents and Family Background
Information about Erik van Rooyen’s parents is not widely published in verified PGA Tour or DP World Tour biographies. Unlike his professional results, van Rooyen has chosen to keep the names and occupations of his parents largely out of the public spotlight. This privacy should be respected, particularly when online biographies contain unverified claims.
What is well established is that his South African upbringing, college experience in Minnesota and close relationships with teammates have helped shape the person behind the professional golfer.
Why Erik van Rooyen Remains a Player to Watch in 2026
Erik van Rooyen enters 2026 as an accomplished South African golfer with proven winning ability on both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. His victories at Hills Golf & Sports Club, Old Greenwood and El Cardonal demonstrate that he can succeed on a variety of tournament setups, from Scandinavian parkland golf to mountain layouts and desert resort courses.
For fans searching for an Erik van Rooyen biography, his story is more than statistics. It is the journey of a Bellville-born golfer who became a global professional, a University of Minnesota alumnus, a husband and father, and a player whose 2023 PGA Tour victory showed the powerful human side of competitive golf.
