Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Bio
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Martinez (born 22 January 1981) is a Mexican professional golfer who currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour. Nicknamed “Camarón” (Shrimp) because his cheeks redden in the sun, Rodriguez has built a long career across developmental and major tours, including the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamerica, and the Tour de las Americas.
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 188 pounds, Rodriguez resides in his hometown of Irapuato, Mexico, where he first learned the game as a young caddie. Across his career he has accumulated 38 professional victories spanning multiple tours, establishing himself as one of Mexico’s most accomplished touring professionals.
Early Life and Background
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Martinez grew up in poverty in Irapuato, Mexico. He was one of seven siblings, and the family slept shoulder-to-shoulder on the dirt floor of a one-room adobe home without a bathroom. At the age of 12, he dropped out of school and began caddying full-time at Club de Golf Santa Margarita, the course where he first learned to play golf.
At the age of 15, Rodriguez crossed into the United States illegally by wading across the Rio Grande river. He worked in the United States for ten years, mostly as part of the maintenance crew at a country club in Fayetteville, Arkansas, logging six or seven days a week and lacking the time or money to play. He sent most of his pay home to Irapuato, which allowed his parents to build two homes on the family’s property.
Rodriguez returned to Irapuato in 2006 at the age of 26 and resumed caddying at Club de Golf Santa Margarita. There he met Alfonso Vallejo Esquivel, a wealthy club member who recognized his talent, purchased him a membership, and ultimately sponsored his transition into professional golf on the Mexican Tour in 2007.
Path to Professional Golf
Rodriguez turned professional in 2007 and initially played on the Mexican Tour during 2008, while also making three starts on the Canadian Tour and making the cut in all three. He recorded his first professional victory in 2008 at an event hosted in Puebla on the Mexican Tour, a breakthrough that validated Esquivel’s early investment.
In 2009, Rodriguez increased his schedule on the Canadian Tour but finished winless. His Canadian form improved in 2010, when he posted three top-three finishes in only eight starts and added four victories on the Mexican Tour. The 2010 season confirmed that he could compete consistently on two tours at once.
2011 became his breakout year on the Canadian Tour. Rodriguez won consecutive events at the Mexican PGA Championship and the Times Colonist Island Savings Open, captured the Tour’s Order of Merit title, and added two more Mexican Tour wins for a four-win season overall.
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Career
Early Career (2007-2011)
Rodriguez spent his first professional seasons balancing play between the Mexican Tour and PGA Tour Canada. His first victory came in Puebla in 2008, and he steadily built confidence against stronger fields during 2009 and 2010, finishing inside the top three multiple times in Canada while dominating domestically.
By the end of 2011 he had claimed the Canadian Tour Order of Merit and racked up several Mexican Tour titles. This dual-tour success gave him the platform to chase a PGA Tour Latinoamerica card the following season.
PGA Tour Latinoamerica Breakthrough (2012-2017)
In 2012, Rodriguez earned membership on the inaugural season of PGA Tour Latinoamerica on the strength of his Mexican Tour play. He split time between PGA Tour Canada and the new developmental circuit, winning two more events on the Mexican Tour while remaining winless on the two development tours that year.
2013 was a defining season on PGA Tour Latinoamerica. Rodriguez captured his first victory at the Roberto De Vicenzo Invitational Copa NEC, quickly followed by a second win at the Arturo Calle Colombian Classic. Those results pushed him to second place on the tour’s Order of Merit, earning a Web.com Tour card for 2014, and he added four more Mexican Tour wins that season to reach a record 13 career titles on that circuit.
After several seasons of steady play, Rodriguez won twice on PGA Tour Latinoamerica in 2017 and led the tour’s Order of Merit, which restored his full status on the Web.com Tour for 2018. He also captured the Gira de Golf Profesional Mexicana Order of Merit in the 2019-20 and 2023-24 seasons, reinforcing his standing at home.
Web.com and PGA Tour Era (2018-2019)
In April 2018, Rodriguez won the United Leasing & Finance Championship on the Web.com Tour. He closed the 2018 season with enough money to qualify for the 2019 PGA Tour, marking his arrival on the premier American circuit.
His 2019 PGA Tour rookie campaign produced three made cuts in his first five starts, but he finished 177th on the points list and returned to the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2020 season.
Korn Ferry Tour Era (2020-Present)
Rodriguez returned to the Korn Ferry Tour and has continued to compete there in subsequent seasons, including the 2025 campaign. His experience across multiple tours and his durable ball-striking have allowed him to remain a regular contender in Korn Ferry Tour events.
Playing Style and Strengths
Rodriguez is recognized for a steady, workmanlike game built around accurate ball-striking and disciplined course management. His long apprenticeship on the Mexican and Canadian Tours taught him to grind out scores in varied conditions, and his familiarity with Latin American venues gives him an edge when the Korn Ferry Tour schedule swings through the region.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include his 2011 Canadian Tour Order of Merit title, his 2013 back-to-back wins on PGA Tour Latinoamerica, his 2017 PGA Tour Latinoamerica Order of Merit, and his 2018 United Leasing & Finance Championship victory on the Web.com Tour. He also represented Mexico at the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning an individual medal in 2014 at Barranquilla and another in 2023 at San Salvador.
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Career Wins
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez has accumulated 38 verified professional victories across multiple tours. His wins span the Korn Ferry Tour (1), the Canadian Tour (2), PGA Tour Latinoamerica (6), the Gira de Golf Profesional Mexicana (12), PGA Tour Americas (1), the Colombian Tour (1), PGA Tour Latinoamerica Developmental Series (1), and the Mexico Golf Tour (14), a balance that reflects both longevity and adaptability across Latin America and North America.
Korn Ferry Tour Highlights
Rodriguez has recorded one Korn Ferry Tour win to date, the 2018 United Leasing & Finance Championship. That breakthrough vaulted him onto the PGA Tour for 2019, even though he returned to the Korn Ferry Tour at the end of that rookie season.
PGA Tour Latinoamerica Highlights
Across PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Rodriguez has six verified victories. His first came at the 2013 Roberto De Vicenzo Invitational Copa NEC, followed by the Arturo Calle Colombian Classic that same season. Two additional wins in 2017 helped him claim that year’s Order of Merit, a title that secured his return to the Web.com Tour.
Canadian and Other Tour Highlights
On the Canadian Tour, Rodriguez has two wins, both coming in 2011 at the Mexican PGA Championship and the Times Colonist Island Savings Open, a run that clinched the tour’s Order of Merit that season. He has also won on the Gira de Golf Profesional Mexicana, the Colombian Tour, PGA Tour Americas, and PGA Tour Latinoamerica Developmental Series, with the bulk of his 38 victories coming on developmental circuits.
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Family
Family Background and Golf Lineage
Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Martinez grew up as one of seven siblings in a working-class household in Irapuato, Mexico. His parents relied on the wages he sent home from a decade of work in the United States to build two family homes on their property, illustrating the sacrifices that supported his later career.
Personal Life
Rodriguez married Bianca Gonzalez in 2004, and the couple has two children. He continues to make his home in Irapuato, the city where he first picked up a club as a young caddie at Club de Golf Santa Margarita.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season, Rodriguez is working to re-establish himself after several years competing on the developmental circuit. His track record of contending on familiar Latin American-style courses positions him to chase status on the upper levels of professional golf.
Rodriguez has targeted consistency on putts inside ten feet and accuracy off the tee, areas that have defined his play across multiple tours. The 2025 schedule includes several events in regions where his extensive experience provides a competitive edge.
With 38 career professional wins already secured, Rodriguez approaches the 2025 season focused on returning to the PGA Tour rather than rebuilding a resume. His durability and course management remain his most reliable assets as he pushes toward another opportunity on golf’s biggest stage.