Dorado, Puerto Rico – Two-year eGolf Tour member Ryan Sullivan of Winston-Salem, NC entered the final round of the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica’s Puerto Rico Classic trailing overnight leader Armando Favela by four shots at 4-under par 140. Needing a near-flawless final round to pull off a come-from-behind win in the rain-shortened event, Sullivan delivered, carding eight birdies on Sunday afternoon at the Dorado Beach Resort to post a final-round 65 and a 11-under 205 total, good for a one shot victory and the event’s $27,000 first place prize.

Sullivan, who was making his first career PGA TOUR Latinoamerica start in Puerto Rico, opened his week in less-than-ideal fashion, posting a double-bogey on his first hole and three additional bogeys in his next six to quickly fall to 4-over par.

The former UNC Wilmington standout rallied thereafter, grinding out a first-round 74 before moving into tournament contention with a second-round 66 that put him at 4-under par and within shouting distance of Favela entering the final round.

Playing six groups in front of the leaders on Sunday at Dorado Beach’s famed East Course, Sullivan opened with four birdies in his first six holes to vault to 8-under par for the week.

Back-nine birdies on 11, 13 and 14 pushed him to 11-under par before a bogey on the par-4 15th dropped the 24-year-old back to 10-under overall. When Sullivan followed up the bogey with a birdie on the par-4 16th, he was alone atop the leaderboard at 11-under par.

At the par-4 finishing hole, Sullivan’s second shot wound up over the green, setting up a straightforward up-and-down pitch that he converted for a closing par and a final-round 65. His 11-under 205 clubhouse tally stood up, as contender Samuel Del Val bogeyed the final hole to post 10-under 206, and Favela bogeyed the par-4 17th before birdieing the last to finish at 10-under 206 as well.

In dramatic come-from-behind fashion, Sullivan had earned his first professional win in his first career PGA TOUR Latinoamerica start in Puerto Rico.

“I was 4-over for my first seven holes of the tournament, so I battled back really good and I was happy just to make the cut, but being in position to potentially contend and win it was awesome,” said Sullivan, who will be given an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open next March for his win.

The $27,000 first-place prize moved Sullivan up to No. 8 on the tour’s Order of Merit. Following the conclusion of the season-ending VISA Open de Argentina, the top five players on the final Order of Merit will be awarded status on the 2014 Web.com Tour.

“It’s a little surreal right now. I’ve been playing very good golf as of late and I came over here to maybe get some momentum heading into first stage of Q-School. This is everything I could have asked and more. Having my uncle (Marty Smith) on the bag it’s pretty special,” said Sullivan.

In 16 starts on the eGolf Tour this year, Sullivan has collected four top-10 finishes, including a career-best T3 at the Championship at St. James Plantation – where he was the tournament’s 54-hole leader.