Followed up his desire to be more of a world golfer by taking up Affiliate Membership of The European Tour in 2009, and finished the year in 30th position in the inaugural Race to Dubai. Played consistently throughout his first year, with his best performances reserved for the World Golf Championship-CA Championship, and the Volvo World Match Play Championship where he finished tied fifth. Came of age on the US PGA Tour at the end of the 2008 season with back to back victories in the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in Missouri before, three weeks later, he captured The Tour Championship presented by Coca Cola at East Lake Golf Club in Georgia. Those two events were the final two counting events in the US PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Series, victories which clinched second place in the Series behind Fiji’s Vijay Singh. It also helped him move up to a career high of seventh on the Official World Golf Ranking. His popularity in his native Colombia caused Colombian TV to pick up 30 US PGA Tour golf broadcasts beginning in 2006. He also featured in the July 2006 issue of GQ which stated: "He's got a closet full of tight trousers, a set of boxer's biceps and more screaming female fans than Justin Timberlake." Was selected as one of People Magazine's "Hottest Bachelors," in 2006. Was the only professional athlete chosen for the feature. In 2005, started using a low-to-the-ground crouching method to better read putts. Received the Order of San Carlos medal from Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in March 2009 in recognition of his contribution to his country.