In the proof, the relation $|\angle R_1RR_2| = \alpha + \beta - \gamma$ comes from canceling the "$+\pi/3$"s in the expression $\alpha^+ + \beta^+ - \gamma^{++}$ (where "$x^+$" abbreviates "$x+\pi/3$").
The goal here, of course, is to find the simplest expression for the angle measure. Reducing the number of "$+\pi/3$"s certainly helps, as does later replacing $\alpha + \beta$ with $\pi/3-\gamma$. The ultimate expression, $\pi/3 - 2\gamma$, is nicer-looking than the original form.
If that bit of angle-chasing bothers you, here's a conceptually-simpler, if algebraically-longer, route to the same result:
(Keep in mind that $R_1$ is the reflection of $P$ in $\overline{RB}$, and $R_2$ is the reflection of $Q$ in $\overline{RA}$. Also, $\alpha + \beta + \gamma = \pi/3$.)
Simply observe that $\angle R_1RR_2$ is the "overlap" caused by fitting a number of known angles about $R$. So, its measure is the amount by which the total of those known angles exceeds $2\pi$, and we can compute thusly:
$$\begin{align}
|\angle R_1RR_2| &= \left(\;|\angle R_1RB| + |\angle BRP| \;\right) + |\angle PRQ| + \left( \; |\angle QRA| + |\angle ARR_2| \;\right) - 2\pi \\
&= \left(\; 2 \alpha^+ \;\right) + \pi/3 + \left(\; 2\beta^+ \;\right) - 2\pi \\
&= 2(\alpha +\pi/3) + 2(\beta+\pi/3) + \pi/3 - 2\pi \\
&= 2(\alpha + \beta)-\pi/3 \\
&= 2(\pi/3 - \gamma) - \pi/3 \\
&= \pi/3 - 2\gamma
\end{align}$$
Based on where the proof goes next, I might have opted to massage the measure into this form:
$$|\angle R_1RR_2| = \pi - 2\gamma^+$$
This makes it immediately clear that $\angle R_1RR_2$ is the vertex angle of an isosceles triangle with base angles $\gamma^+$.