MIND OVER MATTER
-How do you keep yourself motivated when
facing setbacks in your career?
-This is the start of my 13th year on the
European Tour and I always have short term
goals that I follow. I keep motivated by wanting
to get better every day. I want to see how far I
can go.
-Do you have any rituals or pre-tournament
routine you like to follow?
-I prepare for tournaments the same way,
doesn’t matter if it’s a small tournament or a
major. I talk a lot to my caddie Raul about the
course, play the practice rounds and then we
make a game plan. Then every tournament day
is the same. I wake up around 3 hours before
my tee time. It includes 30 min to shower and
get ready, 30 min transport (normally), 30 min
breakfast, 30 min warm up in gym or looker
room, 10 minutes putt, 10 minutes chipping, 25
minutes long game, 5 minutes putting and be on
the tee 10 minutes before my tee time.
- What’s your favorite course in the world? and
in your home country?
-That’s a good question, I always say that my
favourites golf courses are the ones I win golf
tournaments on, so I am not going to change
that! And in Spain the place I want to win at is
Valderrama, it is a very special place.
- When did you decide you wanted to pursue
a career as a Golf Pro? Was your family
supportive?
-I really felt like I was good enough to be a pro
golfer when I was 17/18 but I decided to turn pro
in 2003 when I came back from IJGA. I turned
pro in November 2004. I got lucky because
my family love golf so they were happy and
supportive of me.
- What advice do you have for current IJGA
students who want to play golf professionally?
-To play professional golf and be successful
it’s NOT easy. You must work harder than the
rest to beat them. But it’s very important to
love practicing. The process of getting better
is the biggest problem we all have. Having the
best team of people to help you get better and
believing in them helps. Play your way and then
enjoy the road. But if I can give only one piece
of advice, it would be: To have fun playing the
game!
That’s it from me. I hope you all enjoy IJGA
and I see you all out there somewhere around
the world.
Smile to the game of GOLF and golf will smile
back at you!
- What is your favorite memory from your time
at IJGA?
-IJGA was a big step for me. For the first time
in my life I could play the game every day and
that was a step forward. Then, the friends I
made over there were special. I am still in touch
with some of them and they come to see me at
the PGA Championship. My best memory was
my coach Dick, who was an incredible man, he
was a talented player and the way he coached
us was great. I really miss him. He was awesome.
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