As I imagine many of you already know, this past Monday I managed to qualify for the Acciona Open of Spain through the preliminary round held at the National Golf Centre. I haven’t played on the DP World Tour for two years, so you can imagine the excitement, eagerness and also a bit of nerves I have.
I want to tell you a couple of things following this good news. One has to do with my physical condition. I have been dragging a left shoulder injury since 2021 that is limiting me a lot. I had surgery back then, but the problem was not completely resolved. I’m still there. It’s nerve-related. There’s a ligament that’s pressing on the nerve and that prevents it from irrigating the infraspinatus and pectoral muscles. When the pinching occurs, after a very short time I lose strength, I start to pull on my neck and trapezius, it gets loaded and I have to stop.
I can play golf one day, two, three and even four in some cases, although not with certainty because the nerve can stop working at any time. What I can’t do, not even jokingly, is play three weeks in a row, for example, or a School Final for six days. To give you an idea, the other day I was hitting balls and couldn’t get past 90, which is very little for a professional, so I’m changing my way of training. I hardly hit balls on the range, something I loved, and everything I do is play the course and short game.
For this reason, I admit that I was feeling very frustrated and low in spirits. I really couldn’t develop my profession well. That made me, for the first time this year, not sign up for the School, for example. I was very negative. In July I underwent a radiofrequency session and it improved a bit, it seems to take longer for the problem to appear, but the effect of the treatment will gradually fade away. The only solution is to go through surgery, but I don’t know right now when to do it because in February I’m going to be a father and it doesn’t seem like the ideal scenario to be with a sling and hardly able to help. I have to think about it.
Let’s go with the second thing I wanted to tell you. A few weeks ago I was with Fernando Vega de Seoane and it was a surge of energy, positivity and joy. He has a great personality. As many of you know, he is a businessman and family man who in January 2022 had a skiing accident and became paraplegic. We talked for a while and my brain clicked. Here I am bitter about a shoulder problem and this gentleman is a whirlwind of joy and eagerness to do things. He gave me a great lesson and I changed my way of approaching things. I am much more positive.
In recent weeks I have been talking a lot with him and he is helping me a lot. He is a great golfer and we have gone out to play together sometimes. It has been like a release for me. He has taught me very important things about life. On Monday he was with me in the preliminary round of the Open of Spain. He accompanied me with his paragolfer, as he is a golfer and competes.
I know he is very excited to caddy for me in a tournament and I would love it. I am moving for him to be my caddy at the Acciona Open of Spain. What do you think of the idea? I sincerely believe that it would be a spectacular image for everyone: Acciona, the tournament, Madrid and the DP World Tour. I have spoken with the Spanish Federation and they think it’s a great idea. I am sure that the tournament will also support me and the only obstacle left is the European Circuit. I ask and trust that they will make an exception in this case and allow me to play the Open of Spain alongside my friend Fernando.
As for the Open of Spain, I know it’s going to be tough. I haven’t played a European Circuit tournament for two years and I’m sure it will show in some way. However, I don’t want to go there just to have fun or stroll around. I am aware that it won’t be easy, but I am playing well and I know that if I am able to control the nerves I will have at the beginning, if I start well and my game comes out, I think I can have a nice week. I’m not going to set any limits.
