The word fear does not exist in the dictionary of Cayetana Fernández García-Poggio. The young Madrilenian, who turns 19 today, hopes to celebrate the occasion as it deserves with the cut in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, although her gaze is set higher. It’s her condition. It’s on her ID. By profession, a winner. Afterwards, it can be achieved or not, but the starting point is always the same.
It’s not been an easy year for Cata. She landed last summer at the University of Texas A&M and has undergone the inevitable period of adaptation. It’s a significant change, crossing the pond, independence, competing and sharing day-to-day life with a team, a new coach… There are many things to get used to, even though she has had the invaluable help of her sister Blanca, one of the veterans of Texas A&M.
In conversation with Ten Golf, just after handing in a notable 70 in her debut at the ANWA, which places her in twelfth position, she admits that it’s been a complex year. “There are many emotions, both positive and negative, although the positives undoubtedly win. It’s incredible how well they treat you and the opportunities they give you. It’s like a big family that wants the best for you. Of course, despite having many positive things, I also have to say that it’s very tough. I think I’ve never put my body under so much stress in my life,” she says.
“I think I’ve never put my body under so much stress in my life”
The Number 7 in the world amateur ranking arrived at the ANWA, one of the Majors of amateur golf, with a balance of five tournaments played in 2024 and no top 10. It may seem a meagre harvest for a player of her level, especially for herself, always ambitious and demanding, but the reality is that her golf has been very regular, solid and only small details have been missing to fight for victories. Her best position has been a thirteenth, but the worst has been a thirty-sixth. In other words, she’s there, lurking, waiting for the shell to break, much closer than it may seem from the outside.
Although the results have not been the best, Cata does not lower her ambition one bit. “I try not to have many expectations before the tournaments, but I do think it’s good to have a challenge. And mine clearly is to win, I think I have the level to do it,” she assures Ten Golf.
As for the tournament, where she finished in fourth place last year, Cata asks for a lot of attention for the great unknown of the week. There’s a lot of talk about Augusta, where the top 30 and tied will play the final round on Saturday after 36 holes, but watch out for the Champions Retreat. “The first course seems incredibly difficult to me, especially when you have to qualify among the 30 of the 72 best in the world. I’m really looking forward to experiencing playing and competing in Augusta again. I know it’s difficult to make the cut, but I’m going to fight it until the last moment,” she points out.
With her sister Gabi in the bag, just like last year, and her whole family supporting beyond the ropes, Cata is confident of fighting for victory on Saturday and that the hours and hours she has spent in recent weeks training the short game, will have their deserved reward. “Both in the last two weeks and in general throughout the season, I have focused a lot on the approach and the putt, which for me is the most important part of the game”.
