Golf has been tremendously cruel today to Gonzalo Fernández Castaño (-6) in the fourth round of the Final Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School. The Madrid native carded a 70 on the Lakes course, one under par, and missed the cut by one. The cruelty is not so much about how close he was to playing two more rounds and continuing to fight for the DP World Tour card, but about the game he displayed.
On Sunday afternoon, after finishing the third round, he was hitting balls with the help of Alex Larrazábal, his caddie this week, and found a good feeling that he managed to bring to the course today. He hit very good irons and left himself several birdie chances. In total, he missed up to five putts between one and a half and four metres. He got to -8, well inside the cut which was finally -7, but the feeling at that moment was that he could easily go to -10.
The torpedo to the waterline came on holes 5 and 6, at the end of the round (he started on the 10th). His two tee shots ended up in the water, resulting in a bogey and a double bogey. Devastating. It’s the consequence of not being comfortable with the driver. “As soon as I have water on the left, the ball goes straight to the ducks,” he said with a sense of humour at the end. In a way, the pressure also affects him, the fact that he’s not competing as much, and that, logically, a lot of negative thoughts have already accumulated in his head. His golf is competitive, but mentally it’s getting harder for him.
So much so that at the end, the Madrid native didn’t sugarcoat it. “It’s over, full stop. I’m closing a chapter with this Final. It’s been a nice week to leave it, with magnificent weather and the company of Alex Larrazábal, who has behaved in an exceptional manner, although physically it’s getting harder for him due to old age,” he said with a laugh.
What does Gonzalo mean when he talks about closing a chapter? Will we see him compete again, or is he hanging up his clubs for good? He means that he will not try to earn a card on any tour like the European one again. This year his exemption to play directly in the DP World Tour Qualifying School Final ends, and next year we won’t see him playing either the first or second stage. He won’t play the Challenge Tour either, although he would have some opportunities.
However, Gonzalo is not quitting. He will continue to play those DP World Tour events where he has entry as a former champion. It shouldn’t be ruled out that he might play some International Series for which he receives an invitation or the LIV Golf School. If everything goes wonderfully in any of those events, he would have to reconsider the situation, but mentally we could say he has closed the chapter on competitive golf. “I will continue to play some tournaments where I can or the Spanish Open qualifier because I like it and to see familiar faces, but the fact of competing a whole year on a tour is over,” he told Ten Golf.
There will be time to take stock, but he will be missed. After all, Gonzalo has won up to seven times on the DP World Tour. He is one of the most successful golfers in the history of Spanish golf and, without a doubt, one of the most charismatic. “I also have to say that right now I have a lot on my mind, so it’s not a bad thing to start letting go of some things,” he finally commented, always looking for the positive side.
