– Sebas García finally entered the draw for this Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters, but he wasn’t entirely confident. In fact, a few days ago he thought he was out. And here, in Sotogrande, he will have his last chance starting Thursday to secure his full playing rights on the European Tour. “You know, I’m always there, on the tightrope,” he says with a smile. He needs something like a solo twelfth place to secure the goal. Time to row like a beast.
– After winning the Open de España, Ángel Hidalgo missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Links and the Open de France… However, the man from Málaga downplays the drama. “I’ve played much better than it seems, especially in France, where I missed two fairways by just one or two metres and couldn’t find the ball, which had obviously plugged.”
– Rafa Cabrera Bello also can’t find a way to nail the definitive week, and his situation in the Race to Dubai is already very tight, being in 116th place, just outside ‘retention’. Whatever happens this week and next in Korea, he is very clear about the area he will work on most this winter. “It can’t be that in tight situations, for example to make a cut, I suddenly have so many doubts on the course. The thing is, this isn’t something you work on and fix overnight. It’s a matter of weeks and months, but it can be worked on, and I’m clear that this winter I’m going to seriously focus on it.”
– Nacho Elvira has had a terrible time recently, very worried about a respiratory condition his eldest daughter, Martina, has suffered. That’s the bad news. Now, the good news: after several trips to the hospital and treatments that seemingly had no effect, today the girl was much better. The Spanish player had lost a few kilos due to sheer stress, but you should have seen him this Tuesday afternoon, so deeply relieved. So, if we may take the liberty, now he must be considered in the winning equation, without a doubt.
– Alfredo García Heredia had seriously considered not travelling to Korea next week. For sheer convenience. The Asturian doesn’t hide it at all: “I just can’t be bothered to travel so far, the time change… What can I say, I don’t like it.” The thing is, his wife quickly set him straight. She was clear: he had to go to Korea and defend all the big goals there: the first playoff in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Final, the PGA Tour card if it comes within reach… The final push came from Jorge Parada, the player’s cousin and coach. “Between my wife and Jorge, I had no choice, there was no escape. So I’ll be there.” It would be a different story if he achieved a great result in Sotogrande this week… Then he would have a strong argument to renegotiate.
– Gonzalo Fernández Castaño is balancing training this week, ahead of the Final Stage of the School, with his role as a communicator. This Tuesday night, no less, he has an exceptional guest, Jon Rahm, on ‘Golf sin Etiquetas’, the video podcast he hosts with Alex Larrazábal. Yesterday, hitting balls at Valderrama, he felt like he was striking the ball as he did in his best days. “I almost started making plans for next season on the European Tour,” he says with a laugh. “Then, I went out to play, ready to conquer the world… And everything was a disaster.” Damn golf.
– To finish, a fact, more than a story. A joyful fact, on the other hand. Jon Rahm has played a total of 28 regular European Tour events in his career (that is, all those that are not WGC or Majors). Well, in twelve of them, he has finished first or second. And in 18 of them (64.28 percent), he finished in the top five. Place your bets for this week in Sotogrande.
