A complete career in Biology and its relevant master’s degree have secured plan B. However, Luis Carlos González, originally from Ávila and based in Salamanca, still dreams of making plan A of his life a reality: golf. That’s why he didn’t hesitate when he had to pack his bags and travel to Vereeniging to compete in the first stage of the Sunshine Tour school. His story is different.
The first thing he had to do was look it up on the map. It is located approximately an hour south of Johannesburg, in the province of Gauteng. It’s a city of about 350,000 inhabitants, known for coal. Small, but with almost seven times the population of Ávila. There is the Maccauvlei Golf Club, the golf course where this first stage was played from 1 to 5 April.
Luis Carlos turned pro in 2022 after an amateur career in which he achieved some good results, especially in the Castilla y León championships, with flashes here and there in the Copa Puerta Hierro and even a top 10 in Colombia. It seems that travelling was never an obstacle for this Ávila native born on 25 November 1998. Don’t look for any strange connection with South Africa; there is no distant cousin making a living there. The only thing that ties him to that country is the desire to make a name for himself in the main professional golf circuits.
“I tried at the DP World Tour school and in Asia. Neither worked out. Precisely in Asia, I was exploring other possibilities and the truth is that the Sunshine Tour is very good. It has much more substantial prize funds than the Alps, a very complete calendar, offers three DP World Tour cards, as well as exemptions for the European School. I saw it as an opportunity. I talked it over with a Colombian friend, we signed up, and here we came,” he explains to Ten Golf from South Africa.
Luis Carlos rethought his approach to golf in 2024. It was the first time he truly lived like a professional. It was 24 hours dedicated to golf. Morning, afternoon, and almost night. His growth was significant. He played well in the PGA Spain circuit and qualified to play the grand final among the top 40. This leap in quality was the definitive push to give himself the chance to at least try. Financially, it’s not easy, but he makes do as best he can, with the help of some sponsorships and offering his own services as a professional. It’s the classic story of the American dream, but between Ávila and Salamanca.
Luck was not on his side in the first stage of the Sunshine Tour school. He missed the final by just two strokes. It was indeed a crazy week. It rained a lot, the tournament was reduced to three rounds, and there was a moment when anything could happen.
The situation was as follows: Friday, the third round was suspended with some golfers having already finished their round, including our protagonist, and others with several holes ahead. Saturday was the last day that would be used to try to complete the three rounds. If it couldn’t be played, it would be reduced to two rounds. González’s future in the School depended on that decision. If it was reduced to two rounds, he would make it to the Final; if the third was completed, he would be out. You can imagine the tension more than eleven thousand kilometres from home.
On Saturday at eight, the third round resumed, and six minutes later it was suspended due to a massive downpour. They waited more than three hours. The situation was becoming critical. However, luck was not on his side. Play resumed at eleven, and the third round was completed. Luis Carlos missed out by two strokes. “I’ll remember the two three-putts on holes 16 and 17 on the third day. That’s what knocked me out,” he explains with frustration. He bids farewell to the South African school after three rounds of 74, 69, and 75 strokes.
Despite the setback of the result, the experience has been enriching, and Luis Carlos is determined to keep trying. It will also depend on the financial support he receives. For now, he will play the PGA Spain tournaments and the Alps in Spain. It’s about finding a place in professional golf to reach the European Tour. It’s about making a living while pursuing a dream. A different story.
