Yesterday the combination of travel and 18 holes with the bag on my back killed me, but I slept nine hours straight and today I was a different person. I felt much better.
This Tuesday we played nine holes because I believe one of my fundamental tasks this week is to prevent Luis from making a mistake that we have all made in our first Majors, at least it has happened to me: doing too much in the days leading up to the tournament, playing the course too much, many holes, hitting many balls, testing material…. My goal is the opposite, to get him in the best conditions for Thursday to compete. He has been playing tournaments for many weeks in a row, the British Amateur, the European Championship, the same qualifier, he is competing a lot and the important thing is that he rests and paces himself. That he gets a feel for the course and how it is being played.
Today the wind was different, from the north, northwest, and we played the second nine. They were very hard with the wind. In addition, we did the practice round with Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero, players with a lot of experience, one of them with a jug. It has been very good for him to realize that hitting is important, but not essential. In addition, they have treated him with great affection, they have asked him about his game and these are things that you also take away this week.
From the caddie’s point of view, I still need more hands. It happened to me many times today. We would get to a green and I would give him the putter cover instead of the putter, out of habit. It makes me laugh a lot. It has happened several times. Another thing. I get to the ball and the habit is for them to give me the yards and not for me to give them… These are small details that I have to get used to, although by Thursday I hope to have them perfectly tuned and refined.
And now, I am writing this lying in the physio’s truck. Being a player had to have some advantage. I am putting on the Normatech boots to recover my legs, my back doesn’t hurt, but my hip, my goodness, I look like an octogenarian.
Anyway, it’s okay, the second day of the Open is over and I’m ready for tomorrow and whatever comes.
*Gonzalo, Luis Masaveu’s coach, is also caddying at the Open Championship.
