The PGA Tour School is left without Spaniards. In fact, it is left without the only Spaniard who took on the world and tried to overcome one of the toughest exams in the world. Indeed, to reach the American circuit card, one must pass a pre-qualifier, then the first stage, later the second, and finally finish among the top five in the final. It is a gruelling elimination race.
The only Spaniard who stepped forward, seeking financial help through crowdfunding, was Samuel Espinosa Trueba, from Pedreña, a fellow countryman of the great Seve Ballesteros. The Spanish golfer, who finished his studies this year at the University of Chattanooga, passed the pre-qualifier of the School but fell this Friday in the first stage, specifically in the tournament held at the Country Club of Ocala.
The reality is that Samuel fought hard. After the second round, he was well within the players making the cut, but a challenging third day caused him to lose positions, and the fourth round ultimately dashed any hopes. The truth is that at no point today did he cling to the possibility of advancing to the second stage. He needed a strong start, and the opposite happened. He began with a double bogey on the 4th hole, which put him far from the target.
Espinosa did not throw in the towel. Not even a bogey on the 9th made him give up, as evidenced by his two consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th holes. He needed an absolutely spectacular back nine. He was at par, and the cut with the qualifiers closed at -6. He was therefore forced to play all-out golf. He tried, but it didn’t work out. A double bogey on the 16th and a final triple bogey, with nothing left to play for, on the 18th, ended his adventure at the American school. With a final round of 78 strokes, he finished at +5, eleven strokes from the target.
Twenty-three players advanced to the second stage at this venue. The winner was Colombian Ricardo Celia (-16), with a three-stroke lead over Spencer Ralston.
This tournament completes the first stage. The second will be held at five different courses in the United States, with an initial wave from November 19 to 22 and four more from December 3 to 6. The grand final of the school will take place from December 12 to 15 at TPC Sawgrass.
