After the ordeal he had to endure for more than a year and a half in the United States to first obtain a work visa and then a residence permit, the Spaniard Samuel Espinosa is trying to make the most of his start to the year on the PGA Tour of Australasia. He secured full playing rights for this tour at the American qualifier last July, but couldn’t participate until this January due to bureaucratic issues with his papers, missing several events on the calendar.
Last week, despite a good start to the tournament, he failed to make the cut at the Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee Lee & Min Woo Lee held at the Royal Fremantle Golf Club. This week, things seem very different for the golfer from Pedreña, who, after the first 18 holes, is co-leading the leaderboard of the Vic Open taking place at the 13th Beach Golf Links in Barwon Heads after delivering a fantastic card of 66 strokes, six under par, in a sensational battle against the challenging playing conditions.
The Cantabrian golfer, in a simply spectacular final nine holes (from 1 to 9 as he started from the 10th tee) where he made four birdies and an eagle, read the enormous challenges of the Victoria course like few others to lead the table alongside veteran Australian Brendan Jones, back in his country after a disappointing season on the PGA Tour Champions. Both are two strokes ahead of Cameron John and Andrew Campbell, who share third place at four under par, while Samuel appears as the only non-Australian player in the top 20 of the tournament.
Undoubtedly, a sensational debut for the Spaniard, who is trying to make up for lost time after 18 months in limbo since finishing his studies at the University of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in May 2024, until he finally obtained the residence permit in the United States to start his professional career on the PGA Tour of Australasia, taking advantage of the card unexpectedly secured last summer.
Ten-Golf speaks with Samuel after his round
In statements to Ten-Golf, Samuel analysed his round as follows: “Today went very well, it was quite a challenging day, with a lot of wind. We had between 40 and 45 kilometres per hour today, with gusts between 70 and 75. It was quite a tough round, I played well in the first part, but I made a couple of mistakes, a three-putt and then on the next par three the wind carried the ball quite a bit, I made two bogeys. But I managed to resolve it with two birdies. And in the second part, from 1 to 9, I entered what they call zen mode, and honestly, I didn’t really notice much either.”
Samuel, very congested, although no longer feverish after a few difficult days, explained his display of play with which he finished his day: “I started playing, fighting against the wind, and I started leaving them very close. After three or four holes, I realised I had three consecutive birdies. Very happy, really. It helps a lot with confidence to know that we’re there. Tomorrow they predict similar wind, so once again to fight and do the best possible because I’ve never played with so much wind in my life. I hit a 6-iron 268 metres on a par five, the driver against the wind, hitting it flush, didn’t go more than 230 or 240 with roll. It was quite complicated, but we managed to get through it. Tomorrow for more.”
The goal for Samuel this week is to achieve the best possible result and earn points that will allow him to be in the following tour events, from now until April, as he only had his presence guaranteed in the first two events of the new year, last week’s, where he missed the cut, and this week’s Vic Open. The first step, despite the first half of his round (holes 10 to 18) at the Creek Course, the venue for the first two days of the tournament, not improving his score with two birdies and two bogeys fighting against the wind, is already taken…
