Bahamas. 2:48 in the afternoon. Eight days away from the Solheim Cup, Albane Valenzuela answers the call from Ten Golf. The Swiss golfer is with her family, regaining strength and training for what’s coming in just a week, her debut in a Solheim.
“It’s a dream, obviously, but it’s one of the things I’ve always dreamed of since I was little, when Suzann told me I couldn’t believe it. I knew I had many options, but I was a bundle of nerves,” says the Swiss. In recent months, the current world number 62 had no clue one way or the other. She had no idea.
Pettersen wanted to add some excitement and even put on a bit of a show. Just after finishing the fourth round of the Open at Saint Andrews, a member of the Ladies European Tour communications team told Valenzuela that R&A wanted to do a brief interview about the course and the experience of the week.
She arrived at the set, stood in front of the camera and just as the interview started, the captain appeared from behind: “At that moment I saw her, I went into a bit of a panic and just wanted the interview to end so she could tell me if I was going or not. The funny thing was that at that moment the person asking me the questions, asked me where do you see yourself in two weeks?, and there Suzann interrupted and told her that question was for her, so she said ‘Albane do you want to play the Solheim in Virginia?’. ‘Of course’, I answered and started jumping for joy and excitement,” says the 26-year-old player with a smile.
It was also a great relief as a year ago, being the first reserve, she had missed out on the Finca Cortesín event: “It has served as a lot of motivation for me over these twelve months.”
To understand Valenzuela’s excitement, it helps to know a bit about her origins. She was born in New York due to her family’s work, her father is Mexican and shortly after she was born they moved there, it wasn’t until she was five years old when Albane set foot on European soil and they settled in Switzerland where she lived until she was 18 and went to Stanford. Her parents currently live in the Bahamas. To this particular mix, you have to add that Albane’s mother is French. That is, the golfer has four passports (Swiss, Mexican, French and American) and is fluent in three and a half languages: English, Spanish and French. She claims not to be fluent in German, but also explains that she studied it for twelve years. We can rather say that she is the 4×4 golfer: four passports and four languages.
Some might think, given the mix of residences and passports, that the golfer might have doubts about where her real home is. She has no doubt: “In Switzerland I grew up and developed as a person and as a golfer, I feel it as my true home. In the future when I start a family I am clear that this is where I want to do it. I also love how everything works, life, education, the landscape… a lot of Swiss blood runs through my veins”. In my career there are few things bigger than defending the Swiss flag at the Olympics. She has done so on three occasions (Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Paris).
As far as Europe is concerned, she also has it very clear: “Since I was very young I have played all the competitions in which I could defend the colours of the continent. My greatest excitement at 17 was playing the Junior Solheim Cup. On that occasion I lost. It’s time for revenge”. There are no doubts. Few players feel more the spirit of playing for and for Europe.
She takes on the Virginia challenge with excitement and responsibility: “If I’m there it’s because I’ve shown that I have the level to play this tournament. I’m at the captain’s disposal for whatever is needed. Even if I have to play with a stone,” she says laughing.
She has no preferences, she is a team player and will do it when and with whom it is necessary: “I get along with everyone, I have a special affinity with Carlota, with Celine Boutier, with Linn Grant and with Henseleit, but I’m there to add my grain of sand and I’ll do what’s needed. I think one of my greatest virtues is knowing how to be part of a team”.
She has a special relationship with Carlota Ciganda. We have been friends for years and it is a curiosity that for the past three weeks her boyfriend, Jamie, has been caddying for the Spaniard, and will also do so in Virginia: “Carlota has been telling me all year that I have the level to be there, that I should just let my game speak and that I should have no doubts that I would achieve the goal. It has been very helpful”.
In March part of the team structure travelled to Robert Trent Jones. Albane did not. It was just after her second place in Thailand, her best result of the year:”I thought, Albane, you have to try harder, work more and play better if I want to go to Virginia”. She did it and she has achieved it. The only deficit is that she doesn’t know the course yet, she has never played it: “We will all arrive on Sunday and on Monday I will have an extra session to get used to the course. Everyone says it’s a great course, but I have homework ahead”.
Beyond next week’s event, Albane also has a clear idea of her next big goal: “The Solheim was the most important thing for me this year, but my next big step and dream is to win. In Thailand I proved to myself that I can and I work every day to achieve it. I’m very competitive”.
About her future plans, the Swiss is sincere: “My dream is to retire after the 2032 Games in Brisbane. It would be my fifth Olympics, hopefully with a medal around my neck. I love golf, but I am very clear that there is more beyond the player. I want to be able to start a family and do other things. Brisbane could be a spectacular finale,” says the 26-year-old player with a very clear mind.
For now, the next thing is in just a week. Dreams don’t come true every day and she is clear that she wants to enjoy the Solheim with a victory, of course.
