There are less than 21 hours left for his debut at the Open Championship and his countenance reflects tranquility. We could resort to the cliché that the procession goes inside, but it really doesn’t seem like it. Luis Masaveu always conveys calm. Playing golf, walking and talking. Always. He takes his time. He doesn’t rush. He is 21 years old, but he moves around the practice court as if he were a veteran.
He only reveals the excitement and naivety of the debutant when he approaches Bryson DeChambeau, who is hitting balls, stays behind and comes back with a smile. “Well, it doesn’t come out that fast,” he says. It’s not arrogance. It’s a fun surprise. Of course, if it’s about warming up the bag, Masaveu knows a thing or two.
He knows it’s his first experience in these elevated scenarios, but he has come with the intention of staying and is not about to leave Troon without competing. “Whenever I play a tournament it is to compete. Of course this is different and I’m sure when I wake up tomorrow I’ll be nervous, but I try to face it like any other tournament, without setting goals beyond what I would do in other tournaments,” he assures Ten Golf.
And what are these goals? Four to be more exact. The first is to stay in the present. Neither stay in the previous shot, no matter how good or bad it is, nor anticipate the future, assuming a birdie or a shot even before executing it. The second is to speak well, to be kind. Or what is the same: the mistakes are going to come, because everyone makes them, and that’s no reason to beat yourself up more than necessary. The third is to have a good posture on the golf course, whether he hits well or badly. And the fourth is to play with confidence, that is, committed to each shot. Once a decision has been made, go for it.
Masaveu will leave Scotland happy if he has been able to always and at all times meet these four objectives, regardless of the result. In fact, he is very clear that if he meets them, the result will hardly be bad.
Luis has a clear game plan. He has designed it with surgical precision with Gonzalo Fernández Castaño, his coach and caddie this week. They are going to take out the driver when it’s time and hit iron from the tee when they deem it appropriate. Some clues: if today’s wind blows, he will shoot to green on holes 3 and 7, par 4s of 344 and 369 meters. That’s what he did today and in the first one he put it on green and in the second one he left it at the entrance. Two bombs made in Masaveu. However, on other longer holes, like 11, narrow exit where there is, they have no doubts: he will hit iron off the tee and 3 iron to green.
The strategy is defined and clear. The nerves will come tomorrow. Blessed nerves on the debut in a Major.
