Gonzalo Fernandez Castaño talked to Ten-Golf after his victory in Singapore: “I couldn’t tell you precisely what day it happened, but there is no doubt that this year I had a low point when I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to play golf ever again to a professional level”…
Is it time for Gonzalo to make the move to the 'majors' level?: “Obviously, that’s what I have in mind. This is probably my “Now or never” moment. First, because in this moment of my life, professionally and personally, I enjoy a good balance. And also because now I see that I have the tools. My performance putting has improved a lot… Now I really feel that I can complete low rounds, when before that was unthinkable”.
"It’s time for me to give it everything. I don’t want to see myself at 50 thinking that I could have done more. I want to be 50 and tell my children that I tried everything to be up there with the best, testing how far my game could take me. If my best game takes me to number 40 in the world for a few days, as it happened to me already, so be it. At least I know I tried it. If my best game takes me to the top 20 for a while, much better”.
Physically, Gonzalo’s biggest problem has been his back. “My biggest concern was, of course, get healthy. Because I knew that my game would become better. I remember that first round in Ireland (round of 78) and how terrible I felt later in the hotel. That was my return to play in the European Tour after the Dessert Tour at the beginning of the year… It was terrible. Same thing happened at the Peugeot Tour in Madrid, shortly before that. I even thought that nothing will be the same”.
The putting of Fernandez Castaño has improved enormously, but his tee to green game is also very solid. “I am striking the ball real good, that’s true. But I still feel some things are not where they are supposed to be. For example, under pressure, I still feel that I lack consistency, that I am in need of more competition, that there is room for improvement and a long way to go, despite of winning in Singapore”.
Pressure was something that Gonzalo wasn’t prepared for in the Sentosa Golf Club of Singapore. “It happened from the first hole on, although was more noticeable on the back 9. My performance went down a lot. And there is something else: I saw myself with a 4 stroke lead. It seems silly, but that had never happened to me before in a tournament like this one. I didn’t know how to react, how to play at that moment. I think I learned the lesson, because now I realize that I played very conservative, my game got rigid”.
Gonzalo had a few words for his caddie, Jeffrey Paul. “He’s been sensational all week. More than sensational. Encouraging me, and keeping me calm, making sure that I was hydrated… More importantly, I want to talk about what Jeff has done for me this year. When I was suffering with my back, he would call me and showed that he cared. He always told me that he would be my caddie as soon as I felt better. That he would wait for me. Not everyone would have done that”.
And finally his goals. “Obviously, playing in Augusta is one of my goals as a professional. But now I don’t want to just go crazy. I am not going to change my plan. I play this week in Japan and then the final in Dubai. After that, I have until April to get in. If I can’t make it for 2012, I’ll try on 2013, but I would really like to play there”.
