Luis Masaveu is feeling the pressure at Royal Troon this week.
Luckily, he has his caddie to lean on for support and advice. After a tense playoff at Royal Cinque Ports, he secured his spot in The Open with the help of his coach, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño. Gonzalo, who has seven DP World Tour wins under his belt, is also part of the Spanish national team setup.
Masaveu is one of 12 amateurs competing this week. He clinched the final qualifying spot by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole, edging out Branden Grace from South Africa. This was even more impressive considering he played with an old set of clubs and without his 3-wood after losing it during a tournament in Denmark .
Gonzalo’s Role:
Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño isn’t just any coach; he’s a seasoned pro who hopes to shape Masaveu’s promising future. At 21 years old, Masaveu has already represented Spain in two Eisenhower Trophy World Championships and won the Portuguese Amateur title this year. He also reached the final of the Spanish Amateur and finished 34th at the Spanish Open two years ago.
Fans might think it’s pretty cool that someone so young is making waves in such big tournaments!
Fernández-Castaño himself last won on the DP World Tour at the BMW Masters in 2013 but remains competitive even now at age 43. His best finish in The Open was back in 2009, while his top Major Championship result was tied tenth at the US Open in 2013.
With over 336 appearances on the DP World Tour and co-hosting a YouTube show called “Golf sin Etiquetas,” Gonzalo brings invaluable experience to Masaveu’s debut in golf’s oldest Major Championship.
Masaveu recently ranked joint runner-up in last season’s Lytham Trophy and currently holds the 34th spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
The final men’s Major of this season kicks off Thursday at Royal Troon in South Ayrshire. What do you think about Masaveu’s chances?
