The low attendance of Latin American golfers at the World Championships Phoenix Open reflects the sport’s low popularity in the region, but more so the lack of access to training.
“Golf is a very elite sport in our countries where you have to be a member of a country club to play because very few countries have public golf courses,” said Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela, who was the only Latin American to make the six-shot average Golfer making third round at TPC Scottsdale.
After being level in the first round, Vegas made six birdies and just one bogey to finish 5-under in the second round.
The other Latino to compete in this year’s People’s Open was Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, who missed the cut after a poor first round in which he shot a 5-over-76.
Vegas said that in order to change this trend and make the game more accessible to more people, it’s important to start with kids.
“We need to get kids involved in the sport, teach them what a golf club is and how to hit the ball,” Vegas said. it’s going to be difficult for golf to grow.”
Argentinian caddy Ruben Yorio, bag man for Vegas, agreed on the need to give golf more visibility in Latin American countries.
“There needs to be more publicity in Latin America and there needs to be more big tournaments so that people are motivated and want to be reflected in the professional players,” Yorio said.
Yorio, who proudly recalls Argentina’s national soccer team’s victory at the 2022 World Cup, realized that in South America, golf simply isn’t one of the region’s most popular sports.
The caddy suggested golf academies in the US travel to Latin American countries to bring golf there and teach young players the game.
Taking the more usual route for young Latino golfers, Vegas came to the United States at the age of 18 to study and play at the University of Texas.
Vegas said the path to becoming a professional golfer was difficult because you learned a different language and culture, but said “it was a beautiful process.”
Yorio said he sees “a lot of Latinos in colleges like Alabama, Arizona and Florida State that will make it onto the PGA Tour.”
Perhaps some of them will have the same experience as Vegas when they play the WM Phoenix Open, a tournament that is unique in the world for the Venezuelan.
“There is no other tournament quite like the WM Phoenix Open,” said Vegas. “You don’t see an audience like this anywhere else. It looks more like a football match than a golf tournament.”
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