Ago to LPGA It has become a very difficult task, especially since so many Asian players make the leap to the American women’s circuit. In this situation, another Spanish woman has managed to put her head in the highest category of world golf, and curiously He has even succeeded for the second year in a row, although the first time he had to rule out ‘promotion’.
Is about Ftima Fernndez Cano, a 26-year-old golfers who hatched already in college, but now brims with confidence in her game and is loaded with motivation. At Andaluca Costa del Sol Open in Spain, which takes place these days at Los Naranjos Golf Club, wants to leave its mark. For the moment, and after two days, he is not bad at all: he is second, after sign rounds of 69 and 68 strokes and is one stroke away from the leader, Carlota Ciganda.
Fatima, born in Santiago de Compostela, agreed to the classification school at the Symetra Tour, although before the road had been long. She was clear that the best opportunities for an athlete were on the other side of the Atlantic, and She went to study on a scholarship at Troy University, in Alabama. “I think that combining a career with sports it is easier in the US, they give more facilities so that you can combine everything, for example, so that you go to a tournament with your university “explains the golfer.
Fernandez Cano, who studied Business and Marketing and, had no choice but to adapt quickly to the environment, although her open nature helped her live the American dream. “I quickly learned English, I had no other choice. I went to a university in the middle of nowhere in Alabama, where there were no Spanish, so I got the hang of it.”.
Made the leap to professional in 2018 and then plotted your next steps. “In Galicia it was going to be more difficult to train because of the climate and the facilities and, if I wanted to continue in the US, I needed money. They like to help athletes there and that suited me very well. When he finished university he worked for ten months on a golf course in Birmingham (Alabama) and at the same time he trained to go to the classification school of the Tour.. Once I agreed, I was there “, he tells MARCA.
Already in 2020 he even won a tournament at the Symetra and could play the US Open, although the jackpot was long in coming. “Last year I played very well and I got second in the ranking, but because of the covid they did not give me the full LPGA card. He started the year straddling the Symetra and the LPGA and, seeing as he didn’t enter many LPGA tournaments, I focused on the Symetra all the way, struggled and ended up getting the full LPGA card. “, explains the Galician.
Summarized by her, it does not seem so complicated but, today, European players are not abundant in the American circuit. There Ftima to share space with other Spanish women such as Carlota Ciganda, Azahara Muoz, Beatriz Recari and perhaps Nuria Iturrioz. “I’m very lucky they are there. Carlota already sent me a message at the time to tell me that she was there for what I needed. Also some Spanish caddies wrote to me in case they could help me with something “, says the compostelana.
The young Spanish golfer is one of those who goes tournament to tournament, but it is inevitable, at least, to pose small challenges for the next course: “In 2022 I would love, of course, to enter the ‘majors’, starting with those played in Europe: British and EVIAN. It’s complicated because I start the ranking in January and the first one comes very soon (The ANA Inspiration, between March 31 and April 3). By putting a number, I would like to finish in the annual LPGA ranking among the top 50, which will be fantastic, but the objectives will end up marking my game “, says Fatima.
The Galician, who did not make the leap to the national team until she was already in college, is excited about the possibility of getting to participate in the Solheim Cup 2023, which will be played on the Costa del Sol, specifically in the field of Finca Cortesn. “I don’t need motivation to want to join the Solheim team, because I love playing team tournaments, but the fact that the 2023 edition is in Spain is already a great plus. I would like to represent Europe, but I want to take things from moment to year, because 2022 is going to be very important to me “.
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