Golf Sergio García: “We have won a lot of money, but it has not been a pretty feeling” Golf Gooch closes a triplet in Valderrama with which he already adds more than 13 million dollars
Sihwan KimAfter three days of work, he finished in last position at the LIV Golf de Valderrama, pocketing $120,000. This amount is two and a half times more than what the golfer Carmen Alonso has added in the most important week of his career. Out of the spotlight and the loud music, the multimillion-dollar checks, coinciding with the outcome of the Valderrama and almost 5,000 kilometers from Sotogrande, the golfer from Valladolid achieved, at 38, her first victory on the Women’s European Tour (LET).
They have had to spend 19 years and 251 tournaments. In the history of the women’s European Tour there are no precedents for such a career, of persistence with a happy ending. The normal thing would have been to throw in the towel, but the secret is that Carmen does not move for money, not even for triumphs. “I love what I do so much,” Carmen says on the other end of the phone, her voice almost cracking.
Some celebrated with champagne and returned home in private planes, and Carmen and her caddy, the former player Mara Beautell, A fundamental piece of their new youth, they did it at the Starbucks in Malaga airport at three in the morning, waiting for their transfer home. They are two very different realities. The 38-year-old from Valladolid is clear about the best prize. “The most exciting thing of all has been to see mine cry, I called my brother, coaches, my mother and they were all crying, happy for me, that is what is truly important and what has made me realize what I have achieved”.
A much loved player
Only they know what is behind this triumph; her family, team and, of course, her teammates: “I’ve seen players cry because I won, wow…it’s very strong.” and is what If there is a beloved player on the circuit, it is the Spanish one, whom everyone calls Menchu. “I only try to help everyone who asks me,” he modestly justifies himself.
“There are many people who have congratulated me that I hardly even know, perhaps what made me most excited is that I was leaving the 18th green and already had a message from Carlotta Ciganda“, Carmen expresses with enthusiasm. From Pebble Beach preparing the Us Womens Open, Carlota Ciganda corroborates the version and immediately answers the phone: “When we were in the national teams, I would have been 13 or 14 years old and she was 18 or 19 and, she always welcomed me like a sister and helped me. I am very happy about the victory. She has a lot of passion, she has never given up, everyone would have left him and she has continued. I’m happy for her”, concludes the best Spanish player of the moment.
Carmen, after 19 years as a professional, won the Ladies Finnish Open in Finland a few days ago with a stroke of advantage over Johanna Gustavsson. “Actually, the feeling of winning didn’t overwhelm me, when I get to the tee of one, I’m just obsessed with doing my job well and giving it my all. I have a lot of fun, and with Maria Beautell caddying I have a great time.”
The secret is the passion that Carmen feels for this sport. “She’s in love with golf,” she says. Alice Garrido, promoter and organizer of the most important women’s tournaments, including this year’s Solheim Cup. “We were so happy about the win that we went to dinner and to celebrate and sent him a photo,” she says.
Little economic benefit
In 18 years of career in the LET, Carmen Alonso has not exceeded the figure of 600,000 euros in earnings, or what is the same, has been earning about 31,000 euros a year. From which expenses must be deducted. This season, for example, Carmen has had to travel not only around Europe, but also to compete in Kenya, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Florida, India, Thailand, Hong Kong. In addition, he has to pay the whole team around him (caddy, trainer and physical trainer). The question is, how do you do it? “With a lot of effort, I continue to live at my mother’s house and she helps me financially, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.”
Carmen thanks the company Preventiva, her sponsor, for covering approximately 40% of her expenses. “I start the year knowing that I have to earn a lot of money, in the middle of the season I always hope to have earned enough to cover expenses, and the other half, I already play for myself.” Everything, with the aggravating circumstance that If you don’t make the cut in golf, you don’t make money, and if you pass it, in Europe there is little money. A few weeks ago she was sixth in Germany and received a check for just over eight thousand euros.
“Professional women’s golf is pretty tough. We lack help, there is no television, people should get to know us more because we are closer to amateurs”, explains the Valladolid.
A few years ago, in 2008, Carmen was about to give up: “With the crisis, there was very little money in the Circuit, and I considered leaving it and starting to teach at the RACE Golf Club. I remember that my coach, with The one I trust a lot saw me in the gym and said ‘Carmen, what are you going to do?'” Her coach was right about her, Carmen would never be happy away from golf, away from the competition. “I met her when she was very young and she was in the national team, she only ate, she lived, she slept for golf and I think she still does,” he says. Marta Figueras-Dotti, president of the Women’s European Tour, coach and the only Spanish with a victory in a major. “I have worked with her for many years and I have lived a lot. I was with her family in my house in Sarasota (USA) when her father died in an accident, it was a very hard time for everyone.” Carmen has had to fight against everything and has always come out on top. “We have experienced critical moments in the LET and she never gave up, she is a tireless worker in all aspects”, says Figeras-Dotti.
The passion that Carmen puts into golf is the same with which those who know her talk about the woman from Valladolid, she will be 39 years old, but will this victory be a turning point? “I don’t even think about it, it opens the doors of the British Ladies Open and the Evian, but I I continue to do what I do and I enjoy what I do“, the new winner in the LET, says goodbye happy.
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2023-07-12 20:57:13
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