About to start his first full season as a professional, Eugenio López-Chacarra (Madrid, 2000) attends La Vanguardia from Oman, where he continues with his preseason. Former number two in the amateur world, a million-dollar offer from LIV Golf forced him to change his plans, drop out of university and quickly become a professional. In Bangkok, after only four tournaments played, he signed a historic victory, accompanied by a check for 4.88 million dollars, which joined the close to 10 regulars that he received to sign for the Saudi Super League.
What feelings do you have for this season?
Hi, I have worked a lot on the physical issue and I have also lost a lot of weight with a specific diet. I notice the improvements.
How much importance do you give to the mental aspect?
I've been working on it a lot for a couple of years, I think it's something essential for athletes. It has helped me isolate myself from the noise, from the people who did not accept that I had signed for LIV.
How was that whole process?
I had decided to continue another year in college, at Oklahoma State, but they called me and offered me a contract that was impossible to refuse. They offered me money that changed my life, and not just me, my family now and my family of the future as well.
There is talk of more than 10 million fixed dollars...
What I can say is that these are very, very high numbers. In a second my life changed, it was something that could not be rejected. Now I know that money is no longer a problem in my life and I can focus on golf. Although I admit that the first days I still couldn't believe it but after all it's something I've earned.
Because it says?
There are people who say you have to be lucky but they don't call anyone for something like that, you have to be in the right place and work for it, and I think I've done it since I was a child. And just in my best golf year, being the 2nd in the amateur world, which could be said to be the one because he only played in Japan and had beaten him when we faced each other, the LIV circuit emerged and offered me this unique opportunity.
He seems happy.
I had always wanted to play with the best players in the world and at LIV every week I can do it. Here are world number ones, champions of the majors, of the PGA Tour... in four months I have learned more than in my entire sports career. I will never forget it, I am proud of the decision I made.
Has it been easy to assimilate such a radical change?
The contract that I have signed has changed my life and that of my family but once it is signed and I receive the money, it is my father with my team who takes care of everything and for me it already fades into the background. And I focus on improving as a person and as a golfer.
There are those who believe that the LIV is nothing more than a tool of the Saudi government to whiten its image...
There will always be people who don't like it, people with envy, but anyone would want to be here, even some players who criticize LIV in public have later called to play. People would be surprised.
Don't you think the situation has become too tense?
I know that there is a lot of anger from what you hear, but I get the feeling that social networks do a lot to amplify it. At LIV we all respect the players who are on other circuits and I think we deserve the same from them. Each one does what they think is best for him and his family.
The other day, Rory McIlroy refused to greet Patrick Reed...
I think that everything has been exaggerated a bit, it has become bigger than it is. Whoever doesn't have the education to say hello, well, there he is, but I can only say that my dealings with both of them have always been good.
Changing the subject, what happened to your studies?
I promised my parents that I would finish them and I have continued studying online, I hope to graduate with my class in May. I think I deserve it and then to dedicate myself exclusively to golf.
The last one is about Gareth Bale, whom he knows well, and who plays golf better and better. Does he see him someday as a professional?
We have played many times together and he is a tremendous athlete, I think he would do any sport well. He has the discipline and if he put his mind to it, he would get it. He even has a Trackman in his house!
