When a birdie was scored on the 15th hole, in the last tournament of the season, in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, Nicholas Echavarria he looked at the board for the first time all day. He thought he had climbed higher. He talked to his caddy, Fabian Azcarate, and he began to do the math: if he made par on the next three holes, it wasn’t enough for him to enter the PGA Tour.
Then, Nicolás gave a lesson in calm. He went shot by shot, got another birdie, on the 17th, and thus secured his card and became the fifth Colombian to become a player on the PGA Tour, the most important circuit in the world of golf.
“The truth is, it’s not that it didn’t come to me, because we’re working and training for this, but it was in one day that everything changed. It is difficult to assimilate it, but you have to do it quickly, because the season starts next week”, Echavarría told EL TIEMPO.
The job to get the PGA Tour card
In the regular season he was close to 25, but did not enter. How did you plan the auction?
I took it in a good way, there were more opportunities. I did not win, I did not have a second place, it was not enough for me. But I managed it well, I had nothing to lose: if we have three good tournaments, one good tournament, the opportunity would be given. It happened in the last one.
How much is a player like you aware of the table and the projection towards the card?
It’s a good question, because it’s situational and it’s personal. There are people who do look at the board, others who don’t pay attention and concentrate on their game. It is very important, yes, that the caddy is looking at how the board is going, because depending on how it is, he has to change the strategy, if he has to be more aggressive or more conservative. I was calm, I didn’t want to think about anything other than the next shot.
Fabián Azcárate, his caddy, has been key in this process.
I owe Fabian everything. I call him ‘the captain of the ship’. We’re a team. He knows me better than almost anyone, I spend a lot of time with him, we have been together for five years, he is the most important piece of my work team and I have one hundred percent confidence in him.
How much did it help to have had contact, in the final three weeks, with Camilo Villegas and Marcelo Rozo, who were also looking for the card?
Very much, they are a great support. We hadn’t seen Camilo all year, he was on the PGA Tour. And in the first tournament, in Idaho, I had to play the first three rounds with Camilo, which is quite rare. I learned a lot from him, I asked him questions, I asked him for advice. On Monday he called me, he congratulated me. I have always seen Camilo as a hero and I can count on him when I need him. With Marcelo we had good support for each other throughout the year.
What does that image that Camilo Villegas left on the PGA Tour mean?
I’ll put it this way: there are things in life when they happen that you always remember what you were doing. I remember exactly what I was doing the day Camilo won his first tournament on the PGA Tour. Because of Camilo, I think I became a professional, I saw that this can become a career if you work hard and make an effort. Camilo has always been an example for me. Sadly, people have short memories and do not remember how great Camilo was, but for Colombian professional golfers, we will never forget everything he has done. He still has what it takes to get to that high level that he had before. I hope I can compete with him in many tournaments, he has been a fundamental part of who I am today.
His brother, Andrés, was also able to reach the PGA Tour. How much did he learn from his experiences?
Much. Andrés is a guide for me, he is a person who knows too much about golf, and if I have any doubts, any technical questions, I can do it with him. He is more dedicated to teaching than playing, but I always have him when I need advice.
Sebastián Muñoz had been the last to arrive. How much contact have you had with him?
I played a lot with Sebastián at university and before coming here, he was one or two years older than me. He wrote to me when I had that great Sunday. I was very happy that after what Camilo did, Sebastián has achieved what he has. He already bought it, he is one of the best in the world and I hope that in the future we will be competing in the biggest tournaments with each other.
How is your work team? When Muñoz arrived, he had to make changes to that.
That is one of the most important keys this year: I have been more organized, fully believing in the work team. I have a physical trainer who is in Jacksonville; I have two teachers, Hernán Rey, an Argentine who is here with me, and Jorge Mesa, who is in Bogotá; I have a psychologist, whose name is Antonio Herrán. He created them one hundred percent. I don’t think it’s going to change much because I don’t see the need, stick with what I’m going to do, trust them and you won’t get ahead.
Mental work has been key to what he achieved. Do you have any formula?
There isn’t a way to do it. Golf is so long and there are so many moments of silence that if you are not calm on and off the course it will be more difficult. I have been working with Antonio for almost a year and a half and what we have focused on the most is the importance of learning to breathe. One thinks that it is just inhaling and exhaling, but there is much more to it, being able to have control over the body when you are on top of the ball.
He arrives on the PGA Tour in the middle of a situation: many figures are going to LIV Golf in Saudi Arabia.
I think the PGA Tour never saw this coming: they’ve been doing and managing golf for a long time and a competition came their way. They are having a difficult time, but as a player, and I don’t know if everyone thinks the same way, it is the best thing that can happen because there is competition. They want to show that the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and they are giving us the conditions to improve. I think this is the best time to be a golf professional.
Muñoz was selected for the Presidents Cup. Do you see yourself doing the same in the near future?
That is a great goal for me, in two years to be competing in the Presidents. Mito did it, he entered the Tour last year and that’s it. It is something that every Latino dreams of. If I continue to trust my process and that I can play at the highest level, it’s going to happen.
Echavarría talks about other Colombian references on the PGA Tour
In one sentence, define the other Colombians who were on the PGA Tour: Rogelio González.
He was my teacher. He was the one who taught me to play golf. Rogelio, more than a teacher, has an impressive mind: one could be out of whack, hitting him badly, and there is something with his energy that will take a class with him and hit him like never before. I thank him for everything he taught me.
Edward Herrera.
Ediuardo lives in Orlando, I have contact with him, he is a great person. He is a legend, especially in Japan: one day we were playing a youth world championship there and a man approached us. He sees the flag and leads us “Eduardo Herrera”. We answered “Yes, Eduardo Herrera, and he tells us“ legend, legend ”.
Camilo Villegas.
Camilo is unique. The way he has been able to win, despite the ups and downs he has had, is a very strong mind, he also worked with Rogelio. He is an example for me.
Sebastian Munoz.
Sebastian has impressive potential. The best part of his game is the long irons, the way he makes contact with them, he hits the ball unbelievably. He is going to compete in the Presidents and Camilo is going to be vice-captain. It will be nice to see that duo carrying the Colombian flag.
How do you see yourself in a year, after your first season?
With my hair a little shorter, I have it very long (laughs)… I haven’t planned, I haven’t seen the exact goals, but Nicolás is going to be smarter, more prepared, it’s a place where I fit in, I feel comfortable and It would be very nice to have a victory in my first year.
Who do you see with projection to reach the PGA Tour?
I think there are many, Camilo Aguado, Santiago Gómez, Ivan Camilo Ramírez, but above all Marcelo Rozo, he has more and more experience, he is more and more prepared and I think that next year he will be in the PGA Tour.
The season is upon us and the start is going to mark many of the objectives. Do you already have any planning?
I know I enter the first two tournaments. You have to take it day by day, not worry about it. There are tournaments that I have to go to play on Monday qualifiers, others that are invitational and I am not going to enter in any way. On Friday we go to California, we have a couple of meetings with the PGA Tour players that we had never been to and on Monday the preparation for the tournament begins.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Sub-Editor
@josasc
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