But why?
Because on links courses, if you make mistakes, it's okay, everyone makes mistakes. And they're usually the same types of mistakes, on the same holes. You can recover more easily than you can at Augusta because everyone's recovering from the same thing.
What were the biggest obstacles in Argentina to having a career as a pro golfer?
There were many—the biggest was economic. To play in tournaments, even just in Argentina, you had to travel to Buenos Aires. And I had to go from Cordoba to Buenos Aires [about 400 miles], and you needed money to make that trip. So I borrowed money for everything.
And your swing?
I learned it by myself on a golf course. A pro didn't teach me, a machine didn't teach me, nobody taught me.
Was Roberto De Vicenzo your idol?
He was a good player, but he's not my idol. My idol, my hero, was and is Severiano Ballesteros.
What did your parents want you to be, if not a golfer?
No, see, my parents didn't have many plans for me. Economically, it was rough. We were poor, there was no money for school, so there was really nothing for me to do. Not much hope for any kind of a future.
How far did you go in school?I went to elementary school, nothing more.
You could never have turned pro without the financial assistance of fellow countryman Eduardo Romero. How much do you owe that guy today?
Romero helped me get to Europe so I could turn pro, yes. But he didn't gift me anything. I paid him back and then some (and then some more), so I am grateful for his help then, but I've given it back tenfold. And yes, it would have been very difficult to do it without his help.
You've led the European Tour in driving distance. What's the one thing people need to know to hit the ball farther?
I think the drive is the hardest thing in golf. When somebody loses confidence in their drive, they're dead. Dead. What can I tell your readers? You have to practice, and practice and practice, and do it with self-confidence. When I get to that tee box, I believe in myself so much and I have so much confidence in my drives, and I know that I'll hit more fairways with my driver than with my 2-iron or 3-wood. My confidence is very, very high with my driver.
Describe your ideal day on your farm.
A day where the weather is perfect, 70 degrees, cooking on the grill, watching my kids ride the horses, my wife beside me, and most importantly, being very, very far from a golf course. I rest, I never touch the clubs.
So you never play golf for fun?
Never.
* INTERVIEW TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH.
