She exudes energy, sympathy and joy, and at the time of taking pictures for the interview she had just finished, with a worse result than expected (23rd), her participation in the Golf Santander Tour tournament held at the splendid course of Lauro Golf in Costa del Sol.
Andrea Jonama is undoubtedly a girl with a positive and fighting spirit. As it should be or at least should be at the age of 24. Leaving behind an amateur career full of successes, this Catalan from Sitges made her debut last September as a professional on the European Tour, and she did it -by invitation- in the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open played at her ‘home’, the Club de Golf Terramar.
-After a successful career as an amateur and after completing your university studies in the United States, last year you turned professional. What is your assessment of these months with your new status as a golfer? Is the professional scene as you expected it to be?
-This past year has definitely been full of adventures. Ever since I was a little girl I had dreamed of being a golf professional and to be able to fulfill this dream for me is incredible. The life of a professional golfer is very tough but at the same time very exciting. It is similar to an amateur career, but a little different in terms of concentration and dedication when you compete. I had imagined the professional scene to be more solitary, but the truth is that it is completely the other way around, since in each championship I travel with my teammates and friends, but at the same time with my competition rivals.
The dream of every high-level professional golfer is to be able to play on the American Tour, the LPGA Tour. What are your expectations in this regard?
-To get to play in the American Circuit would really be a dream come true, but in terms of expectations I am a person with short term goals and I like to go step by step, meeting not so strict goals and believing in a process.
-What goals have you set for this season?
-My main goal for this 2019 is to play at a good level all the championships of the LetAccess Circuit and the Santander Circuit and to be able to opt to get a European Tour card for next season. A more personal goal and less focused on results is to try to get as much experience as possible and take advantage and enjoy every moment of this journey.
-Have you ever considered a professional future away from golf if you do not get the expected results in this sport?
-Yes, of course. I always like to know that I have an alternative in case golf is over at some point. At Texas A&M University I earned a degree in Psychology, and I would like to coach a college team, since I lived the experience as a team player and loved it. Aside from the world of golf, I also love the world of music, and I really enjoy singing and learning about the field of music, so you never know!
-The Ladies European Tour has been going through a serious crisis for years because it has not found strong sponsors for its tournaments, which are becoming fewer and fewer on European soil and more numerous on other continents. What future do you foresee for this Tour?
-Yes, it is true that the European Tour is not going through its best moments in terms of sponsors, but I am confident that it will get better, since women’s golf is growing more and more and there are better players, and I am sure that there will be people who will bet on them and on the Tour.
-What about the LPGA Tour and women’s professional golf in the world? Do we have Asian supremacy for a while?
-It seems so! The number of Asian players on the American Tour grows shamelessly and more and more we see the rankings full of Asian names at the top. I think in general Asian players have a different perspective on golf and are more methodical and strict in general, and that makes them always be at the top.
-Carlota Ciganda has become the first Spaniard to enter the world top 10, and together with Azahara Muñoz is having a great season on the LPGA Tour, with the Malaga native in fifth place in the Race to CME in April and the Navarre native in tenth. How far do you think they could go?
-I am a total fan of Azahara and Carlota, and I love to follow their careers. Not only do they both have an incredible game but they are also two great people and very media-friendly in women’s golf, and I think this combination is going to help them go even further. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them win a major this year.
-Tell us about your game: at what distances you play best and what are your strokes to improve.
-Putting has always been my comfort zone: I visualize the putts very well and it gives me a lot of confidence. So far this year I have improved a lot the shot to the green and I am very happy because it gives me a lot of regularity. But without a doubt the stroke to improve would be with the 50-70 meter sand wedge. I am working on it to improve my stats.
-Finally, who are your favorite players, both men and women?
-My favorite player of all my life has been Tiger, of course! But now I value mental capacity and attitude on the course, so today my favorite player is Rickie Fowler, and in women’s golf I really like Nelly Korda, not only for her game and her punch, but also for her ability to entertain on social networks and to be a very good example of work and dedication for players who aspire to someday reach the top of professional golf.
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