{"id":20354,"date":"2024-07-11T14:28:18","date_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/sergio-and-fireballs-gc-valderrama-means-a-lot-to-us-because-of-all-the-amazing-things-that-have-happened-here\/"},"modified":"2024-07-11T14:28:18","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:28:18","slug":"sergio-and-fireballs-gc-valderrama-means-a-lot-to-us-because-of-all-the-amazing-things-that-have-happened-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/sergio-and-fireballs-gc-valderrama-means-a-lot-to-us-because-of-all-the-amazing-things-that-have-happened-here\/","title":{"rendered":"Sergio and Fireballs GC: &#8220;Valderrama means a lot to us because of all the amazing things that have happened here&#8221;."},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">Fireballs GC team press conference with Sergio Garcia and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, David Puig and Abraham Ancer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-How does it feel to be back?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-Sergio Garcia: It\u2019s unbelievable.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>Obviously, every time we go back to Spain, we feel very, very good. Obviously it\u2019s our home country for the four of us, I would say. We carry it with the Spanish spirit. But to come back to Valderrama, it\u2019s super special.  <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>Not only for me but for all of us because of how much Valderrama means to all of us, to Europe, all the incredible things that have happened here on this golf course.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>We are very excited about it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/images\/024Act\/06-livj1.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-Eugenio, how does it feel to be back home?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">-EUGENIO<\/span>L\u00d3PEZ-CHACARRA: It feels good, as Sergio said.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>I haven\u2019t been to Spain for a long time. I think the last time I came was at Christmas. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s a little weird, but I love it.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s a lot of fun, the people, the public, the food, and being able to see family and friends, it\u2019s a very nice thing. Obviously, being at Valderrama, probably the best course we have in Spain, is something special. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-David, is there going to be extra nervousness for you this week when you\u2019re on the tee with all the spectators around?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-DAVID PUIG: Maybe, but at the end of the day nerves are good, especially here at Valderrama with all the public supporting us.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s amazing how these people support us in every stroke.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>So to see the fans and to see Valderrama, how pure it is, it\u2019s going to be special for sure, and we\u2019re looking forward to it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/images\/024Act\/06-livj5.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-Abe, how does it feel to be the adopted Spaniard this week?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-ABRAHAM ANCER: I feel very good.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>I really feel that they have taken me as one of their own.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It is a golf course that we all love.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>I think everyone in this field is very excited to play this week, as they should be.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s a real gem and we\u2019re excited about it. I think the public is going to support us. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>I think Jon is also going to have a following.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>But it\u2019s going to be phenomenal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-Obviously, you are the Spanish team; however, do you feel there might be a bit of rivalry now because you have Jon Rahm and his Legion XIII team here?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u2013<span>Sergio Garcia<\/span>: Well, there is rivalry with everyone, but obviously we know how good Jon is and what he also means for Spanish golf.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s normal that he has a lot of fans here too, and his team. But we\u2019re happy where we are, and we know we\u2019re going to have incredible support. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>We are happy with that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/images\/024Act\/06-livj6.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-David, this week we sent a film crew to your home in Barcelona to document your career since you started in Barcelona and how far you\u2019ve come.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>Can you take a moment to reflect on that and what it meant to you that people went home and documented your life?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-DAVID PUIG: Yes, it was incredible.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Danny and David, as well as Andrew, first of all, are great people, so we had a good time.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Yeah, it\u2019s amazing that LIV Golf came to my house, to my course and recorded a little bit of everything I used to do before I turned pro and what I\u2019m doing now. Again, it\u2019s amazing the support from everybody and I\u2019m super excited with what we\u2019ve been doing as a team and also the results I\u2019ve been doing so far. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-Sergio, you said that Valderrama is your favorite golf course in the world.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>Can you talk a little bit about that?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span>-SERGIO GARCIA<\/span>: Yes. For me, obviously, there\u2019s nothing really about likes and dislikes, but for me, I love the way it\u2019s played. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>I love that it\u2019s not a long course, but it makes you think about every tee shot, every shot to the green.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>You have to think about what you want to do. I think it\u2019s probably one of the few fields that forces you to use all the sticks in the bag, which is good to see. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It is not seen as often in some of the new designs.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>In my personal opinion, that\u2019s what makes a great golf course. That\u2019s one of the reasons, and the area is incredible, the support we get here from Andaluc\u00eda and all the sponsors. We are very happy to be back here.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-From there, obviously you\u2019ve won here, I think three times, but what would it mean to win your first LIV event here at Valderrama?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-SERGIO GARCIA: Well, that\u2019s a lot of yeses.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Let\u2019s take it slow, slow, slow. I guess slowly but surely, what the four of us have to do is have a solid week going into Sunday, get as high as we can with a chance. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>That would be a good start. Carlos needs to win today, is it today or tomorrow when they play? <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>Today.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>That\u2019s the second step. Then, in the evening, we\u2019ll watch Spain against England and see if we can have an incredible Sunday. Obviously, a lot of things have to line up for that.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-David and Eugenio, you are still among the youngest players, but this is your third year in LIV. You each have two professional victories. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Do you still feel identified as the young guys here, or are you a bit older now?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-EUGENIO L\u00d3PEZ-CHACARRA: If you look at age, yes, but obviously, having been competing with probably many of the best players in the world for three years now, you get more confident every week. I think we\u2019ve both shown that we can compete at this level, and I hope we can both have a great week in Spain. It would be very special for both of us.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-DAVID PUIG: Yes, the same for me.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>After all, it is true that we are among the youngest players, but we have been playing golf practically all our lives.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>That\u2019s 16 years, something like that.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>So we have a lot of preparation, a lot of tournaments that we have played. Yes, I think we are prepared and mature enough to compete against these guys. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>-Can you tell us about the two young men and how they have progressed since you saw them here at LIV?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">-ABRAHAM ANCER: Well, these chic<br \/>\nos are very talented.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>In the training rounds and as a team, we played some very good, very intense games.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>They are not afraid.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>They play very aggressively and have a lot of confidence, and I think all the young guys coming out of college now are not afraid to win.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It doesn\u2019t matter where you play. I think 10 or 20 years ago, when amateurs were coming to the big tours, it took a long time for them to win or to feel comfortable. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>I believe that now, when young people turn professional, they are ready to win and compete.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s amazing to watch, and the amount of success they\u2019ve already had, as young as they are, is incredible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span>-SERGIO GARCIA<\/span>: Yes, I totally agree.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Obviously, as you said, they are young, but they are well prepared. Everybody coming out of college or amateur golf seems more prepared than we are. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It\u2019s nice to see. They are two good guys. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span>Obviously a lot of talent.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Both can hit the ball very far and very well.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>We have a great time together and it\u2019s fun to watch them grow with us as we go along.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>It has been a good experience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fireballs GC team press conference with Sergio Garcia and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, David Puig and Abraham Ancer. -How does it feel to be back? -Sergio Garcia: It\u2019s unbelievable. Obviously, every time we go back to Spain, we feel very, very good. Obviously it\u2019s our home country for the four of us, I would say. We carry [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":16081,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20354\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andaluciagolf.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}