Given the low presence of national golfers in the Open of the Republic that is taking place at the Olivos Golf Club, renowned professionals of this sport contacted this multimedia to express their ideas and opinions on how the competition should be carried out.
The 117th edition of the prestigious Open of the Republic, played at the Olivos Golf Club, ends. It is one of the oldest tournaments in the world, which for the first time in its history was part of the Korn Ferry Tour (2nd most important tour in the world of the PGA Tour).
The first conclusion, and in principle erroneous, is that the performance of the Argentine players was not what was expected for this tournament.
To begin with, only 13 of the 156 players in the field were compatriots. That is, only 8%. Of which only two managed to pass the qualifying cut after the first 36 holes, being that one of the main attractions and success of any tournament, and even more so with the passion that we Argentines live for the sport, is precisely that the local players are protagonists and are part of its definition. This premise was left too far in this edition. Without a doubt, it is something that all actors who advocate for the development of sports in Argentina should take notes (call it AAG, TPGA and PGA of Argentina, to name a few).
If we review the current situation of professional golf in the country, we begin to find several answers to the statements previously described.
In 2023, less than 15 tournaments were played locally. Well below the historical average. Three of the tournaments organized were part of the PGA Tour Latinoamérica (today PGA Americas).
What is the outlook for 2024? The beginning of the year sets off all the alarms. Only one tournament played (Southern Open) in the first two months of the year, wasting the summer season.
In the near future, the TPGA agenda has only two confirmed tournaments: Abierto del Centro, from March 25 to 30, and in June the XI Abierto de Termas de Río Hondo.
And PGA Americas? The only tournament that was going to be held in the country has been suspended.
A very discouraging outlook for those who make a living from sports and need competition on a regular basis to allow them to grow and fulfill their dream.
It will be time for all those who are part of the beautiful world of golf at a local level to take note and join together to change this history and re-generate the opportunities that the great champions that our country gave, such as Roberto De Vicenzo, once had. , Vicente Fernández, Eduardo Romero and Ángel Cabrera, among others.