Pablo Larrazábal: Stories from Two Decades as a Pro!

Pablo Larrazábal joins George Harper Jr. in the latest episode of Life on Tour, presented by Buffalo Trace, to celebrate 20+ unforgettable years as a pro. With a career defined by passion, resilience, and personality, Pablo reflects on two decades of highs, unforgettable moments, and a few close calls along the way.

From caddying for his brother at The Open and Augusta to celebrating his own victories on Tour, Pablo opens up about the experiences that have shaped him both on and off the course. He shares his Ryder Cup ambitions, the challenges of competing with the new generation, and, of course, the infamous hornet incident in Malaysia that could have ended very differently.

Chapters:
00:40 Introduction
04:45 Meeting legends whilst caddying for his brother
09:30 Early days
14:30 Breakthrough on Tour
26:58 Celebrations
33:40 Ryder Cup ambitions
41:10 Encounters with fans
44:15 Toughest moment on the golf course
46:20 Battling hornets in Malaysia
50:40 Looking to the future

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[Music] Colin said to the press that the young Spaniard is probably going to choke tomorrow. Sorry uh to destroy your career. Then suddenly John Ram says, “Uh, I want Pablo to play with me.” He wasn’t that good in golf. I cannot compete against these superstars through a full year to get into a fight on the first green on the on Saturday morning. That guy saved my life. [Music] Pablo, uh, fantastic to have you on, uh, the Life on Tour podcast. We’ve been looking forward to this one. Uh, you’re a very charismatic player on tour. So, thank you very much for your time and and how are you? Thank you. Thank you for having me. Uh, I’m great. Um, you know, uh, so far so good. uh having a not the best of the seasons but uh outside the golf uh my life is uh very very very close to perfection. So uh I’m very happy. Yeah. How important I guess is that balance outside of golf to maybe make the results on the course better. Have that life balance. Uh it’s key. is key to have uh to have fun uh at home and uh now that I have a a 15 months uh old son life change very very much and uh I’m very happy and if you are happy at home you can you can perform here and uh that’s what I’m trying to do but it’s not happening what’s it like being a dad that must be a massive change and a special one it’s the best thing uh to wake uh I mean sometimes times we have to wake up at 5 or 6:00 in the morning to go and play golf under the rain or or in or not playing your best golf but wake up at 6:00 in the morning at home when uh when your son is wakes up is is the best feeling ever. Uh and um I didn’t know what was going to happen uh if I was going to love to love being a dad or not. Uh but uh it’s I tell tell you what it’s it’s better than than anything that happened to me in golf. Brilliant. So family clearly sounds very important. Let’s talk about maybe your family. Let’s wind back the clock. What was it like, I guess, growing up in Barcelona? run me through how I guess you started in sport and and slowly got to where we are today because yeah, your family is obviously a big part of your life. Yeah. Um I get into golf I got into golf because my family uh my dad uh my dad was born in Venezuela. Uh that’s why you guys see me with with Johnny Vegas. We we good friends and uh and through the years and my dad was zero handicap or plus two handicap for over 30 years. Uh now he’s he’s turning 75 next week but he stills uh five or six times a year he still breaking his age. That is quite uh quite amazing. And my mom the same. She she was uh 20 20 plus years zero handicap. Brilliant. And obviously uh things clicked when um when um in uh in Wales in uh the Royal Port we played the British amateur back in 2002. And uh I made double bow in the 36 hole uh to lo to uh to be under the cut line. So only 64 made the cut to to start the match play. And I made a double bogy on the on the 36th uh to miss the cut by one shot. And then I caddy for my brother uh in the afternoon. Uh he shoot 600 par in the afternoon in the last 10 holes to finish second in the in the medal play. And and then I stayed uh helping him uh to to to be his caddy. And then we end up winning the golf tournament and he promised me to that I could caddy for him at the open. And uh I caddy for him at the 2003 Masters. Caddy for him uh at the French Open in 2003 and I end up winning that tournament five years later. So that uh that was amazing. But to car for him in all those tournaments probably give me the opportunity to know uh this uh this job a little bit more uh and to don’t make this the same mistakes as he did. And uh and here we are um 23 years later uh doing this podcast after 18 years on tour. So uh yeah, it’s incredible. How how unique is that? Because the amateur championship, it’s an amazing event and um you know, there was another great champion not too long ago, but how cool was it to be there with your brother and then not only that, the perks of getting a look at those major championships as as while you’re watching and supporting your best mate, your brother. How special was that? Yeah, that that was that was big actually. I think we are the only family that uh that a mother, a father, and two sons play the World Cup of the amateur world cup of golf. It was when I played it in 23 years ago. But that’s a step that that was uh that is that was big uh in the time and now probably with the Hoyers and all those those youngsters uh probably uh there will be more stories like that. But I remember first round um first round at the open obviously was the the the probably the first tournament I for him after the the the amateur. Uh I remember we were team up uh in the practice round with Sergio Olaf Menith and my brother and we saw in the sheet that um that Ernie Els Ratif Gusen and Nick Price were playing in front of us in the practice round that was Tuesday and uh so we went like 10 minutes before or 15 minutes before our tea time uh to see those guys that you know the guys that we you we used to watch on TV and my you know Nick Price approach us and uh well approach approached my brother didn’t approach me at all but approached my brother and say oh you’re the British amateur champion so congratulations and he said well I’m Nick Price and and my brother said no we’ve been we’ve been watching you for for a long time so so since then um you know um and to caddy for him at the masters I remember my brother met Mr. Gary player uh at the Qatar Masters then they give him an invite and um my brother went to um to Gary player and say Gary I’m Alejandra Rataval. I’m the British amateur champion. Uh I want to play u I’m playing Augusta playing the Masters. So it will be a pleasure to play a practice run with you. Nice. and he said, “Of course, uh we will I would love to play with you nine nine holes on Wednesday.” So, we arrived to Augusta uh on Sunday night. So, we play a little practice round um with the Spaniers, Sergio, Miguel, and Nola. And we played Tuesday with with them as well. And then, uh he received a note on on his locker uh saying um I’m um I’m Gary Player. Um, I would love to play with you, but sorry, I have to get to um I have a friend of mine that is that will join us tomorrow for a practice round. So, u, do you want do you still want to play at 11:00 a.m. Uh, tomorrow um, I will bring my my oldtime friend uh, Jack Nicholas to play with us. Serious flicks. So, he played nine holes practice round. We played nine holes practice round with Jack Nicholas and Gary Player at the Masters and in the afternoon he played with the with Sevi Ola and Miguel Himenez the part the part three contest. That is a serious day. What about that for a Wednesday at the Masters? That was that was that was uh that was unbelievable. What was it like you and your brother? Obviously, he was very good at golf, but now you’re argu arguably better. What was the Was there a bit of rivalry there spuring each other on? Well, actually, he wasn’t that good in golf. Uh, no, seriously. Yeah, I mean uh you know um he won the the amateur championship and the week before uh he shoot 89 78 83 75 in the regionals in America and then Oh wow. We were 20 Spaniards um in the field in the in the amateur and 19 were were paid by the federation where the Spanish Federation only one guy was paying paying his all his things and his hotels and everything and that was my brother. So that’s that’s how uh he was good but he wasn’t that that guy that superstar coming coming in. You mentioned your dad and your mother were into golf, but what else were they like growing up? Because your dad, correct me if I’m wrong, got you working on a fish farm as well. That story comes from uh I went to finish the high school in America because uh playing golf and studying. I was better in golf than studying, I have to say. Yeah. uh but missing five six weeks uh of school because golf then to recover those weeks where was not easy for me. So I went to finish my the high school in America. When I came back I told my dad that I wanted to turn pro. I I thought I was good enough to be a professional golf player. And my dad just say yes, but uh you have to know how the normal people make money. So I didn’t have a driving lessons. Uh so he said you’re coming up to my dad lived lives in Santandere in the north of Spain when he where is super cold in winter. It’s like UK kind of weather. Oh, we don’t want to uh clothes. I mean my dad just to just to practice in Sevis Golf Course in Pedraia. So uh I went up there after summer. Uh so I thought uh he told me that uh you will be here until you have your driving lessons. So yeah, I failed the driving lessons for uh six times. Uh so yeah my schedule was um I used to wake up uh at the beginning the first two months I used to wake up at 5 and then uh because I don’t know why uh you think that the fish in the morning they don’t they don’t uh they don’t sleep but they sleep and they wake up at 6 so you have to feed them at six so I start working at 6:00 uh 6 to uh 2 o’clock And then at 2:00 I had a sandwich. And then uh I went to practice from 2:30 to 5:30. And then um I uh and then after practice at 5:30 I went to driving lesson school from 6:00 to 7:30 and then go back to to the house and then quick dinner to wake up at 5 again. Busy. And that that was my routine for two months. Then I told my dad that I don’t know if I could practice that good if I was waking up at 5. If I could, you know, skip one hour, 1 hour and a half. So then I start, you know, starting to work at 7:30 instead instead of six. It give me a 1 hour and a half more sleep that I could practice a little bit more. Uh so yeah that went on for another five and a half months because I keep failing that keep failing that uh that driving not the driving the the the you know the the written exam. Exactly. I was failing by one by two by one by two. So the I say you know you should be all right behind the wheel but I was good behind the wheel but uh but not with the with all with the with the important stuff to know the rules of driving. Uh it was very very bad. So u I end up being there seven months and a half. Okay. And that’s that’s got to add a bit of hardship, a bit of sturdiness, right? You know. Yeah, it was it was tough, but uh I end up making it and I end up living living that work and and um and start getting into golf a little bit more. And then uh my my first year uh when I turned pro, I I missed all the tour cards. The Spanish tour card, I missed it. The Albster, the the Alster card, I missed it. European tour card stage out. So, I didn’t have anything to play the my turning pro. So, my my dad knew that I could do another job, right? And uh and thanks God, thanks to the to the Spanish tour guy uh give me an invite and I finished second. Um well, I got into a deal with my dad that um that he was paying me the flight but uh nothing else to go to a golf tournament. So, um, finished second. I made a little bit of money there. And then I finished eighth, my second Spanish tour event. And then I finished second again. So, uh, after three tournaments, I called my dad and said, “I don’t need your money anymore. Uh, I think I have 5,000 in my bank account after finishing second twice and whatever.” And, uh, I’m taking care of of my my my own money since then. Nice. That’s amazing. And then I guess the breakthrough when when was that first I guess moment in your career if that was that could be it but where you felt secure on tour? Was it your your big victory in France? Well um to go through all those stages Spanish tour I play a little bit of of an Alps tour as well. Then uh with the invites of the Spanish tour and and a few more invites, I I got into the challenge tour and then I had full card in 2007 on the on the ALS tour uh on the challenge tour and then obviously making the tour card in the Q school at the end of 2007. Uh it was big. It was it was a dream come true. Suddenly, um, you know, I’m playing where all my heroes were playing. Um, the Ollie’s, the Sebis, uh, the Monty’s uh, and all that stuff. I I have a good story that that, uh, I went to a 97 Rder Cup and, uh, as a fan, as a fan, I was 14. So in that rider cup uh the all the 18 oldest clubs in Spain were taking care of one each of the holes. So my dad obviously Pedraia is one of the oldest. Um so my dad was in charge of of the 14th hole of the rad 97. So we got good tickets. I remember coming coming back home to my mom and saying I I was amazedful with one of the players, his name is Colin Montgomery, and he finishes. I took a seven iron. I tried to show my mom one of his swings and I made a hole this big in in the ceiling because, you know, Monty how he finishes like that. So, I made a hole with a seven iron this big in in the ceiling of my mom’s apartment. So, so yeah. And then um and then yeah making the tour card was big obviously from the from Q school you don’t get into many of those uh tournaments at the beginning. Yeah. Uh I remember flying to India um like um on Wednesday arriving to India Wednesday night uh and I lost my golf clubs. I lost my my suitcase. I lost everything going into India. I had to go to uh one of those markets uh to get some clothing to play golf. uh the first round and uh I got uh Jarmos handling give me one of his irons like this longer than normal uh to play with. Uh I got a pattern from a member of the club and wedges uh from another member and uh the woods I didn’t I carry them but I didn’t use them. I shoot level my clubs arrived and I shoot 81. So um so yeah goes back to the members club since since then um you know uh I made a good some good starts at the beginning. I remember my first tournament on tour it was uh Leopard Creek. Oh beautiful. And then uh and then I remember Pearl Ballet. So they those were my two my two first two tournaments on tour and I and I was amazed with those golf golf courses. I mean, if you if your first tournament on tour is Leopard Creek, ah yeah, it’s you’re looking forward to a lot of great golf courses. And then Pearl Valley in Cape Town, it was a magnificent golf course as well. So those were my my I made those two cuts. Um and then I get I got a little bit of of cash going on. And then um they told me that I could couldn’t get in into the French Open and uh that I had to qualify. So I went to Shanti for a 36 hole qualifier. The top three or four made it and I won the qualify by nine. By nine. Yeah. I shoot a couple of rounds on 900 power. Uh 500 pound and 500 power. Right. So you’re in form and then uh and then I qualified for the for the French Open a tournament that a golf course that I knew. Yeah. Because I cut it for my brother in 2003 when they invite him to play as a as a British amateur champion. So I knew the golf course. Um and uh it’s a golf course that you don’t have to hit too many drivers. Uh with a two iron you find. So I had a very very strong uh one of those thick colorway two irons. remember those driving irons? Yeah. And I was going miles on that golf course. So, and then I shoot I remember seven under first round um of six under I was I was leading then one under I was leading uh and then four under, four under to beat them all. And I remember that yeah I shoot 100 PS 100 putts in a tournament. Wow. So average of 25 parts. That was that was sweet. That’s red hot. And like we’ve all seen the video which is just fantastic of you getting chucked into the water as well. What were the celebrations like? What was it emotionally to finally get over the line as as a champion on on your favorite tour in the world? Yeah, I I remember the the day before sat uh on Saturday night, I was reading a couple of news uh and it was um it was a sentence that fired me up big time uh from uh from Mr. Colin Montgomery that um that on Saturday um he was talking to the press and uh and he didn’t know my name. Uh he he called me uh that young Spaniard that is going to choke tomorrow and I think uh Lee West would uh because I was playing Seren Hansen in the last group that I have to thank him because he’s a true gentleman and he was a true gentleman then uh he helped me a lot because he’s a very calm guy. But uh Collins said to the press that uh that the young Spaniard is going to he’s probably going to choke tomorrow because he’s very young and uh he doesn’t experience he doesn’t have any experience. And I think uh he said I think Lee Westwood Lee and I we we have a big chances to win tomorrow. So, uh, sorry, calling. Uh, I think I think, um, I think it was the last tournament you were in contention in your in your European career, and now you have it. You had a a s super successful career, but sorry uh to destroy your career, and um, and yeah, thanks for for those words. Uh, it fired me up big time, but the story didn’t finish there. Um, obviously it doesn’t finish there. Oh, yeah. We have to cheers for Yeah. Cheers, Cole. Well done, Colin. A little bit of a whiskey for you. Scottish whiskey. And um and yeah, I remembered that um obviously we were playing um uh we were playing uh European Open at the London Club that I to I skip it. So my next tournament was the Scottish Open. Ah, nice. So uh looking on Tuesday the the the the tea times. Uh then uh for my for my surprise, I was teing up the first two rounds with Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomery. Oh wow. Okay. So Thursday uh we were te up um you know Llmon. It was packed of people. Yeah. It was 25,000 people in Llmon every single day and over the weekend probably 35,000 people. So, we were playing in the afternoon and I told my caddy to walk over. I I normally arrive first to the tea box, but I tell him, “Hey, walk. I’m arriving last.” So, like three minutes before the tea time, I go and I say, “Oh, Mr. Montgomery, finally we met. My name is Pablo Laaval and uh and it’s nice to meet you.” So you cannot imagine the the Scottish people starts laughing. I I I say it loud for the people to to to hear. You’re a little pissed. And oh yeah, Colleen, finally we met and Pablo Laaval, the young Spaniard. And uh and yeah, we had uh since then he you know he’s been very very good to me and we we had a good time and uh but yeah those uh those moment at the French Open were um were really really good. Kudos to that story. It’s fantastic. And in Spain, I didn’t get that much of a of an attention because um because um the same day as that I won the French Open, Spain won uh his first um Euro Cup. Oh. All right. So, it was all about football. All about the football. But then I uh how I celebrated uh La Cost I was wearing La Costa that time. Uh, so they invite us to a hotel in Paris as a free champion because obviously they were giving me clothing. Uh, so I was wearing them for free and uh, they invite us to a nice hotel in Paris. Uh, and then we flew home on Monday and I remember on Tuesday morning my brother called me in the morning uh, like 9:30 or so and he said, “Uh, are you awake?” And he’s I said, “Yeah, what happened?” and she says, “I’ve been thinking about it and um you are the winner on tour with worst car in the history.” Worst what car? Yeah. So I said, “Well, probably yes. I think it’s time for you to to buy a new car.” I said, “Well, I don’t know where you buy a new car. I don’t know. I never never bought one.” I said, “Well, I show you.” We went to one of those um uh dealerships. Dealer. Yeah. To those shops. And uh I got into one of these big ones and it’s too big for me. I went to a a lower one. It’s a fancy car. So suddenly the the the dealer came straight into into through the through the window. What the what are you guys doing here? So well if we do the papers of this car, that’s what I say. we do the papers of this car when I take it home. So, well, tomorrow said, well, let’s go. So, he comes to me and says, um, what do you guys do? Yeah, cuz we, you know, no shower in the morning, like looking sport sporty kind of thing. Got a riff ref. Yeah. Um, after drinking a few uh the the day before, we were not looking like a guys that can afford uh or well uh was keeping a bit quiet for me. No, it was a was um an A5 Audi. Nice. And uh he thought that we were drug dealers or or some kind of bad people. Um Do you guys have money? I said, “Well, do you have the the the the newspapers from yesterday?” I said, “And the guy like this young, yeah, but start from behind, you know, from the from from behind section.” Yeah. Start from behind. I said, “Keep it going. Come on. One more. Come on. One more. One more page.” And suddenly it’s a you know half of the page was a picture of me and then can you read a little bit and then he realized that it was a 4 million tournament so I I got 666,000. Yes. To win it. So and then he started treating me a little bit different actually. He knew that I could I could buy I could buy a car. You’re going to buy not steal it. So yeah, that’s what that was my celebration for of the French Open. Out of your nine fantastic memorable victories, what would be your I’m going to say favorite, but your most celebrated? What’s uh what’s one of the biggest celebrations you’ve had out of all those great victories over 18 years? I remember the second one I had to wake up at six o’clock in the morning the next day because I had a golf day. So I couldn’t celebrate that one. But uh probably I mean the biggest celebration was when I won uh when I won my sixth uh in Infinitum because obviously uh Infinitum in uh is south of Barcelona is one hour drive to Barcelona. So it’s close it’s a home tournament. Yeah. A lot of my friends were there and then it was out just after COVID. So um so I took them all of them to my apartment back back home and we did a huge party in my in my apartment. I remember in one stage we were 45 people in in my apartment and my apartment is not as I mean it’s probably as big as this. So 45 people over there. Yeah. And then we had a tournament in um in PJ Catalunia. So uh it was close close from home. So yeah, we celebrate that as a celebration after a win that was big. Like what does it feel like for us that have behind the camera that have never won? Like what what’s the euphoria like? Because you guys graft, you spend hours on the range, you spend years and years. Like you know, you’ve arguably had one of the more successful careers and you’ve got nine wins in 18 years. So there’s a lot of graft in between each win. Like what is the euphoria like? uh the relief almost. Yeah. Well, actually because when you try to win uh you are so concentrate on what you’re doing that actually when you win and you you know when you all those all that concentration goes down. It’s like you, you know, you kind of destroy, you know, you don’t really want to uh go out and and party because you are destroyed and suddenly suddenly um it’s like uh when you take uh the sweets in a in a park, all the kids come when you win a golf tournament, suddenly you receive me messages from people that you don’t really know and friends that or people that you not been talking for 10 years. Suddenly you receive messages. I Yeah, right. I remember probably 600 or 700 messages from from all over the all over the show, all over the world. And suddenly you have a lot more friends than before. Uh but thanks God I know who my friends are and still the same friends are as I used to have 30 years ago. So I still have my my my closest friends are those ones that that are being there for for a long long time. And uh those ones that are being there for because the wins are there and the losses are people people uh good people to party with but it’s not the people that I’m afraid of. Yeah. Nice. And to win is tough and and um to respond the question um to feel to feel what we feel of of winning a golf tournament. You have to win a golf tournament. It’s it’s like if I tell you two years ago, if you if I ask you what’s the feeling of being a dad, right? To being a dad, you have to be a dad to to feel it. So, it’s obviously it’s not the same. Yeah. But, uh you have to experience it. It’s it’s such a if you win once, you h you want to have that feeling again. You know, you can you can finish 25 times second and uh and make a lot of money, but it’s nothing like to win a golf tour. Yeah, it’s an experience that I want to I want to have it again. And uh that’s why, you know, I uh I keep working as hard as ever and uh keep keep fig keep figuring it out the how to to beat those young kids again. You know, after after my ninth win, uh Spanish media at 10 golf um told me that only 31 guys in the history on the European tour won more than me. Wow, man. Yeah, that’s so I’m I’m in the 37 32nd position in the history of the game. Yeah, that’s on the European tour. And if I win one more, it will be only 22. Okay, so that’s a nice target. That’s a that’s a target. Win one more and if it’s a Rolex series, even better. I promise my my people that if I win one more and if it’s a Rolex series, I can retire. Oh, but obviously but obviously it’s not going to happen. Well, you know, it will it will not happen because I love I love this. I love to compete against these young. Oh, you won’t retire. I thought you were saying that won’t happen. The win won’t happen. No, I think I have a you know, I have an spirit and uh I’m working as hard as ever now. Yeah. Nice. I’m working out as hard as ever um to try to compete against these young kids. I mean these guys I learned another kind of golf game that they that these kids are are learn. I mean when I were growing up when I was five, six, seven, they teach me golf with one sentence. If you put it on the fairway and you put it on the green and you make two putts is par. And now these kids are learning you hit it as hard as you can doesn’t matter where that you have a better chance to make birdie. M and uh I grew up with different mentality and different golf than than these guys. Uh I’m not hitting the ball as long. I mean some of these kids they they pass me by 60 or 70 yards. Try to win a tournament against these kids. It’s tough. It’s tougher. I guess we’ve talked about all the successes and with it being a Ryder Cup year. Is there a little bit of you that can you run us through I guess your aspirations in the past and maybe the future to play Ryder Cup golf? Is there a little bit of you that’s been always wanting to get there? Um unfinished business. How do you feel about your career being so successful yet maybe? Yeah, the problem of my nine wins there are being, you know, too separate. You know, every every two or three years I had one another one another one and then uh 2022 and 23 I get two each year that was big but it was it was uh the first year was in a rider cup year and the second year was a rider cup year. Then then I put I put too much pressure on myself and uh and um knowing that you know it’s it’s great but it’s not great when Luke Donald sends you that message uh um my eyes are on you. I would love you to play well. Then suddenly John Ram talks to the media and says uh I want Pablo to play with me in the in the in in the forsomes. Uh because I I want a partner that if we have a 9 ft for to to win the hole Pablo Pablo has the ability to do it and that pressure is is not easy. Yeah. I mean I obviously I was four years old but but doesn’t matter. I play golf like an like I am 15 15 years old. Well, I play for fun and I have a lot of fun, but but you have a lot of fight as well. But the the pressure is there. I mean, I played uh I think two or three sevi trophies. I played two or three eur three Eurasia Cups. So, I know what’s what team team uh team work and team team sport is. I remember playing the first my first Eurasia Cup with Paul Mcinlay as a as a partner. But look, Ryder Cup right doesn’t take any minute of my uh of my sleep. I think uh my days of thinking about Ryder Cup are over. I think I mean I cannot compete against uh Lubrics or or um or Victor Hoblin in a year. I can I can beat them in, you know, I can beat them in a week, but I cannot compete against these superstars through a full year, right? because because they so good. I mean, I’m I’m a guy of of of three, four weeks. I can I can beat them all and I and and my history in all those tournaments. I beat Colin Montgomery. I beat Rory and Phil Miklson down the stretch. I beat Sergio Garcia in a playoff. I beat Henry Extension and down the stretch. I know how to beat them in a week, but in a full year it’s tough. Yeah. You know, these guys are consistently these guys are superstars are Yeah. Yeah. Even uh Rob McIntyre that has the same kind of game as I as I am, you know, he’s wild from the tea, but he has that kind of of of of game that the way I play the golf, the way the way I I I like to play golf, you know, I entertain the people. But this is 15 years younger than me or or 12 years younger than me. I’m 42. I’m I’m not a big guy. Uh I hit the gym as hard as I can, but not like these guys. Yeah. And I think it will be a a nice touch from from these guys that I think the RER Cup in 31 is going to be 30 minutes from home at the at the Camal Golf Club in in PJ Catalunia. That’s what they think. Uh that’s why uh they’ve been looking to play that Rder Cup. I I would love to be involved in a in a team. I I know all these kids for you know uh uh and I would will love to to be involved in a team. I would love to to be a water boy or whatever they they won and and and I think I will be good in a in a team room. But but obviously I don’t have the experience of the Ry Cup. I have the experience of three semi trophies and three Eurasia cups. But I don’t have the experience of a team room at the Radic Cup. So to put a guy like me in a team room without that experience will be tough. But you clearly have like passion and team work and you like the Spanish the Spanish fire, you know, like we look at Sevi was their role model in Rome for example. So like I personally believe you’ve got the perfect attributes to be a team advice or a team member. Yeah, I can help the team and and these young kids, some of them they, you know, they not the superstars, but some of some some of the younger guys that are are asking me for for an advice week in week out. Yeah. So, so I look at them the same way as uh as I look myself 18 years ago when I arrived on tour that I look around and I say well I want Miguel Himene to show me around and I was I went straight to him and uh the first two three years in tour I play every single practice run with him. Every single dinner we had in tour I have it with him. So because I knew that if I go with that guy with Miguel, I will learn quicker how this business is run and how how you can play the game as good as as you could. I’m I’m that I’m that old guy that are trying to make oldish oldish, you know, very old guy that trying to to uh to help the the young kids to to to move around here easier. Well, you know, we’ve had a lot of success on this DP World Tour podcast, actually, the Life on Tour podcast, where a lot of our guests have quite quickly gone on to win on tour. So, I’m not sure you’ve seen our track record. Um, so for me, I believe this is a really good platform for you to go on and be part of that Ryder Cup team. And I think it’s a good jinx. Uh, and I’ll do my best to get you that role in Spain. Not sure how much power I’ve got. My golf game is not prepared for Ryder Cup now. No, no, no. And and you know, if you don’t want to play one Ryder Cup, he’s in New Year’s. I I will get into a fight on on Monday to to those fans. I can get I can they can they can take me as a as a bodyguard to New Jersey because you know those uh those uh New Yorkers are going to be loud are going to be nasty. Oh yeah. and um talked to some of those uh RD cup ex-Rot Cup players play uh talking to Patrick Re last last week uh and said um those New Yorkers are going to be are going to be nasty. You know, you’d probably class yourself as relatively controversial from time to time. Have you had any clashes at any stage during tournaments with fans or other players? Any any big rack ups? I respect all all the people and I respect all the fans. Um uh I treat myself uh not as a golf player. I treat myself as an entertainer of people. Uh I think we all are we enter entertain the people back home and um and the people that come to a golf tournament. So I don’t get those guys that um that clap or cheer to a bad shot. I remember playing the PGA Championship in um in Atlanta. I made a cut. I was like 30 something or 40th or whatever. I end uping being you know being my partner was uh was Ricky father. Oh yeah. So he’s he’s a great kid in those days. You know Ricky was the long hair guy, the surfer guy and motocross. motocross and I was I was just a sper playing the game. So I remember on the first hole I I hit a little bit of a push out with my my eight iron and went to a banker and my ball was plugged. No, the rest I mean was underneath the surface and um I remember uh the guys that were behind the green next to that banker starts laughing at it. Ah, nice lie and a nice um Oh, you Spaniers are good from the banker, but I don’t know about that, whatever. So, I look at him and say, “What the what the hell what the are you saying?” And uh and they start um singing USA. I don’t know. I I don’t know. I What the hell are you thinking that USA is going to bother me? Yeah. I mean, I thought to go to go against that guy. uh and uh to get into a fight on the first green on the on Saturday morning. But but then then I realized uh that realized that um that wasn’t the way to do it. But but yeah, you can do it. You can you can get into a couple of fights in America. those those guy the problem I mean I got in a couple of arguments verbal arguments with a few fans through the years uh I don’t get that mashed potato thing and Worth is starting to be like that a little bit those those young guys they they they see the or they look at the PGA tour a little bit too more too much or they they watch I don’t know the sport they watch. But but golf is all about respect and uh and I don’t know that that when when someone hits a shot and that mashed potato thing mashed potato, I don’t get it. And how bad that was shot. I mean I don’t get the people that pays for a ticket and more in Worth that they’re expensive. I mean 60 pound or something they they pay for a day. uh to abuse players or to laugh to a bad shot. I don’t get it. And and uh that’s not the way I learned how to play golf and how to react on a golf course to laugh at others is not the best. Yeah. So, we mentioned like I guess a few fandom things with like what’s tough. Can you explain to some of us at home what is and we’ve mentioned your nine victories and all the success you’ve had. Can you explain to a few of us maybe what some of the toughest parts about being a professional golfer is like? What’s Yeah. What can really get you guys down on tour and what’s what’s the hardest stuff? You know, my hardest story was uh finishing uh 10 n at Wworth obviously to miss to miss the cut by by a lot. But the worst experience I had was that day not knowing how to put the ball on the golf course on the 18th hole. I had to chip it that my my third ball from the tea. I took a a fivewood and I chip it 120 yards just to keep it on the golf course. And then I chip a nine iron up again. A nine iron and a wedge. And then I put it in the water for I made I think I made an 11 or something. I made in the water my I don’t know my seventh shot or my eighth shot or whatever. And then my colleague told me that the uh that that was the last ball in the back. So, we had to go and fish that that ball on the on the on that creek to finish the round and and don’t don’t be disqualified. That was the toughest moment. Um Well, it was tough to feel to feel embarrassed because because you cannot put it in the planet and you don’t know how to do it and you don’t know how to how to put it between the bush and the bush. Doesn’t matter where, but between bush bush it’s that’s that’s the toughest moment I had on a golf course obviously outside the V store the the those uh hornets story in Malaysia that obviously we can laugh now about being uh the most successful video in YouTube in the world for three is having more clicks in YouTube that Beyonce and Rihanna together. But it was scary like it’s horrible. If uh remember that 30% of us we are allergic to to hornets or to vast. So if I’m allergic I would I would die. And if I don’t have a lake over there and this American guy that was cutting for for Bullard, the Indian guy, that that guy saved my life and I because he’s not on tour anymore, I cannot thank him enough. I I thank him a couple times. Uh but that guy told me that jump in a lake because those V’s what they do, they they were hornets. They were things huge things. Yeah. And uh what they do is they when they feel attacked, they throw a ferroman on top of of you and attracts all of them. Oh wow. So I was walking on the fairway and this hornet hits my nose and I went like oh going on. So suddenly I had 200 300 of them on top of me. Oh my god. And I start running. I remember start running around obviously but it was Malaysia 36° and 95% humidity. You cannot run forever. So I start running. They start attacking me and I threw my hat but they were attacking me in my head. So obviously that that hornet throw the ferommon on top of my head. So I had 25 stings between between the two ears. Oh and the doctor didn’t allow me to play. Uh when you have a a problem like that in golf, like in tennis, you have you can call the doctor and you have 12 minutes to hit the next shot. Medical time out. Yeah. You have 12 minutes to hit the shot. So I I had the guy gave me an an anti-aminic injection. Uh he gave me adrenaline through the vein and I can tell you that thing I was flying. I mean my chest my chest was walking 10 ft in front of me. Wow, man. I mean, I was flying. And then after 10 minutes, the doctor wanted to take me to the hospital. I said, “Well, I’m in a I’m in the cut line. I have to make the cut.” Yeah, I’m feel I’m feeling good. Uh and you don’t feel it straight away, but I hit that pitching wedge on that par five. I I made the pot. Made birdie. I brilliant. I made par on number six. 37 39 and then I sh and then I was late I went to see the doctor again didn’t give me anything if I was feeling good and then I couldn’t sleep that night because any piece of my head that touch a pillow I was crying yeah that’d be hard I remember having a shower and I did like this and um I don’t know how you call it this thing the the the needle the middle of the needle of the of I I went like this and and like seven or eight needles of those dropped in the in the in the shower. Yuck. So yeah, I couldn’t touch anything with the pillow. So I slept 20 minutes like this before the run. I shoot 700 and 500 and make I finished I think fifth on that Malaysian Open. So got quit. So yeah, it was it was an experience and now we can laugh about it. And uh that video hit YouTube. I had like four four million 4.5 million uh hits in in three days. Jesus. All over the world and more than uh Beyonce and Rihanna together. Beyonce and Rihanna. That’s a good scalp. I was number one in the world for for a week in YouTube. Ah well there you go. Just to finish off, I love asking what’s next in Pablo’s career. What is a satisfying back nine of your career? What’s the one thing that you sit here and go, I need this to complete? Well, I have two things. First of all, to see my my clo my clothing brand grow. Uh this uh I’m using my old my 11 a.m. 11 a.m. is my uh my clo my clothing brand. Uh that what does 11:00 a.m. stand for? A good tea time. It’s a great tea time to play nine holes. Uh nine holes and and golf is getting too serious. So I want to to bring uh the relaxed part of golf to people. Nice. That’s why my clothing is 100% cotton. It’s very relaxed. It’s uh it’s not tight. It’s very very very relaxed. And uh 11:00 a.m. is a great tea time to play nine holes and then go and have a couple of beers and have lunch with your friends. And that’s all about to have fun. You don’t have to wake up at 7:00 to go and play golf. We do it because it’s our game and it’s it’s our life. But normal people, they don’t. And then from a career perspective to to win one more just one more to to win to to reach double digits. And uh obviously my career it’s it’s already good but to to reach double digits will will be will be a dream come true. Pablo, it’s been a pleasure to speak to you. Thank you so much for your time. Cheers for Cheers. Thank you. My first whiskey in 15 years. Thank you very much. And I have to have a little bit of lunch after dinner. Well said. [Music] To watch another DP World Tour video, click here. And to subscribe, click here.