Jose Islas at a Korn Ferry Tour occasion earlier this yr.
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There may be no less than another helpless and irritating feeling than arriving at an airport’s baggage declare solely to find that your golf equipment are nowhere to be discovered:
Arriving at an airport’s baggage declare solely to find that your golf equipment are nowhere to be discovered on the eve of one of many greatest begins of your life.
Such is the dilemma wherein José Islas discovered himself just a few days in the past in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Islas, a former Mexican beginner standout who turned professional earlier this yr, flew midway internationally to play in LIV Golf’s 72-hole Promotions occasion. The chances of him getting by means of are slim; there are 93 gamers within the discipline and, whereas the highest 10 finishers (together with ties) will earn full exemptions into the 2025 Worldwide Collection, solely the winner will punch his golden ticket to LIV, the place final season 37 gamers earned greater than $3 million in on-course earnings.
“We’re taking part in for lots,” Thai professional Jazz Janewattananond mentioned earlier this week. “That one spot will certainly change one life.”
However first issues first: attending to the primary tee together with your golf equipment.
For Islas, that piece of the calculus proved difficult when the airline he flew into Riyadh (he didn’t say which airline) misplaced his golf equipment. You recognize what they are saying, although: When life fingers you lemons, name your caddie’s pal, Shane. That’s what Islas did, and Shane, an English ex-pat residing in Riyadh, got here to the rescue with a set of loaners. “He drove right here yesterday to convey the golf equipment,” Islas mentioned Thursday. “So I performed a observe spherical with these golf equipment.”
The irons are Titleist T200s, that are a good distance from the blades that Islas is accustomed to taking part in. “Fats ones with stiff shafts,” is how Islas described his interim irons. He added that the golf equipment are also rather more upright that his players. All in all, he mentioned: “Fully reverse.”
However then a humorous factor occurred. In his first observe spherical with the golf equipment, Islas set out on Riyadh Golf Membership’s again 9. On his second gap of the day (the par-4 eleventh), Islas had 165 yards into the inexperienced…and holed the shot for eagle.
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On Thursday, within the first spherical of the Promotions occasion, the nice vibes (and swings) continued. After parring his first 5 holes, Islas ran off 5 consecutive birdies to maneuver to 5 underneath, which is the place he would keep. At day’s finish, Islas was simply two off Jeunghun Wang’s lead.
When requested about his fill-in golf equipment, Islas mentioned one thing attention-grabbing.
“I believe they work fairly effectively,” he mentioned. “I believe it’s not in regards to the golf equipment — it’s extra about how I assumed [about] the photographs that I used to be going to hit. I used to be with no expectations in any respect. I believe that’s why it actually labored.”
Islas mentioned he tried to play the best photographs he might, which is tougher than it sounds. “Attempt to have 18 probabilities at birdie,” he mentioned.
As for his gamer set’s whereabouts?
“I’m going to the airport proper after this,” Islas mentioned. “I’ve been combating with the airline for 4 days now. Hopefully they’ll be right here.”
And if not, you get the sense Islas can be simply superb.
