One-On-One With Filipino PGA Player Carlos Sainz, Jr.

By: Maria Girlie Pascual

Ok, he is one-half “Pinoy” (Filipino) and one-half Bolivian, and yet, he feels one-hundred percent Philippine native whenever he is in Manila competing with other Asian golfers in the circuit. Born to Bolivian native Carlos Sainz, and Filipina mom Rose, a nurse from Elgin, Illinois, Carlos Sainz, Jr. made his mark as a PGA TOUR rookie this year at the Sanderson Farms Championship last September, coming in at 9th place for his first official PGA TOUR start.

Last year, he came in second at the Price Cutter Charity Championship sponsored by Dr. Pepper for Web.Com, and back in 2013, won first place at the Players Cup in the Mackenzie PGA Canadian Tour. He was quite successful with his Web.Com stint, playing 24 of the 25 tournaments with one top 10 and 4 top 25 finishes, coming in number 24 on the money list.

Carlos Sainz, Jr. showed his golf mettle when he made a double eagle in the opening round of the Chile Classic on the par 5 ninth hole, the first recorded albatross in tournament history and went on to finish at the number 57 spot amongst hundreds of players at that event. His current world standing is at 857, but Carlos Sainz Jr. is focused on getting back into the PGA circuit with more training and experience after he comes back from Manila this November. Carlos, always smiling and ready to answer questions ranging from his family, schooling, golf and PGA tour experiences, comes across as a good looking young man with good posture, a great personality and a deep passion for the game he has come to love as a young boy from Elgin, Illinois. He went to Larkin high school and caught the golfing bug from his father, Carlos Sr., who taught him how to play golf at a young age.

Carlos, along with his younger brother Michael, both grew up playing golf with their dad, and eventually Carlos took to caddying at the local course near his home in Elgin. He earned a golf scholarship at Mississippi State University where after graduating, joined the Canadian PGA tour in 2009.

Although he missed the cut to qualify for the next round of PGA events, Carlos is determined, not disheartened with this setback that is more the norm than the exception in a professional golfer’s life. He is optimistic about his future as a PGA tour player but knows how hard he has to work to rise above a field of thousands of equally talented hopefuls that are all gunning to be the next golf phenomenon.

He admires what Jason Day, another half-Filipino brethren who is now ranked number two in the world of golf, has accomplished, bagging back-to-back two PGA tour wins, coming in second to Jordan Spieth, but beating Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy, all young players that Carlos has personally met on tour.

Looking to the future, Carlos is excited about celebrating his 33rd birthday this November and about his upcoming trip to Manila to play the Asian tour at Southwoods Golf Club in Cavite. He still has to experience nightlife in the Philippines because he only stays from a week to ten days per visit, but gushes over authentic Filipino food which he has come to appreciate from his mom Rose’s cooking.

One of his desires is to help young people hone their playing skills in golf and has shared his knowledge and experience with his young fans at some of the charity golfing events. Carlos Sainz, Jr. has also expressed in our interview that he is open to doing a golf clinic with Fil-Am youths in Chicago, and someday, we may just take him up on it. In the meantime, we had a blast with the on-camera and offcamera interviews, his willingness to give pointers to aspiring players, and watched him sign autographs on his own gloves which he gave away to giddy fans that were in awe of him.

We all enjoyed watching Carlos Sainz execute perfect shots off the tee at the Golf Center of Des Plaines, thanks to Brian the Head Pro, and our golfing buddy Ramon Mendoza, who arranged the CPRTV/Via Times interview for us that day. Special thanks to his dad, Carlos Sainz, Sr. who was also our Asian American Golfers of Illinois member and past Club Champion proving that the apple did not fall far from the tree.

To Carlos Sainz, Jr., we wish you all the best in your endeavor to be number one in the world of golf, we send you best wishes and pray for your continued success. You continue to uplift the Filipino image through your God- given talent, but inspire us with your humility and grace. Thank you from all of us regular, recreational, optimistic golfers who can only dream of what you have accomplished in your young life.###