Jaime Yzaga, the son who wants to carry his father’s legacy to golf

Yzaga is not a surname that goes unnoticed even far from Peru. In the press room of the Latin American Amateur Championship (LAAC), the most important golf tournament for amateurs in the region, the memory of the tennis player constantly returns to the present. In Puerto Rico, everyone wants to know if the Jaime Yzaga that will be on the course of the Grand Reserve Golf Club has something to do with the one of a kind that one day in 1994 brought to his knees Pete Sampras at the US Open. When they find out that he is the son, they wonder why he doesn’t carry a racket instead of a golf club. Although Jaime Jr. is just making his way in this type of competition, the passion with which he plays each shot clears up any doubts about his choice.

Have you been looking for a long time to compete in the LAAC?

The truth is, I already had it quite planned thanks to the fact that in the World Ranking of Amateurs (WAGR) I am quite good… so it is a tournament that I had written down on the calendar.

Do you want to compete here every year from now on?

Yes. It is a tournament that when you win it gives you an impressive opportunity and, even if you don’t win it, it gives you a lot of experience and a lot of play.

Did your preparation to play the LAAC change a lot?

I’ve tried to work harder in recent months to get better, but it’s also getting used to the situation here, the wind, the type of grass… no matter how much you practice, you must have that ability to adapt.

What other plus does the LAAC give you?

It gives you the chance to play tournaments that some professionals cannot play, since they are very important competitions. In addition, it gives you an outlet into the world of golf so that everyone knows you. Also tickets to some amateur tournaments that are better than this, where golfers from all over the world compete, but I think this tournament is the one that gives you the most when you win it.

Were you surprised by the expectation here for being the son of a renowned tennis player?

Yes, I was surprised (laughs). My dad always supports me a lot, he tries to teach me because he has gone through this path. He was a professional at a very young age, he learned a lot at that time and he is trying to convey those feelings to me.

What advice does he give you?

Above all, it supports me in the mental part, since golf and tennis are very similar in that. My dad always worked with a psychologist, so he knows what those situations are like. It is very good that you like it and try to help me.

Do you play golf with your dad?

From time to time he plays golf and I play with him on some weekends. He likes it and I think it is a very good opportunity that I can play with him, since it is a sport that is not shared with many generations.

Before you decided on golf, didn’t your dad try to make you choose tennis?

[Risas] I started playing tennis when I was three years old, but then I got into golf, got hooked and stayed here.

Your father is also known for being a fan of Alianza Lima, did you have a chance to be a soccer player?

no, nothing, never [risas]… Always tennis or golf. My dad is a fan of Alianza, but I don’t follow soccer much, but I’m also a fan of Alianza.

Do you play soccer?

Yes. When he played he did it as a ‘tip’, nothing more [risas]… I went ahead and just pushed her.

Is it very different to come from a family of athletes?

I feel very comfortable, they support me a lot. I feel that I have a good team there, that accompanies me and strives for what is mine.

In your young gaze, what is missing for golf to take off in Peru?

I think there are not many young people who want to play it. It is not like soccer, which is played since school. I think more people are missing and I know it’s not such a popular sport in the country, there aren’t many fields either.

On the other hand, golf is a sport that gives you several opportunities…

All of the Peruvian team are studying in the United States. Golf opens many doors for everything, even if you don’t reach the highest point.

This year you finish school, did any university contact you?

I haven’t picked anything yet, I have the whole year and it will probably take me a while to decide.

Proud father

It is not necessary to be in front of Jaime Yzaga dad to feel the pride that talking about his son generates in him. Not even the coldness of the Internet can prevent the tennis player from transferring that shower of emotions to us, which begins with the latent memory of when he decided on golf.

“Jaime started playing tennis with his sisters from a very young age, but he was very interested in learning what golf was. One day he convinced his mother to take him to the practice court and that’s when he never played tennis again. I really loved it because golf is a spectacular sport”tells us who at some point was 18th in the ATP ranking.

Undoubtedly, one of the situations in which both coincide is the bond they have from the new sport that was installed at home. “Golf days together are wonderful, there is nothing like going out to play a few holes with your son. When Jaime was younger, we competed a lot and it was a lot of fun, as well as developing a very special friendship sharing a sport competitively. It is an incredible experience and will be a memory for a lifetime.”

Jaime Yzaga knows everything that involves competing in the elite of an individual sport, therefore, he constantly seeks to pass on to his son everything he has learned throughout his career. “I try as much as possible to help him in his calendar, in his mental approach, routines, training habits and how to take care of himself to carry out his sport in the best way. In this there is not much difference with tennis… it is trying to pass on my experiences to make it easier for them to learn ”, says Yzaga, who does not hesitate to affirm that “Jaime knows that at home you are a fan of Alianza yes or yes.”