She would have liked to study physiotherapy and nutrition but the necessity of attending numerous practical classes would have prevented her from dedicating the required time to her major passion: golf.
Marbella’s Noemí Jiménez has just completed her third year of tourism and business studies (the course she eventually opted for) at Arizona State University. Now she is taking a break – in one sense, because she practises more than ever – in Marbella and work out her summer competition schedule, before returning to the US to face her final year at university.
We meet at Royal Guadalmina Golf Club, where the previous Sunday she had lost the Spanish Women’s Championship against Camila Hedberg in a heart-stopping final. Her Barcelona rival matched the eagle Noemí had just carded on the 17th and went on to win by two shots.
“You learn from your wins, but also from your losses, a lot more,” she told us. Her keen desire to improve, her optimism in the face of adversity, represents a psychological weapon which almost certainly helps her take on such a demanding sport as golf with such success.
Noemí is not just any golfer: she is one of the great promises of Spanish golf. She has an impressive CV, including nine top-10 places and two wins on last year’s US university league and six top-10s this year, highlighted by a magnificent individual win in the West Regionals. To gain an even better idea of the quality of her play, you only have to look at the world women’s amateur rankings – where she holds down 13th place.
Her love affair with golf began “seriously” when she was six, thanks to her father, Antonio. And we emphasise “seriously” because when still just one years old she tried to copy her father, a keen golfer, using mop handles as a club and Christmas decoration balls to hit her first golf swings.
Noting this interest, her father started taking her to a golf school, then known as El Ángel, when she was six years old. She had lessons with a well-known pro in Marbella, Manuel Cabanillas, but within a short time it was her father – at the time a golf instructor – who took charge of fine-tuning her talent.
Noemí remembers her first win. “It was on the Pequecircuito (Little Ones Circuit) at Coto de la Serena (Estepona). I was super happy and it was super exciting.”
The little girl learned rapidly and stood out even quicker. So much so that at eight years of age she competed in her first Spanish Championship. In her second appearance in this tournament she was runner-up and this was followed by numerous competitions and victories in the regional and national sphere.
Her international career began while she was still in her early teens. At 14, she was chosen for Spain to compete in matches against Portugal and France. From 15, she was a regular member of national teams that competed in the main European tournaments.
Then came the big move to the other side of the Atlantic…
- What has it meant for you to go to university in the US?
- It’s been a dream I always wanted to realise. My role model was Azahara (Muñoz … she also learned the game at Royal Guadalmina), who went to the same university where I’m studying. It was a dream for me to go there, to follow my career, study, and all without my parents having to pay the university. Also to gain a bit of independence, to discover more about the world and because over there, above all else, it opens a lot of doors.
- What have you learned about golf at the university?
- Over there they have a girls and boys golf team, and each has its own coach and assistant. Rather than focusing on a technical level, which they barely even look at, it’s like a manager who takes us to the various events, discusses strategy, teaches us how to play a tournament almost like a professional, how to play certain holes… There is hardly any technical plan, as they assume we have arrived there well prepared. They don’t say anything to you, unless someone specifically asks the coach to look at their swing because they don’t feel sure about it.
- You have one year left to finish your studies before considering your future as a pro. Are you clear what you want to do?
- I’m thinking about it. On the one hand, obviously I want to graduate, but my objective, my Plan A, even though it makes me a bit afraid because I don’t know what will happen, is to stay in the US and try to play the American Tour. I’ll return to Spain in summer to play amateur tournaments then later, in August, return to the US and try to get through the Q-School (qualifying for the LPGA Tour). If I make it, I’ll stay there to live, probably in Florida because it’s relatively closer to home – I have my coach here in Spain. If not, my Plan B is to return to Europe and try out for the European Tour because what I mainly want to do is play golf. If something unexpected happens, like an injury – and I hope to God it doesn’t – I would probably study for another career, something I really like (physiotherapy or nutrition), but that would be Plan C.
- Other Spaniards who have stayed in the US to follow a professional career have had varying success. For example, two who had exceptional amateur careers: Azahara Muñoz, already triumphing, and Carlota Ciganda, who hasn’t taken off yet…
- It’s always difficult to move from amateur to professional, and lots of things can happen. In the case of Carlota, it might be a problem adapting: her family is in Spain, she’s a long way from home, it’s a very different kind of life there… She also studied in the US but she wanted to turn pro and didn’t finish her studies. I heard she wanted to always have her coach nearby because she’s someone who draws on her coach for a lot of support, and I can understand that because after so long without a coach your swing can leave you a bit and you have to always have someone there watching you. But it’s her first year on the LPGA Tour, and the first year is always one for adapting – later is when you start to win.
- Your first year in the US also wasn’t that good, but in the second year you had 11 top-10s, and this year you have also enjoyed success...
- I took the first year as one of experience, for learning, and the second and third you can tell that I was more settled and comfortable.
- The South Korean golfers who play in the US are famed for their extreme dedication to golf. is that actually a reality?
- Yes, they practice a lot and have a very high level of discipline. And, of course, the foundation of golf is practice; quality practice obviously, because if you practice a lot of hours without any kind of objective, that doesn’t help at all.
- What memories do you have of this club, Guadalmina?
- Lovely ones. This has always been my club; I’m super happy with all the people here. A lot of people came to support me during the Spanish Championship, and it was super special and super nice. I have a lot of affection for this club because since I was young, if my parents couldn’t, they paid all my trips... I’m super appreciative of their support.
We end the interview and, after the photographic session, Noemí heads to the tee for another tough, yet enjoyable, coaching session. She has many holes still to play... and an exciting and hopefully happy life ahead of her.
