Santiago De la Fuente from Mexico has packed a lot into his breakout year with a 2024 Latin American Amateur Championship win and debut appearances in the Masters, The Open and the US Open before turning pro.
The rising star has now continued his quest to conquer new ground by making his debut on The International Series this week, and his first-ever start in the Black Mountain Championship has been impressive.
The 25-year-old is sitting nicely in tied seventh on 11 under, just two shots off the lead shared by India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and home hope Suteepat Prateeptienchai, after following up his first round of seven-under 65, featuring six birdies, an eagle and just one dropped shot, with a bogey-free, four-under 68.
De la Fuente has been delighted with his experience, and his first taste of life on one of 10 elevated events that form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for The International Series Rankings leader at the end of the season.
He said: “Unreal. It has been a great year honestly. I was dreaming of having a year like this, it is such a great opportunity to open so many doors. Being able to play three majors, a couple of (pro) events, and then The International Series.”
Speaking about the standard of player he is facing for the first time, he added: “It doesn't matter where you go, there's always going to be great players and somebody's going to have a good week. So I just try and do all I can do, and focus on all I can control, and we will see at the end of the week.”
The 25-year-old is a shining example of the quality young players eager to experience The International Series.
Other emerging talent lining up in the field this week include 2024 Amateur Champion Jacob Skov Olesen and newly turned Chinese pro Sampson Zheng, while Rayhan Thomas of India and Jonas Baumgartner of Germany have also started recent tournaments.
He said: “Playing The International Series is such a good pathway for pro golf right now. I don't have any status, so being able to keep playing tournaments is a great opportunity.”
De la Fuente went through the collegiate system with two years at the Arkansas Tech University and two years at University of Houston and is following in the footsteps of a long line of players from around the world who view The International Series as a viable option.
De la Fuente has still not made up his mind on his future yet, but he has been impressed by the pathway onto LIV Golf.
He has heard plenty about it. His friend Alvaro Ortiz is younger brother of Carlos, the International Series Oman champion and Torque GC player, and he also played a practice round at The Open with Abraham Ancer, another compatriot who plays for Fireballs GC.
He said: “LIV Golf is good with all the great players they have. I just want to play golf, to play tournaments and get better and better, and one day be at the highest level.
“Carlos is a good guy, I know him well, but the one I talk to a lot is his younger brother, Alvaro. Me and Alvaro are really good friends, really tight. I’m pretty sure he (Carlos) is having a lot of fun on LIV Golf. He is getting to play with all the great players that are there and he has been rewarded for working hard.”
De la Fuente, who took 30 hours to travel from Houston to Hua Hin following a stopover after his first leg from Mexico to the US, said: “Honestly, it has been such a unique experience, I have not travelled by myself in a long time. This is unreal, to get to play such a quality tournament here.
“I am just playing what I can play and see what happens. I have two weeks here and for sure it will be a great two weeks. This week is stacked with quality players and next week (International Series Thailand) there is even more so it will be exciting to see. I am so happy to be here.”
De la Fuente’s learning curve has been steep. Missing all three cuts at the majors was tough to take but he viewed it all as part of a fast-track learning process.
He said: “It is incredible, getting to play those tournaments already that not many players get to play in at all. And it is more than just golf, it is the entire environment, the atmosphere. So everything is a little bit more delicate there. It was very tough. Sometimes we try to do too much instead of doing our own thing, and that is when we do not play our best. That was a good lesson I brought with me after playing the majors.”
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
