FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The biggest stage in golf returns this week at Augusta National.
The Masters – golf’s first major of the season, and a dream for golfers worldwide.
“I believe every single kid in the world grew up hoping to play in the Masters one day,” said Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, a senior on the Razorback men’s golf team.
Playing in Augusta is a goal for golfers everywhere from the U.S. to Buenos Aires, Argentina, the hometown of Fernandez de Oliveira.
“I’m very familiar with the tournament,” Fernandez de Oliveira said. “It’s one of those I watched every single year, the second week of April, growing up.”
Growing up, he watched fellow countryman Angel Cabrera become the only Latin American to win the event in 2009.
14 years later, the Arkansas senior will compete for the green jacket himself.
Fernandez de Oliveira earned an exemption into three of this year’s majors after winning the Latin American Amateur Championship in January.
The win earned him a spot in the Open Championship, U.S. Open, and first up, the Masters, this week down in Georgia.
“As soon as I won, I knew what I was going to face,” Fernandez de Oliveira said. “It hits me every day. It’s one of the things that motivates me to wake up, go to work out, go to practice, and just get better every single day to be 100% ready for the tournaments.”
Fernandez de Oliveira will get to share the experience with another former Razorback in Taylor Moore, who qualified by winning the Valspar Championship two weeks ago.
The two planned to have a practice session this week at Augusta National before the tournament starts Thursday.
“I’m very looking forward to seeing him again and just enjoy being out there with a former Razorback,” Fernandez de Oliveira said.
As he heads to Augusta this week, Fernandez de Oliveira is hoping to put his best foot forward representing both Arkansas and his home country of Argentina, all while enjoying the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I know I can do well, I just need to manage the expectations,” Fernandez de Oliveira said. “If it’s a tough stretch, I will need to handle it the way I always do it. If it’s a good stretch, just take advantage of it and just enjoy the moment.”