In the first of a new series for the 2017 Road to Oman, we asked two-time European Challenge Tour winner Borja Virto about his earliest memories, both in golf and beyond:
First golfing memory?
Just going to the golf course with my dad. I don’t know how old I was, probably around five or something.
First hole-in-one?
I’ve had two in practice rounds. The first was when I was about 16 in a practice round in Pau when I was part of the Spanish junior team playing France in a match play contest.
First full round of golf?
I was probably six or seven when I first played nine holes – I think I shot about 80!
First set of clubs?
I used to have some Callaways, but it wasn’t a full set – I had a pitching wedge, an eight iron and a six iron, then a fairway wood and a driver. I was about ten years old I think.
First win?
My first important win was when I won the under 13s Spanish Championship. Before that I’d had a lot of local wins, so when I was about nine I probably won something at my club, but that Spanish one is the one I remember most.
First professional tournament?
It was on the Alps Tour in Luxembourg in September 2013 I think. I got an invite, I had only just turned pro and I was lucky to get to play that so soon.
First Challenge Tour event?
I’m not sure! I remember when I turned pro I got a few invites from the Spanish Federation but I don’t know which… Oh yeah, I do remember! It was in Lumine, the Challenge Tour event there in 2014. The Challenge de Catalunya.
First golfing idol?
Sergio. I remember I had a poster of him in my room and I had a picture of him from when I was five years old when he played a tournament at my home course – he was still an amateur but he was already really good. I had that picture and he signed it for me a couple of years ago when I saw him on tour, so that was pretty cool.
First film you saw?
Probably a Disney movie but I don’t really remember exactly.
First album bought?
Eminem. I used to listen to Eminem on my Discman, but I don’t remember exactly which album I would have got first – maybe the 8 Mile soundtrack.
First sport played?
Either football or skiing, I’m not sure. I know I started to ski when I was still really young, then at school it was probably football.
First sport seen live?
I don’t know, I probably went to a football game. I used to support Barcelona but I don’t really care anymore. My home team is Osasuna but they are struggling a bit right now and I think they are getting relegated, but I’m not a big football fan. I maybe even watched golf live before football.
First love?
I don’t know – I should probably say my girlfriend or she’ll kill me!
