The plight of the 33 Chilean miners trapped underground has gripped the entire world, and Challenge Tour Member Mark Tullo is rightly proud of the impressive way his native country has coped with the crisis.
Rolex Trophy champion Tullo, currently tenth in the Challenge Tour Rankings and therefore on course to graduate to The European Tour for the first time, still lives in Santiago – his birthplace and the capital of Chile – for six months of the year.
Whilst traversing Europe with his fellow Challenge Tour Members, Tullo has stayed glued to the television and internet for news of the rescue operation, and admits that he was overcome with emotion when the men – dubbed “los 33” – finally resurfaced earlier in the week.
He said: “It’s been amazing. When the news first broke everyone feared the worst and thought that they would never be seen alive again. But not only are they all alive, they also seem to be in good health. The whole country put in a huge effort to find and rescue them, as did other countries, including America, by providing machinery to drill down into the ground. It’s so great to see something so positive, instead of the usual bad news stories. It just restores your faith in humanity, and goes to show the world we live in isn’t full of negativity.
“The coverage has been huge, from the moment the miners were first found alive, to the time they brought the last man up to the surface. They’re all heroes now, and their lives and faces are known across the world. I watched the rescue operation on the news, and the sense of relief and joy on their faces was just incredible to see. It must’ve been an amazing feeling, and it’s like they’ve been given a second chance at life.
“Most of my friends and family are still back home in Chile, and I’ve been speaking to them a lot. They all say they’ve never known anything like it before – the whole country has been hoping and praying for their safety, and now that it’s finally happened, the happiness and excitement has been unbelievable. Everyone did such a great job, from the President who was there every step of the way, to the Minister for Mining who oversaw the complex rescue operation. I’ve never been so proud of my country.
“My only regret is that I wasn’t there for the celebrations! It was like Chile had won the World Cup, beating Argentina in the final. Everybody just went nuts – there was singing and dancing until the early hours in downtown squares across the country. It was so great to see – the whole country was united.”
