Gonzalo Fernández Castaño will come up against the Northern Trust Open this Thursday, his eighth tournament of the PGA Tour, with the idea and the determination to come out strong.
And he's going to do it on a course of which he has very fond memories and left on good terms with good vibes, just one year ago. To start, it was here, at the legendary Riviera Country Club, where he made the cut for the first time during his rookie days. In addition, the Madrid native finished that Sunday on the 9th hole with an incredible back nine, completed in just 31 shots, which bumped him up to a nice spot in the rankings (he finished in 35º place). His fond memories aren't even of birdies, but they always help to find that optimal balance.
Fernández Castaño will play first thing in the morning, at 6:50, according to local time, 15:50 on the Peninsula. It's to be seen whether or not he'll be able to take full advantage of those early morning hours on the greens where he finds himself comfortable and at ease.
The player with the highest world ranking present at the tournament is Bubba Watson (Number 3 in the world), who, additionally, is precisely the title defender of the Pacific Palisades, California course.
In addition, there are three other players who will be participating who are among the top-10 of the world: Jim Furyk, Sergio García y Jordan Spieth.
