01강등 위기 마주한 베테랑의 관록... 라라사발의 시드 수성 전략
DP월드투어의 베테랑 파블로 라라사발(스페인)이 투어 카드 유지를 위한 벼랑 끝 승부에 나섰다. 투어 통산 9승을 기록한 화려한 경력을 보유하고 있음에도 불구하고, 현재 포인트 순위가 하락하며 다음 시즌 시드 확보를 장담할 수 없는 절박한 상황에 놓였다.
라라사발은 이번 위기를 타개할 핵심 열쇠로 자신의 풍부한 '경험'을 꼽았다. 그는 인터뷰에서 지난 수년간 투어 현장에서 겪었던 수많은 압박감과 위기 상황들이 지금의 난관을 헤쳐 나가는 데 가장 큰 자산이 될 것이라며, 베테랑으로서의 평정심을 유지하겠다는 의지를 밝혔다.
시즌 막바지로 향할수록 투어 카드 수성을 위한 하위권 선수들의 경쟁이 더욱 치열해지는 가운데, 라라사발은 기술적인 측면만큼이나 정신적인 무장이 중요하다고 강조했다. 산전수전을 다 겪은 노련한 경기 운영을 통해 극적인 반등을 이뤄내고 투어 잔류에 성공할 수 있을지 관심이 모아진다.
02Original (English) — DP World Tour
Pablo Larrazábal is hoping to use experience to his advantage and plans to be aggressive from the beginning as he bids to keep his DP World Tour card at this week's Genesis Championship in South Korea.
The 2023 Genesis Championship winner will start this week's event at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club in an unfamiliar position, sitting 165th on the Race to Dubai Ranking delivered by DP World and in need of a top two finish to guarantee his status for next year.
"I know what I have to do and I'm going for it," Larrazábal told the DP World Tour on Tuesday.
"I need first or second. If I finish fourth or third, I'm still losing. So I know what to do. For that, I have to play aggressive. I have to play like, on Thursday at 11:35, then I'm going to tee it up, I have to start attacking. If it doesn't work, doesn't work, but it's not about the position myself. I have to attack, and that's all I have.
"This golf course is tricky. The greens are very tricky to putt. They have a lot of mini, mini breaks. But someone is going to win and someone is going to finish second. So the way some Spaniards are playing is going to be tough to beat them, they won a lot of times but they won a lot less than I did. So taking that experience, try to take that experience in my advantage and try to play my best golf, but try to be aggressive since the beginning."
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Since first gaining his card in 2008, Larrazábal has been an ever-present force on Tour, notching up nine victories, five runner-ups and 65 top tens across 493 appearances. So far 2026 remains the only year in his career that he's without a top ten.
Across those 19 seasons, this is the first time he's found himself in danger of losing his card, finishing inside the top 100 on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World in every year but 2021 - although he remained in Category 3.
The Spaniard has been vocal about his struggles this year, notably missing nine cuts in a row between the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa and KLM Open before an emotional made cut as the DS Automobiles 83° Open d'Italia.
After that, he discovered a heartfelt note from Major champion Aaron Rai in his locker at the Genesis Scottish Open, and although his fortunes have been mixed since, he still comes into this week with an outside chance of keeping his playing rights for next season by remaining in the top 100 on the Race to Dubai.
Sitting on 173.57 points, Larrazábal is currently 335.26 points behind Viktor Hovland, who holds 100th place on 508.83. With 312.00 points awarded to solo third (dependant on number of players to make the cut), Larrazábal needs to finish tied second or better to have a chance.
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Arriving in Korea following his 16th missed cut of the year at the DP World India Championship, Larrazábal is aware of his position and what he needs to do, but also pragmatic about Qualifying School and what next year could look like for him if neither of those two options work out.
"It's different," he said of the pressure of the situation.
"I mean, out of 19 years playing DP World Tour, I think I'm not being category 3 for around 20, 25 tournaments. I've always been in the winner's category and the year that I play my worst golf is the year that I have to keep my card.
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"Still pressure like most of the tournaments, but I have a little bit less pressure than a regular guy in my position because I'm going to play at least five tournaments that remain in the calendar that I won before, plus two tournaments in Spain.
"I have two tournaments left that I know what I have to do, obviously this one. It's a tough one. I need to win or to finish second on my own. I did it before. I did that 12 times in my career, that's obviously nine wins and a few seconds on my own. So I did it before and then if not, in three weeks' time, we're going to have the Q School in a place that I won as well in Infinitum. So, those are my two chances, but then I have the chance of playing many events next year because I think I did good enough on and off the golf course through 19 years."
Passion for the sport is not something the 43-year-old has ever had to force, and what is certain is that he will be fighting hard against the competition this week to keep his "dream job".
"Tournament golf is all about beating 140, 150 guys," he said. "I know the type of guys that are playing this week. I know all of them. And it's in my hands if I play my best golf like I did many, many times around the DP World Tour, I'm going to have the chance. And if not, look, at some point, I have to step back to let the young kids come through. But if they want to kick me out of my dream job that was to play in the DP World Tour when I was growing up.
"I played 19 years and close to 500 events around the DP World Tour. If these young kids, they want to kick me out of my dream job, they're going to have to work harder than me and beat me in the field. So, looking forward to this week, if not to Infinitum, and then If not, I know that I'm going to have my chances next year."
Is Aaron Rai the nicest man in golf? After seeing Pablo Larrazábal struggle with results this season, Aaron Rai left a handwritten note in his locker. The DP World Tour family looking out for each other 💙#GenesisScottishOpen | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/iTiD0hiPsU