Photos: Lourdes Molina

Carlota Ciganda became the heroine of Spanish golf after her epic putt on the 17^th hole at Finca Cortesin, which awarded the 2023 Solheim Cup trophy to the European Team. After 13 seasons as a professional, the Navarrese player has achieved eight victories on the Ladies European Tour and another two on the LPGA. Hard-worker and meticulous, Carlota has been able to maintain herself in an increasingly professionalized golf world with more tournaments. Thanks to the coincidence of her seventh time at the Solheim Cup and her third time in the Olympic Games, she has played a total of 27 tournaments this season, which she has still closed with a golden brooch.

Carlota, congratulations on your second title at the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España. We saw you excited at the awards ceremony.

Yes, I get emotional thinking about all the people that have helped me, about my family, who is always supporting and helping me. In the end, it has been many years of work and to finish the year like this is a joy.

You have come flying, literally, from the USA, with jet lag, it is a great effort…

Yes, but I love playing in Spain, I love coming to the Open and I always mark this week as important on my calendar. I am very happy to win here, in front of the Spanish audience. This is the last week of the year and you make the effort.

Do you feel the fatigue after a year of Solheim and Olympic games?

I have had a couple of intense years with two Solheim, Olympic Games… a lot of travel. We are going to the Evian, after that back to the USA, then back home, Olympic Games, a lot of hours on a plane. I do feel a little bit tired, but in the end that’s what we do and you play very cool tournaments and that’s what you like.

What’s your assessment of the season?

Well, I think that it has been quite consistent. In the end, being among the 50-60 best players of the LPGA is good for me, even though I would have liked to finish better in several tournaments. I think that from tee to green I have played well enough. With the putt I had a few months that the ball didn’t go in, but in general I have hit it better than the result suggests. Anyway, what counts is the result. I haven’t played so many LPGA tournaments due to the Olympic Games, the Solheim and Aramco, but I got there in the final in Florida and that’s where we are still going.

What are your plans for 2025?

I want to rest for a couple of weeks and then, I will sit calmly, probably before Christmas, because I won’t start until early February. Therefore, I have time next year. I’ll do the preseason in January and I’ll check the calendar to see what I can do.

This year they have taken the Solheim Cup from us…

The American players wanted to win. They wanted to take the cup to the EEUU and, being there it is not easy. They had been playing better than us and it showed. I think the games were quite similar, but they made more putts. It was a pity, because the last day we started well, but in the end, they are very good and I think that when Europe wins, it deserves more merit because of the effort put in.

Do you remember the moment you won the Solheim 2023?

They are incredible moments, the best of my career, the putt on the 17^th. The holes 16 and 17 are very cool moments, that I will always remember, they are the best weeks of my life.

This year you have changed your caddie: Has it been a difficult moment?

Well, the truth is that we both felt it. I have been with Alvaro for three very good years, I am very happy and grateful for all what he has taught me and all what we have done together. Now, I’m looking for a new caddie and we’ll see next year.

Could your caddie be the one you’ve had this week, Javier Erviti?

Javi is a great friend; we have had a good relationship since we were kids. I have been very comfortable with him. He is a good player, who adapts very well to my game, he sees the shots, we are both competitors, so I thank him for helping me, for being there.

What is the most important thing about selecting that caddie?

I think that it is a good connection, to get along, to be good at the course. In the end, I have been playing for thirteen years and I think that I know very well the swing and how to play. So, it is to get along and to have a good connection at the course.

Is winning a Major still your dream?

Yes, as long as I keep playing, that is the idea, I keep on trying. Obviously, it is not easy because there are many very good players and the young ones are going strong, but I would like to be at the top and to fight for those big ones.

The young players now come very strong…

Yes, the young ones are going very strong. When I began 13 years ago, we didn’t know as much as they do now that they are starting out. The use of technology, the fact that they have many trainers, nutritionists, people are much better prepared and all that makes the level increase. That makes you be there every day, trying to improve a bit, that is what I try, but it is true that there are two or three young players that are difficult to beat right now.

You told us that you’ll keep on playing golf as long as you enjoy it…

Yes, I like it and I like to compete. In the LPGA there is a higher and higher level and you have to be very good. But yes, I’m still enjoying from Thursday to Sunday.

What is Carlota Ciganda’s secret?

I’d say that it is a hard work, a lot of perseverance and little more. I like a lot what I am doing and I think about improving every day.