University of Minnesota Athletics
Mendez Travels the World for Golf
1/20/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Minnesota senior Jose Mendez recently played in a third Latin American Amateur Championship-not just his third, but third ever. The Costa Rica native was able to get in on the ground floor when the event was first held in 2015.
The first tournament took place in Argentina. The winner of the LAAC was to receive, among other invitations and exemptions, an invitation to the Masters.
"It was a huge step," Mendez said. "The Latin American people didn't have a site to qualify. We had to come here to the U.S. and play in the U.S. Amateur, which is really hard to get into. So it was really good to see the Masters and the USGA focusing on Latin America. It was really big for Latin Americans to have the chance to qualify and play against the best people in the U.S. and professionally."
Mendez said he and other players in the field did not know what to expect at the inaugural LAAC. He went into the trip thinking it would be "a normal tournament."
"We got there and there were signs, grandstands, TV," he said.
Mendez tied for 13th in 2015, and got a feel for how big the tournament was. The next two years, he played in the LAAC in the Dominican Republic and Panama. He has met big shots of the golf world including Billy Payne, the chairman at Augusta National.
"You get to know how it is to be a professional golfer. You see people with a TV camera right next to you. You feel like you're playing in a pro event. I think the experience and all the knowledge you can get about how to succeed and how to make another step, that tournament teaches you how it is. … It's the best tournament in Latin America."
Golf has provided plenty of other travel opportunities for Mendez, who said he probably would not have ventured far if not for his sport. His first major trip for a tournament as a teenager was to Japan, which was different from anywhere he had ever been.
"I don't like sushi and I wasn't sure what to eat," Mendez said. "I think I lost like 10 pounds. But it was fun."
He went back to Japan again during his freshman season, going straight to the airport from a Gophers tournament. This past fall, Mendez played in a tournament in Cancun, Mexico.
With his college teammates, he has traveled all around the United States for tournaments. Mendez said every tournament is fun and unique, but especially enjoyed the spring break trips to Florida and Arizona, and meeting pro Jason Dufner at Auburn's tournament last year.
Mendez, the 2014 Big Ten medalist, is entering the last leg of his Gophers career. He is currently taking 15 credits and interning within the athletic department. Four years ago, Mendez traveled far from home to come to school in Minnesota, and he wants to make the best of his last few months as a college athlete.
"It's been too fast," Mendez said. "I'm just going to enjoy my last semester. It's basically the best four years of your life. I'm going to enjoy it with my team. I'm going to try my best to play well and make it to the postseason. I know if we set a goal to make it to NCAA Regionals we are capable of it. It's going to be really exciting to see how the season starts in Florida at the Big Ten Match Play. …I love my teammates. I love Minnesota. I love the U."
Players Mentioned
