Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Agustina Gomez Cisterna is our first featured player of the new year! She has played in three ANNIKA Invitationals including the inaugural ANNIKA Invitational Latin America where she took home the title. The 16-year-old will be playing in her second ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex next week at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. with hopes of coming out on top.
We recently caught up with Agustina who told us a lot about herself and what she’s been up to both on and off the golf course.
What is your favorite food?
Argentinian BBQ.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I would like to have the power to make real everything I imagine, similar to telekinesis. For instance, in golf when I hit a hook, I would like to make it go straight to the green.
What is your biggest fear?
As a passionate golfer, the fear of not living up to my own expectations while enjoying what I love is what I consider my biggest fear.
Who is your favorite golfer and why?
My favorite golfer is Jordan Spieth because he has a good game. He is also a great human being with friends and fans, and a very humble person.
Who is your favorite singer?
Definitely Bad Bunny. He is a Latin urban singer.
Do you have a New Year’s resolution? If so, what is it?
This year will be a very challenging one. I will be joining IMG Academy and I plan to thrive in golf as an athlete and be able to compete outside Argentina and South America, as I will have opportunities to play more tournaments in United States. I will also learn to do things by myself and start making decisions on my own as I will live without my parents at the Academy.
How do you spend your free time outside of golf?
I like to spend time with my family and pets, whom I love with all my heart. Also, I like going out with my friends and talking for hours with them, or baking with my sister. I also like to play other sports like tennis.
Who is your biggest role model and why?
My biggest role model is Annika Sörenstam. I am not saying this because the ANNIKA Foundation is interviewing me, but I say it because overall, she is a great person in every sense. She is a legend in the world of golf, but has always been very humble about it. She is very charismatic and transmits joy and happiness to everyone. Also, she is one of the most important golfers of all time and really cares about the development and growth of women’s golf in the world.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I like to play the piano. It gives me the chance to feel peace whenever I want to (besides the golf course). I really enjoy singing, too. Also, I am good at other sports like volleyball and tennis which I used to play at school and they are very entertaining.
What is your greatest memory of playing golf so far?
My greatest memory was when I got my first hole in one when playing in New Jersey at the US Kids Championship in 2010. I remember it was my father's birthday: September 5th. It was a great day and I have very nice memories from it. I also remember that when we finished that hole I told my father, who was my caddie, “Did you like your birthday present?”
How/Why did you start playing golf?
When I was five years old, I started playing different sports in order to find one that I really liked. One day, I went to the golf school to try it out and when I hit a few balls, the instructor made me realize that I had great potential. I am very thankful for him because now I love golf. I really don’t know what I would do without this beautiful sport in my life.
Can you share one golf tip with us that has helped your game the most?
I always try to control myself whenever I play a bad round of golf. Everyone can make mistakes so it is important to stay calm and focus on what can be improved. I think that trusting myself was the thing that helped me the most to grow in my golf these past couple of years.
What was your favorite golf tournament you have played in so far?
The tournament I enjoyed the most was the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex played in Orlando last year because everything was great. The attention given to all the players, the field, everything Annika organizes for us and how she takes special care of all the details. It is definitely my favorite tournament and I really enjoy playing in it and having the opportunity to be there.
What are your plans after you graduate high school?
I am planning to find a university to play college golf, while studying a career. Afterwards, I would like to become a professional golfer and have a good golf life.
Do you set goals for yourself for the golf season? If so, can you share them with us?
For every season, I establish many goals for myself. In terms of golf, my goal is to try to qualify for important tournaments like the U.S. Women’s Amateur or the U.S. Girls’ Junior or even win the Youth South American Championship with the Argentinian team. I also set goals for each round, to control my attitude or to confront problems throughout the course.
What was your best round of golf so far and where did it take place?
My best round was in Chile, at the Sport Frances Club with seven under par, a great bogey-free round.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring female golfers who are just starting to play the game?
For those who are just starting to play golf, it is important to trust yourself and think that with hope and perseverance, anything is possible. Yes, there will be tough times but if you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm. And above all, always be humble at every time, stay humble while winning and keep it up! If you are committed and keep working hard, success will always come. That may take some time, but with a lot of effort it will come eventually and you will really enjoy it.
As part of our mission, we are constantly looking to grow the game of golf around the world. As Agustina is an Argentina native, we asked what she thought can be done to continue growing the game on a global scale. She replied: “First, I think that to expand golf in the world, there has to be more opportunities for people to get to know what golf is really about. What Annika is doing with her Foundation is a big step as she gives the chance for girls from different continents to play and enjoy this beautiful sport. The ANNIKA Invitational Latin America is a great example of this. Second, giving golf more popularity among kids could also grow the game in different regions. Tournaments like the Optimist Championship or the Doral Publix give opportunities to boys and girls from early ages and motivates them to get involved in golf as soon as they can.”
As Agustina mentioned, anything is possible and we hope nothing but the best for her future. Next week, she will join 71 players in one of the strongest fields in girls’ golf to tee it up at the 10th ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex.
Good luck, Agustina, and thank you for being our January featured player!