Ortiz brothers make history at 2021 U.S. Open

Giving a new meaning to brotherly competition, Carlos and Alvaro Ortiz will go down in history as the first brothers from Latin America to play in the same edition of the U.S. Open.

Carlos, already winner on the PGA TOUR, automatically qualified to the fifth major of the season by making it to the top 60 in the World Golf Ranking, while Alvaro, a member of the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, earned his spot by finishing 7th in the Final Qualifying stage hosted at Dallas Athletic Club with rounds of 68 and 69.

"It means a lot, it requires a lot of sacrifice, not only for me and my brother, but for my whole family, and it’s really beautiful to have results like these that allow us to play a Major," said Carlos after finishing his round in the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.

They will not be the only siblings to enjoy Torrey Pines. The Italians Francesco and Edoardo Molinari will also be part of the field, probably with more than one anecdote in their repertoire considering that Francesco participated in the historic major on 10 occasions and Edoardo on 4.

Among the most recent tournaments in which Carlos and Alvaro competed is the 2019 Mayakoba Golf Classic, where they finished T2 and T48 respectively. This may not be the first tournament they will share in their professional career, but it is the first time they will represent Mexico together in a major. “All the work that we have done … the process that has been going on since I can remember, since my parents pushed us to play … I feel that it happened in the blink of an eye and suddenly we are here,” explained Alvaro.

There are two unwavering ingredients to their brotherly bond: union and competition. “We like to compete in everything,” Alvaro said during the week of the Masters in 2019, where he qualified after winning the Latin America Amateur Championship. Even the anecdote that he best remembers is the first time he managed to beat his older brother in a round and the weight that that had for his career.

"Beating him that day was like 'OK, I'm ready to chase my dreams.' That was his blessing for me to be able to move on with my professional career, " he commented with a smile and added:" I respect the competition between us a lot. All those years where he has pushed me as a golfer and as a person to pursue my dreams and keep improving … I owe a lot of that to him.”

Being in different stages of their professional careers, it is not surprising that this week they are both focused on their own processes. But the plan will still include practice rounds together and many dinners, considering that the whole Ortiz family will be in San Diego to support them.

“Starting Monday we will probably go get to know the course and play practice rounds together. It is hard to prepare in 3 days, so you try to do everything in your power to feel comfortable,” explained the youngest of the Ortiz brothers.

Although golf is done by the afternoon, the competition continues well into the evening, where a new variant for the whole family begins: board games. Whether it means playing video games, doing puzzles or playing cards, this symbolizes a key part of the day according to Alvaro: “This kind of thing helps you get out of the golf bubble that is already charged with nerves and pressure. Those hours of fun with the family help you stay sane.”

Faced with the possibility of playing together in the final group on Sunday, one would imagine a tense dinner the night before, but the reality could not be further away for Alvaro: “It would be incredible, filled with laughter. I know it would be an incredible night, and without a doubt, one of the best nights of our lives. "

As a long standing tradition, the U.S. Open crowns it’s champion on the third Sunday of June, also known as Father’s Day for many countries. As a father, seeing a son fulfill his dreams is priceless, so the final day will be twice as special for Carlos Ortiz Sr. “Whether we play good or bad, our careers last many years or a few, I think my dad is proud that we never gave up. We chase our dreams and we give it our all. I think that's what my dad appreciates the most about us,” said the young player.

Before starting a historic week with his brother, Alvaro shared one last message for all the younger siblings who pursue the same dreams and seek to achieve the same goals as their older siblings: “Be incredibly stubborn with your dreams. Keep chasing the older one, soon you will have a chance to catch up. Chase your dreams, never stop working and be true to yourself."