Argentinian amateur golfer Mateo Pulcini channeled a World Cup-winning celebration after sinking a 40-foot putt on the 18th hole during the first round of The Open. Pulcini emulated Enzo Fernandez's gesture, cupping his ears to the crowd, a move Fernandez made after scoring a crucial equalizer in Argentina's World Cup semi-final win against England.
The incident occurred just hours after England's national football team was eliminated from their current tournament. Pulcini, the sole Argentinian competitor at Royal Birkdale, sank the long putt for a birdie, which elicited cheers from the grandstand despite his provocative celebration.
"They haven’t quite worked out where he’s from," a commentator observed regarding the crowd's reaction. Pulcini acknowledged some initial jeers on the first tee but noted the crowd was largely supportive. "I was expecting a few boos on the 1st tee, and they came, some of them," Pulcini said. "There were almost none, but I love that, I really don't mind. It's part of the fun."
Pulcini described his opening round as dismal, finishing five-over par. "My score wasn't good at all. I wasn't having a good day, but this on 18 make it a little bit better," he stated. He explained that the celebration was spontaneous, stemming from his excitement after making the challenging putt, and not an intentional taunt related to England's football performance.
When asked about the better feeling, his putt or Argentina's football victory, Pulcini unequivocally chose the goals scored by Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez. "Enzo and Lautauro’s goals, for sure," he said. Pulcini, who wore an Argentina flag on his cap, had watched the football match while enjoying an Argentinian barbecue, an 'asado'. He followed the game closely, noting England's initial strong performance followed by a defensive strategy that ultimately proved insufficient.
"I didn't miss a single second of it," Pulcini said. "It was a great game. At the beginning it was like England was having a good game. And then once England made the goal, they bucked up, like Argentina was doing the same thing last match. They scored goal, and then they started defending, but you cannot defend against Messi."
