SOUTHPORT, England — Ahead of the first round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale, 25-year-old amateur Mateo Pulcini walked up to the first tee to a playful warm-up few could have predicted: lighthearted jeers from a small group of British spectators, a playful jab coming just 12 hours after Argentina’s men’s national soccer team pulled off a dramatic 2-1 comeback semifinal victory over England at the World Cup. As the only Argentine competitor in the entire British Open field, Pulcini leaned into the playful tension, and hours later he delivered a lighthearted, viral response that has captured golf fans’ attention across the globe.
After sinking a 40-foot putt for a birdie on the 18th green to close out his opening round, Pulcini pulled off a gesture instantly recognizable to soccer fans around the world: he cupped both hands behind his ears, replicating the iconic celebration that Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez used after scoring the 85th-minute equalizing goal that turned Wednesday’s match around. The gesture was an explicit nod to his countrymen’s historic win, and Pulcini later confirmed the spontaneous celebration was a split-second decision driven by excitement.
“I was pretty excited and that came to my mind, and I did it,” the 25-year-old told reporters after his round. Pulcini was quick to clarify that the early boos he received were all in good fun, emphasizing that the gallery at Royal Birkdale had been overwhelmingly welcoming throughout his opening round. “There were only a few boos [on the first tee] and that was just a bit of fun,” he said. “People are being great. Fans are being spectacular. They were cheering for me as well.”
When asked to compare the thrill of his long birdie putt to the rush of watching Fernandez’s game-changing goal, Pulcini did not hesitate to pick the soccer moment. “Enzo’s goal, for sure,” he said.
The 2023 British Open marks Pulcini’s major championship debut. He earned his spot in the field by winning the Latin American Amateur Championship in a playoff held in Peru earlier this year. He closed out his first opening round at the iconic links course with a 5-over par 75.