Athlete of the Week: Juan Luis De Bethencourt Duque

Juan Luis de Bethencourt Duque is a civil engineering senior from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, and a golfer for the UTRGV Men’s Golf Team. He was recently crowned champion of the Monterrey Collegiate Classic on Oct. 26, posting a three-round score of 203 and setting a program record. He was given Southland Conference Golfer of the Month honors for his efforts.

Q: What is a fun fact about yourself?

A: “I am an outgoing person.”

Q: Who or what got you started in golf?

A: “My father got me started in golf. I started when I was 4 years old and he stuck with me as the competition got harder and harder.”

Q: Who’s been your biggest inspiration or role model?

A: “My father–he’s been with me through this. And also Rafael Cabrera-Bello. He’s a golfer from my hometown who was in the PGA Tour. … His coach, when he started, was [also] my coach .”

Q: Who’s your favorite golf player?

A: “Jon Rahm. He’s a Spanish golfer and he’s pretty good. But I’m pretty open to favorites depending on their skills.”

Q:What practice drills help you the most?

A: “I like to look at the course ahead of a tournament because every course is different. Some are wider, some are narrower. But knowing and studying the course ahead of time helps me out.”

Q: What kind of music do you listen to?

A: “I’m pretty open to all kinds of music. I listen to rap in the gym or in practice and country on the course. But I also love Spanish music.”

Q: Which shows or movies do you like to watch?

A: “I’m more of a shows guy than a movies guy. My favorite show right now is ‘Peaky Blinders.’”

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: “Getting together with my friends and the people that I care about, having dinners and hanging out with the team. I also like working out.”

Q: What is your biggest motivation?

A: “To be better than I was before.”

Q: What do you like the most about UTRGV?

A: “The people, the family, the environment–how everyone’s super close and super friendly.”

Q: What are your biggest goals?

A: “Depends on which half. I would say in golf, keep getting better [because] I want to be the best player possible. And then, of course, academics, I want to graduate with my civil engineering degree.”

–Compiled by Ali Halloum