Willy Pumarol, the number 1 male golfer in the Dominican Republic.
Showcasing the Dominican Republic's most internationally renowned personalities at Larimar City & Resort is one of our missions to demonstrate to the world why this country is so special. That's why today we're with the country's most successful male golfer in the history of the sport in the Dominican Republic; something that, far from pressuring Willy, motivates him to continue paving the way in this country.
A country that, 105 years ago, was introduced to golf by Americans. Perhaps that's why, at 17, our beloved Willy returned to Florida to become a professional player, a game he had played with his father since he was a baby—literally. We asked him about his earliest memories of golf, and they always involve the course with his father and uncle: excellent role models for developing a love for a sport; family.
Human quality
We must highlight the remarkable warmth, friendliness, and warmth with which he greeted us during one of his tournaments in Punta Cana. He made time in his schedule so we could conduct this interview, which he was clearly excited about. He proudly showed us photos of his baby; his eyes lit up when he shared them, and he spoke about his family, his wife, his grandmother, and his friends. It's surprising that someone with such visibility, fame, and relative inaccessibility as a professional and Olympic athlete has such simplicity and human warmth as his most defining characteristics, and it speaks volumes about who he is. We wanted to begin with this more personal side, something not always visible, but always appreciated.
Athlete CRESO
He is a CRESO athlete, supported by countless companies across the country to develop his Olympic career. And when we ask him about his ambition to win more titles, he tells us with absolute clarity that his goal is to win a medal at the various Games, including the 2026 Central American Games, the 2027 Lima Games, and the 2028 Los Angeles Games. As you can see, it's a challenge that, firstly, doesn't scare him, and secondly, he has already planned how to achieve it.
Professional Golf Player
We asked him about his journey to becoming a professional player, and he spoke about several figures who significantly influenced his transformation. He talked about the process, about how the only way to win is by "burning your bridges." He explained how visualizing the process day by day, week by week, month by month allows you to reach your five-year goal. But he also spoke about teamwork, in one of the most solitary sports. It's a mental game, a game of silence, of solitude for four or five hours on the field, which only works if you're surrounded by a team of ten that elevates you to another level.
Different nationalities, techniques, categories, and diverse professional backgrounds make this player a persevering, ambitious, strong, and passionate individual, driven by a thirst for victory, yet possessing a disarming smile and an exceptionally approachable nature. He is a true ambassador for his country: his warmth and kindness overflow when he speaks of his homeland. Its people, its climate, and his home have shaped his life, and he embodies it perfectly with that characteristic Dominican warmth.
We asked him about iconic moments. He spoke of magical golf courses, those nestled at the foot of a volcano, and the most beautiful Italian landscapes he knows. But without a doubt, what changed his perspective on his career was his grandmother, Socorro Castellanos. She told him, “My boy, you have to change; you can’t miss out on the best part of your career.” Traveling the world for more than 35 weeks a year, with nearly 74 flights this year alone, he needed to be able to “live.” That is, to enjoy life off the course so he could be truly alive when he stepped onto it. It was his grandmother who told him to experience every culture, every cuisine, every people, and he says that day changed his life. Thanks to her (now in heaven), he has friends in every country, culture, and favorite restaurants wherever he goes. He could start a food blog. However, if we talk about the more distant future, he speaks generously of offering those who did not have and do not have the same opportunities to become great international players like him, to use his legacy to encourage the launch of new Dominican golf players who, like him, will reach the top.
We don't know if he'll ever retire as a professional player, as he's passionate about the sport. What we do know is that he'll never stop putting his heart into what he loves most: golf. Whatever his ranking in the world, we know he'll always be that great guy we'd all want as our best friend.
Thank you, Willy, for showing yourself as you are, for letting us show you to the world as the top Dominican in one of the most beautiful sports there is: golf.
Macarena Perona
Communication
LARIMAR CITY