Argentina’s Mateo Pulcini laughed off the jibes and then celebrated like Enzo Fernandez after finishing his first round at the Open with a 40-foot birdie putt.
The only Argentinian in the field at Royal Birkdale received a few light-hearted boos before teeing off the morning after his country beat England in the semi-finals of football’s World Cup.
Pulcini took the ribbing in the spirit it was intended but turned the joke back on the crowd when he rolled in from distance at the 18th to sign for a five-over-par 75 with a birdie.
The 25-year-old amateur, making his Open debut, cupped both hands to his ears as Argentina midfielder Fernandez did after netting his late equaliser against England in their 2-1 win in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Pulcini said he “didn’t miss a single second” of the game and the Fernandez celebration instantly came to mind when he saw his ball drop into the hole.
He said: “I didn’t want to do anything to make fun of the match that you guys lost because the tournament here has been unbelievable.
“That celebration came from a 40-foot putt. I was pretty excited, and that came to my mind, and I did it.
“I was expecting a few boos on the first tee, and they came, some of them, but there were almost none.
“I love it. I really don’t mind. It’s part of the fun.
“People were being great. The fans are spectacular. They were cheering for me as well.
“The score wasn’t good at all, I wasn’t having a good day, but this on 18 made it a little bit better.”
Meanwhile, as Pulcini basked in the glow of Argentina’s success, there was further woe for England as one of the country’s anticipated leading challengers, Justin Rose, failed to fire.
The veteran, back at the course where he made his name as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998, toiled on his way to a round of 75 that featured eight bogeys.
Matthew Jordan was another Englishman to struggle, shooting a seven-over-par 77.
Tommy Fleetwood revealed he spent the eve of his home Open trying to console his son after England’s defeat, before admitting he felt unusually nervous before his one-under-par 69.
The Southport favourite said watching football had provided a welcome distraction, but confessed the occasion still got to him.
“I was watching the football,” he said. “I was trying to console my son.
“The football was great to have as something else to think about and watch that.
“But I was pretty nervous, to be honest, on the first tee. First tees don’t bother me that much, but I was nervous today just with the excitement.”
Jon Rahm hopes he will be too busy celebrating victory to watch his country Spain take on Argentina in Sunday’s final.
The Basque, who opened with a 69, said: “Hopefully I’m teeing off late and I miss it! Hopefully I’m celebrating and I don’t get to watch the game at all.”
