Say What? Q&A with boxing great Oscar De La Hoya

text size

Enrique Berardi

Oscar De La Hoya participated in the Cap Cana Championship pro-am, where he was paired with Donnie Hammond.

World-class boxer and avid golfer Oscar De La Hoya was in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday to tee it up in the Cap Cana Championship pro-am, where he played with Donnie Hammond. Maureen Callaghan sat down with the Olympic gold medalist for a few minutes after his round to learn more about his passion for golf:

PGATOUR.COM: Have you played in any other pro-ams or celebrity golf events?

DE LA HOYA: I played in the Puerto Rico Open pro-am two weeks ago with Jerry Kelly. Now that I'm retired from boxing, I want to play more golf and more pro-ams. I'm getting ready for a celebrity tournament (American Century Championship) in Lake Tahoe this July and my goal is to win. I also host a charity tournament each year in June that benefits the Oscar De La Hoya Cancer Center in Los Angeles. The funds also help us build schools and provide scholarships to underprivileged kids in the community.

PGATOUR.COM: How often do you play?

DE LA HOYA: I am so busy these days with my company (Golden Boy Productions), but if I can play three times a month then I'm a happy camper.

PGATOUR.COM: Who introduced you to the game?

DE LA HOYA: My older brother, Joe, introduced me to the game of golf just as he did with boxing. I owe him a lot.

PGATOUR.COM: Do you have a home course?

DE LA HOYA: Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico, it's an amazing Robert Trent Jones Jr. design right on the ocean.

PGATOUR.COM: What is your handicap?

DE LA HOYA: Right now it's an 8. Slowly, but surely it's coming down as I get to play more. Hopefully someday I'll get it down to that 1 or 2 I want so badly.

PGATOUR.COM: Career best score?

DE LA HOYA: 69, in my own tournament at Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank, Calif.

PGATOUR.COM: Dream foursome (past or present)?

DE LA HOYA: Tiger Woods, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus

PGATOUR.COM: Golf and boxing are obviously very different, but can you draw any parallel between the two?

DE LA HOYA: With golf, when you hit the ball solid on a perfect drive it feels effortless. It's the same as throwing a knockout punch in boxing, it just happens naturally. It's almost as if you're not even trying.