After exchanging a few words he told me that we might gather with a player named Erica Blasberg and that I was going to interview her a couple of days before the third edition of the MasterCard Classic took place.
So, the LPGA confirmed the date, it would be March 12th at 8 am. at the Fiesta Americana hotel, which hosted the event.
The day was here, Erica came out the elevator with a huge suitcase full with clothes and shoes and was looking for the people she was supposed to meet with; behind her was her dad who caddied for her back in the day.
I remember she asked me how we were going to do it, so I explained it step by step and, while she was in the make up area I interviewed her. Even when I had already spoken to another LPGA player, Lorena Ochoa, it was all improvised; I had never done something like this, so it was my first formal shooting.
Erica told me she lived in Las Vegas, that she loved shows and that she hung out with her friends in the most famous casinos of the Strip; still her priority was her family, even when she was passionate about the game she played.
I must confess that I was very nervous, but EB's great sense of humor and warmness calmed me down. Without noticing we were already talking about music, shows, PGA players and her impressions about Mexico. Between shoots she recommended me a band, The Fray, and asked me to add her as a friend on Facebook.
From time to time I ran into her in some of the LPGA tournaments that took place in Mexico and we used to chitchat. At the 2008 Corona Championship I walked, for the very first and only time, the 18th holes of the daring Tres Marías Course and at the end, she came by and thanked me for the feat; she also said I needed to listen to Jason Mraz, who, by the way, I have already seen live.
A year later, when I gave her some copies of the magazine where her interview appeared, she took one of her mags and signed it for me; with a big smile and a hug she thanked me for working so hard in her feature.The last time I talked to her was May 1st. 2010, at the Tres Marías Championship; I was getting into the clubhouse, while she was leaving; she turn around, we saw each other and start talking. she said she was great and that the course was in good shape; she even asked for my Publishing Coordinator and then we just said bye.
With only 25 years old, she was one of those players who stop to sign a cap or just to thank her fans. she was, without a doubt, a golfer with lots of potential and only needed a little push to become a LPGA star. I'll always remember those short, but very significant talks we had over the last couple of years, which gave me new musical favorites and the satisfaction to have met a superb human being.
Rest in peace Erica Blasberg.
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