Jhonattan Vegas is delighted to be back on European soil as he makes his first appearance in a regular European Tour event for almost eight years.
The Venezuelan played in the World Match Play Championship and Singapore Open in 2011 and tees it up at this week's BMW International Open with family ties as well as golf on his mind.
Vegas' wife Hildegard is half German with family based in Munich, so the decision to come to Golfclub München Eichenried was an easy one for the 34-year-old.
"It's been amazing," he said. "I have tons of friends on the European Tour. Guys that we see on a regular basis and some that I haven't seen in a while that it's phenomenal catching up with.
"It's good. I was saying to my wife yesterday, it's good to have a different narrative, fresh air, come in and see the guys, come in seeing a different atmosphere, getting to meet whole different spectrum of people in Europe. So it's been a blast. It's been a blast ever since we got out of the plane.
"My wife is half-German. She has family that live here in Munich. It was a super easy decision for us both. Coming to play golf, that would be a great opportunity for her to see her family and spend time with them, and it was just one of those things that worked out.
"I've always looked forward to playing in other places, winning golf tournaments outside the US, and this is a good opportunity.
"I've won three times on the PGA TOUR already in regular events. The goal is to win Majors, simple as that. Being part of those, playing overseas, playing in other places, having that exposure in other parts of the world and developing your game that way is part of the formula of becoming a better player."
The goal is to win Majors, simple as that - Jhonattan Vegas
As the only Venezuelan in the top 1000 on the Official World Golf Ranking, Vegas is something of a trailblazer and is honoured to fly the flag for a nation where golf is not a big sport.
"I think I've always been extremely lucky and blessed," he said. "I went to play golf and to be able to do it all the way to this level. In Venezuela, it's really a minor sport, it's a sport that is kind of seen as for the super wealthy.
"So not by any means do I come from a wealthy family but I was lucky enough to have a dad that grew up near a golf course, grew up picking up range balls to make a little bit of money and then that love for the game, he passed down to us. We were super lucky to grow up near a nine hole golf course, so obviously picked up the game that way.
"It was always a challenge growing up there, playing golf there, but the love for the game and the passion for it was bigger than any of that and has taken me all the way to here."
