Maybe it’s his lean 5-7, 150 pound frame or a hard earned rise to success as an underdog professional golfer. Then again, perhaps folks are impressed with the taste of his new tequila label. For whatever reason, Abraham Ancer has become the subject of curious enthusiasm among Hispanics not accustomed to following a sport that is culturally foreign to them.
Ancer, who recently turned 30, was born in McAllen, Texas but grew up across the border in Reynosa where golf takes a backseat to baseball, futbol and just about everything else. That didn’t matter to Ancer’s father Abraham Sr., a regular at the local country club who had his son swinging cutdown clubs shortly after he learned how to walk.
“My dad has pictures of me hitting the ball while I was still in diapers,” laughs Abraham.
When he was 15, Ancer moved to Mission, Texas with his mother and sister to attend high school there in the hope that he would get more exposure as a college recruit. When that didn’t materialize, Abraham had to prove himself worthy at Odessa Junior College before moving on to the University of Oklahoma. Upon turning pro after graduation in 2013, Ancer quickly earned his qualifying card and was a phenom on the Korn Ferry Tour, almost immediately making the jump to join the big boys and compete in PGA events. But Abraham found himself almost overwhelmed by the experience, and had to hit the reset button.
“I’d get on the range before tournaments and watch guys hit the ball higher and further than I could,” Ancer recalls. “I tried to change my game and mess around with different equipment, and it messed me up.”
Abraham went back to Korn Ferry tourneys and regained his confidence. While his long game is adequate, Ancer’s strength has always been his iron play and superiority around the greens. He’s a self made player who has never had a swing coach or outside instruction. It was just a matter of getting his head screwed on straight and work on mental toughness.
Ancer has yet to have that breakthrough victory on the PGA tour, although he did win the Australian Open in 2018. But since the tour resumed during COVID in 2020, Abraham has had several top 10 finishes and is currently ranked 19th on the circuit. To date, he has earned about $10 million in prize money, not including $890,000 the slender Tex-Mex raked in on May 9th as the runner-up at the Wells Fargo event in North Carolina. He is also the only Mexican to ever play on the international team in the President’s Cup, winning three out of four matches. Along the way, Abraham frequently thinks of his father, who passed away in 2014 after a massive heart attack.
“He’s the reason why I’m where I am today,” reflects Ancer, who now resides in San Antonio. “I know he would be proud of me.”
Ancer is not the flamboyant, “hot dog” type player like many guys on the tour who seek media attention. He’s more of a grinder who remains incredibly focused, almost stoic, during each round. That’s why Abraham is amazed at the huge following he has on social media, especially Mexicans who have become intrigued with the sport.
“All the support I’ve received from texts and on Instagram has been insane,” says Abraham. “People are so happy that I’ve put Mexico on the world golf map.”
Because his approach to the game can be mentally draining, Ancer values his free time and side businesses that refresh his mind. Abraham’s home is a majestic three story structure that includes a putting green in the backyard and a clubhouse-type lounge inside. That’s where he entertains guests as a bartender with generous pours of his second love…tequila. Not just any tequila, but his own brand called Flecha Azul. Ancer teamed up with Mexican businessman Aron Marquez to launch the brand in 2018, and he frequently flies down to the distillery in Jalisco to take a hands on approach to the production process. Abraham also manufactures his own clothing line, Black Quail Apparel, and like his father, has become quite the entrepreneur.
“If I only focused on golf, it would drive me insane,” admits Ancer. “My other businesses break things up and allow me to focus on whatever I’m doing at the moment.”
That being said, Abraham Ancer is smart enough to know that golf needs to be his number one priority. The road has been long and sometimes bumpy, but the rewards have been lucrative. And with many goals yet to be accomplished, his career in reality is only just beginning.
