Columbia’s Mariajo Uribe ended her professional career with an exclamation mark on Saturday at the Paris Olympics, sinking a five-foot, 11-inch putt for eagle on 18 at Le Golf National and posting a T10 finish in her third Olympic appearance.
“I knew it was going to be emotional on 18,” said the 34-year-old Uribe. “The eagle made it even more emotional. But yeah, I’m glad. It’s the perfect way to end my career. I’m never going to forget this.
“I’m so glad I made the decision to finish (my career) here. It’s been such a great week. The crowds have been unbelievable, the most Colombians I have ever had following me. So many flags, and the rules are kind of different this week: People yell, people can chant, so it’s been amazing. I’m really glad I stuck it out for the last year and made this my goal because it’s been unbelievable.”
Uribe, who finished T19 at Rio 2016 and T50 in Tokyo 2020, was in jeopardy of missing out on her third Olympic experience. But she accepted a sponsor invite to compete in the 2024 Women’s NSW Open on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in March and won. The victory cemented her Olympic qualification as well as full status on the Ladies European Tour.
The week at Le Golf National marked a full-circle moment for Uribe, who burst onto the scene 17 years ago this week with her win at age 17 at 2007 U.S. Women’s Amateur, defeating Amanda Blumenherst 1-up. She earned LPGA status in 2010 and posted 14 top-10 finishes over the course of her career.
“Being on Tour for 15 years makes me really proud,” Uribe said. “Seventeen years ago, this week I won the U.S. Women’s Amateur, so I think that it’s the perfect way to end. That’s the way it started. It opened all the doors for me in the U.S., that tournament, and now to finish the Olympics on the same week, 17 years later. There’s just so many moments, but this year has been super special with the win on the LET to qualify and then having such a special week this week.”
Uribe had the support of family on hand this week, although her 3-year-old son Lucca stayed behind. As for what he’ll remember about his mom’s golf career, Uribe feels confident she has shown him exactly what she can do.
“He’s been listening and then he watches on TV and he’s like, ‘Oh, that’s my mom,’ every time he sees me,” she said. “Because the coverage in Spanish, all they say is my name, my name, my name. So, he’s really happy. I am so glad I was able to show him what I can do, and he’s going to remember what I did for a living before being a mum.”
As for what’s next, Uribe promises she won’t be a stranger to the golf scene and has already entertained several offers to do some commentating in the future. Until then, she’s happy to soak in this final chapter.
“Once I hit it close (on 18), I was like, ‘Okay, I can get my (Colombian) flag out,’” she said of her walk up 18. “Cried a little bit on my walk to the green, and then I knew I had a short putt for eagle and calmed myself again. But once it went in, the waterworks started coming down and just seeing all my family, my husband. …
“I know I didn’t win a medal, but it’s been so special that I might as well feel like I did.”
