How an Argentine amateur won over the English crowd at Royal Birkdale with one iconic celebration

How the English crowd reacted

The English crowd leaned into the football rivalry from the very first tee. Pulcini was playfully jeered by some spectators when he teed off, a response to the prior night's result . The atmosphere was described as good-natured banter rather than hostility. Pulcini himself took the ribbing in stride, and the ear-cup celebration on 18 was his witty retort . By the time he walked off the green, many in the gallery were cheering along with him.

What Pulcini said about the atmosphere and his preferred celebration

Pulcini said he actually preferred the celebration of Julián Álvarez in that same match over Enzo Fernández's ear-cup gesture. However, he noted that he had "more energy" after the birdie putt to do the Enzo version. Speaking afterward, he called the atmosphere at Royal Birkdale "unbelievable" and said the support he received from the galleries — including English fans — was "10 out of 10." He added that he felt right at home playing in front of such a vocal crowd .

"I wasn't going to put football with golf, but then I made a 40-footer so I got excited," Pulcini told reporters .

His performance in his Open debut

Pulcini, the 25-year-old graduate of Oklahoma Christian University (Class of '23) who later played a season at Arkansas, qualified for the Open by winning the 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship in January . In his first Open round:

• Score: 5-over 75 (five bogeys, one double bogey, one birdie)
• He was near the bottom of the leaderboard, but described his debut as an unforgettable experience.

Pulcini's victory at the Latin America Amateur also earned him spots in the 2026 Masters and the U.S. Open, making this a three-major season for the Argentine amateur . At the time of his win, he was the oldest champion in the 11-year history of the Latin America Amateur Championship and the third Argentine to win the event .

The bigger picture

Pulcini's celebration was one of the most-talked-about moments of the opening round at Royal Birkdale — a rare crossover of football and golf fandom that played out in front of a knowing English audience. For a brief moment, a 25-year-old amateur near the bottom of the leaderboard became the story of the day.