Carlos Alcaraz’s golf game takes major leap with impressive handicap update

Before the US Open, Alcaraz had said his handicap was around 14. “My handicap right now is 14. It’s getting down, but it takes time. I mean, for me it’s a privilege to have time to play some golf, to be honest,” he stated.

But things have moved along even quicker than he expected. Just a month later, while at the Spanish Open, Alcaraz shared that his handicap has already dropped to 11.2 – quite an impressive jump in such a short span.

The Spaniard has spent much more time around the game in 2025. He played with Andy Murray before Wimbledon and has since spent more time with Rahm and Lowry, fresh off their Ryder Cup win just two weeks prior.

The list of tennis players who have taken up golf continues to grow by the year. Murray is working towards becoming a scratch golfer and took part in the Dunhill Links Championship last week, while Rafael Nadal played Augusta National not long after Rory McIlroy won the Masters.

Alcaraz started playing at 17 years old, which gives him an early jump on both legends, putting him in good shape to eventually surpass them as well.

Carlos Alcaraz’s scorecard from four holes at the Spanish Open pro-am

Despite a rough start, Alcaraz managed to steady himself during the pro-am. He opened with back-to-back double bogeys, but quickly found his rhythm after that.

He three-putted his way to a six on the first, then another six followed on the second after he struggled to escape the thick rough.

But things turned around with a birdie on the par-3 third, thanks to a long putt, and then he hit a solid drive on the fourth hole for a straightforward par.

Alcaraz ended up shooting an 18 over four holes in Madrid, with Lowry looking on from his group.

Considering how it started, he did well to keep it together and finish strong!