Carlos Franco
Can you think of any professional golfer who plays without warming up? It’s reported that Carlos Franco does just that and still manages to win. Growing up in a family of nine, Franco lived in a “one-room, dirt-floor home” while his father worked as a greens superintendent and caddie in their native Asunción. Despite having clubs carved of woods and not being allowed to play at the clubs, he defied odds becoming a scratch golfer at 17. The now 48-year-old turned pro at 21 and won the PGA Rookie of the year in 1999. Not only was Franco appointed Minister of Sports by the Paraguayan government; he even has his own golf club in Asunción for aspiring and longtime players.
Chilavert – © ANDRES CRISTALDO/epa/Corbis
Carlos Franco – © Chris Trotman/NewSport/Corbis