The Open star who learned to play golf with a broom handle can’t go back to his homeland over threats to his life

JHONATTAN VEGAS revealed “it is not safe for me and my family” to go back to his homeland… because of the country’s dictator.

Vegas, 40, was born in Venezuela where he learnt to play golf with a broom handle.

Jhonattan Vegas cannot return to his homeland of VenezuelaGetty

But when his father Carlos signed a petition against former president Hugo Chavez, who incidentally hated golf, the Vegas family faced persecution.

And with the help of two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, Jhonattan made his escape to the USA in 2002 when he turned 18.

Now, with Nicolas Maduro running Venezuela since Chavez’s death in 2013, the country has been deemed guilty of systematic attacks on objectors by Amnesty International, with some “disappearing”.

So as much as Vegas wants his kids, nine and six, to see where he grew up in Maturin, he realises it is not worth the risk of kidnapping – or worse.

The world No55 told The Times ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush: “I had to get on a bus and ride ten hours to get to Caracas for my appointment.

“I think I’m the only person in Venezuela to get a visa in 24 hours, and part of it was down to the connection between Ben Crenshaw and President George W Bush.

“It’s not safe politically, and not safe for me and my family.

“The country is run by a dictator government and I just read a case of an actor getting his passport cancelled and not being able to leave the country.

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“Even though it’s my country and I love it more than anything in the world, it’s just a risk I’m not willing to take.

“My immediate family is in the US with me. A couple of things happened where their life was threatened.

“We just made a decision that it was time to leave everything behind because being safe is more important than all the material stuff.

“I’m not an activist but I’ve always been very outspoken and clear that what’s happening is not right for people.”

Vegas now lives in Houston, Texas.

But Donald Trump has cracked down on Venezuelans travelling to the US as part of his new travel restrictions and immigration policies.

Vegas added: “I just feel sad for all those people who came into the US with a dream to succeed in life, like I did, and have everything taken away in the blink of an eye just because the president decided to go after them for no reason.

“The US is a country that was built by immigrants. I was welcomed and I’m thankful.

“I know there has to be order but at the same time, create a path for people who want to make the US better.

“That’s why I haven’t agreed with what the president has done.

“Immigrants don’t deserve that type of treatment anywhere in the world.”

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