Andalucia Masters starters on the Valderrama 10th tee early on Day 1 |
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Andalucia Masters underway at Valderrama - 13th to 16th October 2022
Thursday 08.40 hrs prompt to a beautiful still clear blue sky day the Andalucia Masters began simultaneously on the first and the tenth tee. 126 players in groups of three teeing off in 10 minute intervals until 14.40 hrs.
This is the 51st season of the PGA European Tour which this year has been renamed the DP World tour and comprises 44 tournaments from 25th November 2021 to 20 November 2022.
The Andalucia Masters is a four day stroke play tournament with the cut after the second day.
Top Five at five under
The perfect calm conditions ensured that by noon leader David Horsey, English golfer who has already won four tour events between 2010 and 2015 was leading with four under par by noon. However a double bogey on the seventh knocked him back but steady play and three more birdies meant he finished the first day at five under par along with four other golfers.
Min Woo Lee perhaps the brightest young talent from Australia finished third at last week's Open de España in Madrid. The 24 year old did not take his foot off the gas in his opening round. His 66 included a long-range eagle, five birdies and two bogeys and earned him a share of the lead. “I love this course and I love the vibes here”.
Experienced Dane Søren Kjeldsen finished off his first round with a 188 yard accurate shot to the green to set up a stunning birdie at the 18th, sending his approach to five feet before knocking in the putt.
Barcelona's Pep Angles has been the best positioned Spaniard on the first day. He explained "This course is always more love than hate. In my first tournament as a pro I was co-leader on Sunday (final day) and I was fifth and we messed it up... But whether I play well or badly, it's a course I love, just being here is a pleasure. We could do 20 Tour tournaments here, because I have a great time. Last year I came second last, but I enjoyed it a lot,"
"I don't want to expect anything because I'm not playing well, I have to accept that and everything that comes along is welcome. When the bad luck comes, which it will, we'll have to see if I can accept it and have the same attitude as today. I've just passed two of the last ten cuts, so I'm not dreaming about anything, I'm simply on a great course and in good company. Let's keep it up," he said.
Pablo Larrazábal has put together one of his best performances on a course where he was already the best Spaniard in last year's edition.
"I played very well, very intelligent, which is how you have to do it on this course. I think it was my best round from tee to green. It's difficult to make putts, but I made three birdies in the last six holes, which made me very excited," he explained.
"Valderrama, the more difficult the better. It's a course whose name alone takes a lot of people out of the equation, and I have Raúl in the bag, who knows the course better than I know my house. Here you don't have to hit it long, you have to hit it straight, you don't have to hit it well, you have to miss well to make a few, and that type of golf is more comfortable for me," he says.
"The players don't know how lucky we are to play courses in these conditions and the fact that the members let us close a week before the tournament is something to be thankful for."
Sebas García pointed out. "Last year I learned that bogey was good and that relaxes me, today I had a lot of patience. The first year I came here I was hit all over the place and last year I learned to play it, I was comfortable. It's important to know that bogey is good; better bogey than double bogey".
Jazz Janewattananond joined the five at five under with six birdies and a bogey. Jazz, from Thailand plays on both the Asian and European tours. His nickname comes from his father, an avid fan of jazz music. At the age of 14 years and 71 days old he became the youngest golfer to make the cut on the Asian Tour. Janewattananond took a brief sabbatical from golf at the end of the 2016 European Tour season to join the monkhood, to which he credited the subsequent upturn in his performances on the golf course
“I am really pleased here. Five under par on Valderrama for me it is the top. I played here last year, and course was really difficult for me. I am latterly playing each week trying to chase my (European tour) card.”
Other placings
Adrian Otaegui finished in sixth place thanks to a recital with the irons in his second round for a total of 67 strokes (-4), one behind the leaders. In the top ten of the standings are two other Spaniards: Sebastian Garcia and Pablo Larrazabal, 68 strokes (-3) who have managed to deal intelligently with the tough challenge of Valderrama.
"It was my best result, although not the day I played the best. I like Valderrama because it is very demanding, many times you don't end up with a good taste in your mouth by making par, but par is a good result".
Local favourite Alvaro Quiros gave his fans plenty to shout about on day one, sending his approach at the 17th over the water and to three feet before rolling in the eagle putt. He finished a third of the way down the field one over par.
Robert MacIntyre made a sensational late charge on Thursday afternoon, sandwiching this marvellous up-and-down for par between birdies at the 14th and 16th on his way to finish day at four under with 67.
Other news
There are two brother pairs at this tournament. DP World have pledged to donate £100 per birdie and £500 per eagle registered by the best-performing pair of brothers this week. The donation will be to a charity of the winning partnerships choice. On the first day defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick and his brother Alex each made three birdies, while Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard made six and four birdies respectively.
The Real Federación Andaluza de Golf (Royal Andalucia Golf Federation) have awarded their Medal of Sporting merit to Álvaro Quirós, Miles Tunnicliff, José María Cañizares and Alejandro Cañizares. The awards were actually announced in 2020 but this is the first opportunity the awardees have been together.
The Madrid player Pedro Oriol found himself in a spot in the warm up just before his tournament start. His favourite driver broke; the one that he had used for the last five years. “It was my favourite club, I had never changed it ever, it is not good when this happen five minutes before going out to play. Luckily, Valderrama does not need a lot of drive from the tee, but I still missed it.” Oriol signed off is card at two over par with 73 strokes including four painful bogies.
The average score today was 73.007, just a fraction over two over par.