Madrid golfer Eugenio Chacarra and Malaga-born Ángel Ayora made Jon Rahm’s loss forgotten at the start of the Spanish Open this Thursday, a strong start for the ‘Armada’ in the DP World Tour event held at the Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
Among the many stars of this 98th edition of the tournament, Spanish golf began shining with Chacarra (-5) and Ayora (-4), as well as Manuel Elvira (-2), with the first day still to come. The morning session already showed the best line-up in memory and the great moment of Spanish golf, despite the absence of Jon Rahm due to the birth of his fourth child.
Chacarra and Ayora responded, in two games one after the other with part of that luxury cast as well, accompanied by Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Ludvig Aberg and Patrick Reed. The man from Madrid, victim of a domestic accident a week ago, plays with a broken toe and, even so, he raised the biggest ovations and cheers for a -5 lap that took him to the provisional lead.
Chacarra demonstrated his great form this season, aspiring to win the Race to Dubai after his two victories in the summer, but he acknowledged that his presence this Friday is in doubt. “They have been 12 very hard holes. I have made the effort to play because it is the Spanish Open. It hurts every time I put my foot down. I am playing a lot this season,” he told the media.
It cost much more for Lowry (-1) and Reed (+2), who were with him. The Madrid native is undoubtedly plugged in, even lame, because the capital’s Country Club did not make it easy, forcing a good game from the tee. Going well allowed Ayora to be on top and not get into too many problems with the rough, with her aim well tuned to reach some greens that were wet due to the rains.
The man from Malaga, who was already in the fight last year, warmed up with ‘eagles’ and finished strong for that -4. “I don’t remember the last time I made two ‘eagles’ in the same round. If I’m good from the tee the round will be good. Especially on this course, there are many trees, the rough is very high,” said Ayora who takes advantage of being at home without setting a limit.
“The feeling of having a lot of people supporting you is unique, you only feel it in this tournament,” added the 22-year-old golfer. On the other hand, the Swede Aberg finished in par and the Englishman Hatton, another favorite, went crazy with a +5 that left evidence of his temperament, and also that the Madrid course is not giving anything away.
For his part, Manuel Elvira also closed the morning in the ‘Top 10’ with 69 strokes, leaving behind with quality the drama of two weeks ago in Wentworth, where he missed the victory of his life in the BMW PGA Championship, with a ‘double-bogey’ on the last hole.