The three-time champion knows the way. Jon Rahm ended the first day of the Spanish Open this Thursday at the Villa de Madrid Country Club as the leader. The winner in three of the last four editions of the national championship (2018, 2019 and 2022) has already delivered a card of 67 strokes, four under par, four behind the leader, the Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, three behind the Dutchman Wil Besseling One of the greats Surprise of the round was Víctor García Broto, a 26-year-old from Barcelona, who scored a 66 after qualifying for the event in front of the National Center. García Broto, who is dating Eduardo de la Riva and has a better track record than him, made four birdies as a caddie between the 13th and 16th, but a double bogey on the 17th marred a wonderful round of golf.
Broto doesn’t remember playing in front of “more than 40 people” before, and this Thursday there were thousands who came to the country club for the holiday. Above all due to the appeal of Jon Rahm, in the focus of all fans. Hence the small security agency that shields the Basque golfer, inside and outside the ropes, with every step he takes on the course.
Víctor García Broto, this Thursday at the Spanish Open. ALVARO DIAZ (ACCIONA OPEN DE ESPAÑA 2023)
Rahm effortlessly connected pair after pair at the start of a round that began on the 10th hole. At the first four stops he had the opportunity to make birdie, and at the four he was able to get away due to some small discrepancies in the putting. He chased down the first on the par-5 14th, where he even vied for eagle, and added another birdie on the 15th with a dart to the flag. The play from tee to green and across the fairway was excellent, but he had to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. So he left the putt to lose another shot on the 17th, and on the 18th a draw undid him in the day’s only bogey. The defending champion finished the first nine holes at -1, a worse result than a game without cracks would have deserved.
This year’s Augusta Masters and Ryder Cup winner showed his character when he sent his second shot into the bunker on the par-5 4th, but he escaped the trap and a converted long putt returned his smile. He improved even further with another birdie on the 6th, fueled by a great drive early on, and another mandatory birdie on the par 5 7th hole. The finishing touch was an artist shot on the 8th hole from the edge of the green in a forced position to send the ball onto a slight bump and touch the bingo. The fan surrendered to the genius.
“The results are very good, it was a great day of golf. It’s a shame that the putts didn’t go in at the beginning. I played very well, very comfortable. If I can play like that from tee to green, I have good opportunities. “It’s a field in which I will be at the top if I hit the drive well,” said Rahm, analyzing his debut, which he presented to the numerous spectators. “I didn’t expect so many people to come. It’s an honor to play in front of this crowd and to come see me on a day like this. Every year there are more children… The fact that they have the dream of becoming golfers is incredible. One of my goals is for golf to be at a higher level than when I started,” concluded Rahm.
Results of the first day of the Acciona Open of Spain.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.