The first round of the Dimension Data Pro Am is already history. Wind and rain were almost as prominent as the nine under par that Bryce Easton has scored to lead the tournament after the first 18 holes. He took advantage of playing in Outeniqua, the ‘easiest’ course and in the shift with the best weather. You have to know how to take advantage of circumstances and he has done it perfectly.
As happens with tournaments that are played on three different courses, it is difficult to take charge of the real situation of the table. One thing is clear. As we advanced yesterday, Outeniqua is the most affordable course of the tournament and by far. So much so that in the top 14 of the tournament we only find one player who has not done the aforementioned course. The reasons are two: much shorter course and that in adverse atmospheric conditions like today the other two courses get even more complicated. The conclusion is simple, those who have played today in Outeniqua, especially in the morning shift, lead the table with solvency.
Let’s start with this course. As said, 13 of the first 14 have played there, including the aforementioned leader and with a stellar Víctor Pastor who is third in the classification after winning six strokes to the most ‘affordable’ course of the tournament. Six under par is always a good round. In addition, Pastor has played in an afternoon shift in which the conditions have been much more intense than in the morning, in fact there have been moments when they have had to practically stop because it was impossible to play. Even so, the Cordovan has known how to squeeze the course with a great bogey-free round. The Spaniard is third and continues with the great form he showed last week. He came to stay. However, tomorrow he faces The Links. Hold on, curves are coming.
For his part, Javi Sainz has not been able to take advantage of the round on this course and leaves at par after the first day. He will need to tighten up in the next two rounds. Among the best results of the day also stands out the minus seven of Benjamin Herbert. The defending champion, Oliver Bekker, has started on this course with a total of five under par.
Let’s talk about what happened in The Links. From South Africa yesterday they warned us that it is a course that with good weather offers opportunities, but as the wind rises it is a course that gets very complicated. Boy, has it done. Wind and rain have accompanied all day and only! seven players have managed to play under par. The best player on this course has been Benjamin Follet-Smith, with minus three on the day. Six strokes from the head and we can say that he is one of the clear winners of the day. Of the 26 tail players on the table, 19 have played here. A real slaughter.
Among the few players who have played under par on this course we find Quim Vidal who has delivered a card of 71 strokes: “It has been a very difficult day, very gusty wind and rain. I have had a lot of patience, putting it into play all the time was fundamental and I knew I had to be very fine in the approaches and in the long putts. Very happy with the day”. Quim is in 53rd place but if he is able to take advantage of tomorrow in Montagu he can gain many positions. The reality is that even worse conditions are expected tomorrow than today. We will see what happens in the end. The Catalan will play the third round in Outeniqua the day that better conditions are expected. Joel Moscatel has succumbed to the claws of the field with seven strokes over par.
In the third field, Montagu, only one Spaniard has played today, Lucas Vacarisas (+1). It has been the intermediate field of the day. Neither the slaughter of the Links nor the great cards of Outeniqua. The Spaniard has played it one stroke below the average of his field, but still with many possibilities to continue gaining positions in the table in the next two days.
