Sebastián García Rodríguez (-7) is the first leader of the Abu Dhabi Challenge, a tournament on the HotelPlanner Tour held at the Al Ain Equestrian course in the United Arab Emirates. The Madrid golfer has delivered an exceptional card of 63 strokes, with five birdies, an eagle, and no errors. He is first alone with a one-stroke lead over Freddy Schott, Victor Sidal, Robin Sciot Siegrist, and Albert Boneta.
Sebas has crafted a magnificent round of golf from start to finish, just what he had been seeking for some time. He has had many moments of very good golf during rounds recently, but he was struggling to maintain the same level from hole 1 to 18. Today he nailed it. He started full throttle, with a birdie on the 1st hole and an eagle on the 4th, a short par 4 of less than 300 metres where you can aim for the green. He hit a spectacular hybrid and holed an extraordinary putt of about nine metres. Shortly after, he linked a magnificent streak of three consecutive birdies on holes 8, 9, and 10, the monster of more than 600 metres playing from the back and which cannot be reached in two by any means. He finished the job with another great birdie on the 16th hole.
It is the lowest card for the Madrid golfer since the 62 he delivered in the first round of the Acciona Open de España in 2021, back in October at the Club de Campo Villa Madrid, the week Rafa Cabrera Bello claimed victory in the playoff against Adri Arnaus. Finally, the pieces have come together as they should, and the goal now is to maintain this in the coming days. Everything depended on completing a good round from start to finish. Now it’s time to link two consecutive days, three, and finish by closing a fantastic complete week.
The start of the year for the golfer from El Robledal in the HotelPlanner Tour had not exactly been fireworks. In fact, last week he made the cut in the UAE Challenge to break a streak of six consecutive missed cuts. This round, undoubtedly, is a weight off his shoulders, a demonstration that the tons of golf he carries are still there.
Great start also for Albert Boneta (-6). The Barcelona player has positioned himself in second place with only one bogey on his card and seven birdies. He once again demonstrates the enormous ease he has for scoring in a round of golf. The Spaniards Quim Vidal (-2), Borja Virto (-1), and Adri Arnaus (-1) have also started under par. All of them are very well positioned, with more than enough margin to assault the top positions in the coming days.
Right on the cut line is Víctor Pastor (PAR), while Joseba Torres (+1), Lucas Vacarisas (+1), Santi Tarrio (+2), and Javier Barcos (+6) already need a very good round this Friday to make the cut in this second tournament of the mini-tour of the DP World Tour satellite circuit in the United Arab Emirates.
