– It’s Thursday at the HotelPlanner Tour, and for the third consecutive week, we have a protagonist who excels in spectacular first rounds. None other than Sebas García (-5). The Madrid native has started the Italian Challenge Open with a round of five under par, placing him in the top five of the tournament. He is sprinting in search of one of the twenty cards and is getting closer week by week, now ranking 35th.
– What Sebas is doing is very commendable. A bit of context: the Madrid native has competed in 18 of the last 19 weeks. An incredible feat that he acknowledges handling well. The results of the past weeks support this. He went through a very negative streak between February and June, missing 16 cuts in 19 tournaments, between the DP World Tour and the former Challenge. He had a lot of work ahead and started competing like crazy. He is now reaping what he sowed. Two weeks ago, he had a great start but ran out of steam; in Portugal, he managed the pace better and finished fifth, and he hopes to give that final push in Italy.
– The other notable name in the Armada is Albert Boneta (-5). The Catalan has delivered a card identical to Sebas’s. Six birdies and one bogey for a player who is immersed in the battle to get into the Mallorca final (46th). There are hardly any golfers out of some fight at this point in the season. Albert comes from linking a twentieth and a twenty-first consecutive place and seeks to extend in Italy the solidity of the last two weeks.
– The great battle of the week is being faced by Borja Virto (-4) and Luis Masaveu (+1). A tale of two halves at this start. The Navarrese needs to make the cut to not jeopardize the Chinese tour, and the start has been very promising with a round of four under that places him among the top twenty of the event. Things have gone worse for Luis Masaveu, who needs to play the weekend if he at least wants to maintain the HotelPlanner Tour card. Thursday’s 73 strokes place him beyond the 80th position. The cut is just one stroke away, but the Madrid native needs to bring out his best version if he wants to aim for it. Tied with Virto is Victor García Broto (-4), who still had two holes to play when the round had to be suspended due to lack of light.
– Leading the event is Lars Van der Vight (-8). The name might not ring a bell. The young 23-year-old Dutchman is only playing his fourth tournament on the HotelPlanner Tour, but this Thursday he has already left his small mark with an initial round of 64 strokes.
– Among the rest of the Armada, a standout is Rocco Repetto Taylor, who never tires of playing under par and has delivered a card of 69 strokes. Special mention to the club of 70. Five of our players have delivered cards of 70 strokes: Santi Tarrío, Adri Arnaus, Victor Pastor, Jorge Maicas, and the Alps leader, Javi Barcos. One stroke more was played by Quim Vidal (+1), and Lucas Vacarisas and Álvaro Hernández finished at par at Golf Nazionale.
