Clement Charmasson (-15) has seized the lead on the “moving day” of the Challenge de España taking place at Fontanals Golf, and with a round of 66 strokes, he has positioned himself in first place alone with 15 strokes under par with only one round left to decide the winner of the 26th edition of one of the most emblematic tournaments of the Hotel Planner Tour, where he will face resistance from Luis Masaveu and Joseba Torres, who are going all out.
Coming from the ProGolf Tour, the Frenchman Charmasson has shown he is eager to make his mark on the circuit. His performance today was a lesson in control and determination with the confidence of being accompanied by friends and family who have come to support him in what could be his first professional victory. Thus, today he presented a card with 6 birdies and a bogey to place himself as the sole leader with minus 15. “The start was very good and that helps, I managed to maintain the rhythm throughout the round. The key was the shots from the tee, the rough is tricky so it was important to place the ball well to avoid problems. I have family and friends accompanying me, and my best friend on the bag, I am enjoying it a lot. I know there are many very good players and a lot of golf still to play, anything can happen.”
Hot on his heels is the Scotsman Euan Walker (-14), a player with pedigree on the Hotel Planner Tour, where he has already won two tournaments. Walker has played with the patience and solidity that characterize him, repeating a round of 67 strokes and tomorrow he will fight for a new victory.
However, the Spaniards are ready to battle in this Challenge de España and it is the Madrilenian Luis Masaveu and the Donostian Joseba Torres who are best positioned, in 3rd and 7th place, 3 and 5 strokes respectively from the leader whom they are ready to leave wanting more tomorrow.
Luis Masaveu, until today the tournament leader, presented a card with two bogeys and three birdies, 70 strokes for a total of minus 12 with which he shares the third position with the Swiss Benjamin Rusch. Despite this, Masaveu remains fully in the fight for the title, and will go out tomorrow determined to sign his first professional victory.
“Today I didn’t play very well, things didn’t go well. In the end, if you hit all the fairways you have no problem, but whenever I missed a shot it ended up in a bad spot. I made a bogey on the 7th leaving it behind a tree and missed a short putt, it was a typical day when things didn’t go right. But I managed to fight and on the second nine I made some good putts. It was a shame to finish with a bogey on the last hole because if you finish at par and go out 2 behind the leader you give yourself more chances, but as I started and how things went, I think tomorrow I have a chance, and I’m going for it.”
The Donostian Joseba Torres, nephew of José María Olazábal and member of the ProSpain Team of the RFEG, has regained positions by delivering a card of five birdies and a bogey for a total of 10 under par in his first Challenge de España: “It was a good day today, a different day, I didn’t hit it as well as the other days, although it seems unbelievable given the result, but I kept fighting. I missed well today, that was the biggest difference, the mistakes I made were good, or at least better, 2 putts I made on the second 9 but overall the game was orderly, Driver very well, irons work to do. The truth is that we made good decisions today both my caddie (accompanied by Iñigo Urquizo as part of the ProSpain RFEG) and I and I am happy with the result.”
With several players in a tight race and a title at stake, the final day of the Challenge de España promises to be thrilling at Fontanals Golf, which will start at 8 in the morning from 2 tees and the leaders will take to the course at 10.00h.
