“As I like it Manu, keep the Elvira surname up there, and since they don’t know if it’s one or the other, they might even think it’s me…” That’s the joke Nacho makes to his brother as he crosses the putting green to hand in his card from the 9th hole. Almost at the same time, the younger Elvira finished on the 18th with a magnificent score of 69 strokes (-3), placing him provisionally in the top 5 of the tournament. From the stellar winner of the Dubai Invitational four days ago, to one who gets into the fight right from the start in the Desert Classic. From Elvira to Elvira, and off I go.
Although for a shot, the one Manu hit on the 7th hole. His round hadn’t started particularly well. He was inaccurate from the tee, struggling, holding on to save pars, some very good like the one on the 6th, and with a partial of +1. It wasn’t a disaster, but the feelings were bad. That par putt gave him a boost, but the definitive turning point to ride the good wave was the tee shot on the 7th, a delicate par 3 well defended by water that can ruin the round for even the most skilled. Manu hit a three-quarter 7 to less than a metre from the flag. Precise. Celestial.
That shot was like the heavens opening. “I’m a bit volatile for better or worse. I can get a high quickly with a good shot and ride the wave, or I can come down quickly with a bad one,” he assured Ten Golf at the edge of the putting green shortly after signing the card. On this occasion, obviously, it was for the better. Beyond the result, we’re talking about feelings. From there to the end, he only missed the tee shot on the 16th. The rest was almost like playing on the console. There’s nothing to criticise.
This very week, he admitted to Ten Golf in an interview that Nacho’s victory has served as inspiration and that his main goal is to achieve a victory this year. This is just the beginning, there’s a long way to go in the tournament, but the Cantabrian wasn’t bluffing with his statement of intent. Let’s not forget he was at the top all week in Mauritius at the end of 2025.
The key to his great round has been the strategy. He was very clear about the plan with his caddie Monty and they stuck to it strictly. When it was time to be conservative, they didn’t hesitate, like on the 13th. The tee shot wasn’t bad, but it ended up in the first cut of rough. He could have reached more or less the front bunker of the green on this par 5 and from there tried for a birdie with a good shot. However, they opted to play it short and he hit a superb third shot. Birdie. He also made a birdie on the 10th by hitting the green in three.
It has always been said and is proven every year, the Majlis course is a treacherous course. In this respect, it resembles Augusta. You can’t go for it. You have to wait for it to open its doors when it sees fit. If you seek it out and try to overpower it, you’ll find it, yes, but for the worse. Manu has been patient and has reaped the rewards. Another Elvira making waves on the DP World Tour.
