Royal County Down has not been as fierce as it was painted. The wind has not blown so hard and the afternoon has been almost placid. The flags have also helped. In short, a very good preparation of the field. Demanding, but fair. Hard, but accessible. Nearly 30 players under par after the first day was something that not even the most optimistic visualized.
Not many would have bet on Todd Clements (-5) as the first leader of the Amgen Irish Open, although his year is one of those that deceive. He has only finished once in the top 10, true, but he has made many cuts and has finished six times among the top 30. He is the classic player who has been hovering around, but who is missing finishing with four good days.
One stroke behind the leader has been Alejandro del Rey (-4). Great day of golf for the Madrid golfer. Not only because of the result, but because of the sensations. He has gotten into few problems and except for a great recovery on the 6th, he has not suffered excessively to keep making pars and scratching birdies here and there. For now, he has nailed the game plan with his caddie Borja. “We have a very clear idea of how we want to play. It’s a tough course and. you have to be cautious. There are holes where there is no place to put the drive and it’s not worth it. Others, where we do hit it, like on the 18th, we barely have seven meters of fairway to hold it. It’s been a good day,” he assured Ten Golf after placing second.
Alex has signed five birdies and one bogey. There are two shots that stand out above the rest. The first came on the 18th, starting from the 10th. It was the third. A prodigious bunker shot, with the ball not very well placed and 45 meters from the flag. The terror of any player, no matter how good he is. He left it given for birdie. It was a key moment, as it was the first birdie after eight consecutive pars.
The second key shot was, curiously, on the 9th, to finish the round. It’s a very complicated hole and he made birdie by putting it in from outside with a great chip that they read perfectly. It was about time. It was making itself beg. “We talked about it right after putting it in. Finally one falls. We’ve had several lately that seemed like they were going to go in, but no. It was a good finish. Happy with the day. It seems that Ireland, for now, is treating me well,” he assured.
Rory McIlroy, benefited by the Solheim Cup
Del Rey is tied with Sami Valimaki. They all played in the afternoon. In addition, of the five players who are three under par, four also played in the afternoon, among them Rory McIlroy (-3). Great start for the Northern Irishman, who was helped by the Solheim Cup. Normally, he would have played in the morning today and in the afternoon on Friday. It’s the usual. The big stars are usually in those shifts so that the local public can take advantage of Friday afternoon, theoretically with more freedom at work, as well as the children, to see the best. However, both Rory and Shane Lowry played this afternoon and tomorrow morning so as not to coincide with the Solheim Cup, which starts this Friday afternoon in European time. A curiosity. Lowry (+1) could not take advantage of it as much.
As for the rest of the Spaniards, Adrián Otaegui (-1) and Iván Cantero (-1) are also under par, while Jorge Campillo has stayed at +1. Otaegui is the only one, along with Del Rey, who has really taken advantage of the better conditions in the afternoon. The rest will have to fight tomorrow to make the cut: Nacho Elvira (+2), Santi Tarrio (+2), Rafa Cabrera Bello (+2), Sebas García Rodríguez (+2) and Ángel Hidalgo (+4).
