A very busy Thursday morning at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. Busy due to the wind, of course. At times, wildly shaken, one might add. So the Acciona Open of Spain could not start in a rougher, but also interesting way, said in the best sense of the expression, because sometimes the headaches of the players are also directly related to the enjoyment of the fan.
The morning shift of the first day has already ended and, at first glance, two issues stand out. On the one hand, we have another proof of the so-called ‘Pavon effect’, according to which, or through which, French golf continues to gain prominence almost every week. Matthieu, surprising winner at the PGA Tour 2024, set the path, precisely from his victory last year in this tournament and this same scenario, and many of his compatriots seem willing to follow it. In this case, it is Julien Guerrier (-4), provisional leader after signing a 67, and that, despite having added three bogeys. If Matthieu could, if Matthieu can; I can. It’s the French motto.
The second issue that undoubtedly deserves to be distinguished is the powerful start of the Spanish Armada. Okay, there are many Spanish players who play this Open of Spain, as every year, but not always so many and so decisively pile up there. Adri Arnaus (-3) carries the banner, for now. The Catalan is dealing with his most pestilent season since he reached the first division of continental golf, six years ago. But for several weeks now his game has shown a clear improvement, even beyond the results. This excellent round of 68 strokes, under such conditions, is further proof of this, a proof that is worth its weight in gold. He has played very orderly from start to finish, but he has also gone from less to more in terms of finesse. His second nine today, the first of the course, from 1 to 9 of the Black route of the Club de Campo, have been truly outstanding. In this stretch he has made three birdies, he has left at least three good chances more along the way and, as a finishing touch, he was close to holing it from outside on the only green he did not take in regulation (hole 6). Anyway, if we really want to dream let’s go back to the years 2019 and 2021, in which Adri signed a final fourth place and a second (after losing a tiebreaker play off) on this same field, in this same tournament…
Very close to Arnaus, with the card delivered, signed and safely stored, lest the wind take it away, we find David Puig (-2) and Luis Masaveu (-2), two of the diamonds recently extracted from the astonishing mine of Spanish golf, one more polished than the other, because Masaveu is not even a professional yet.
It is no coincidence to see them there, so high up, nor should anyone take for granted that they are going to fall or lose pace easily. Masaveu, by the way, admitted at the end of the round that it had been one of the best of his life. Puig, to highlight something more concrete, has given a real short game recital, a trademark.
Only twelve players have signed records below par in the morning shift of play. And one of them, in addition to the aforementioned, is Jorge Campillo (-1), who completes the serious, aggressive and uncomplexed Spanish quartet that for now adorns the top of the table with the red and yellow colours. The Extremaduran was playing with Tyrrell Hatton (+3) and Matteo Manassero (+5), two of the big favourites a priori, and has done much more than measure up, if we refer to the tests. The Englishman and the Italian are not the only favourites who have initially crashed against the wind wall, nor has Shane Lowry (+4) done well. They will have to row a lot to regain the limelight and the options.
