The fifth day of the Final Stage of the DP World Tour being held at Infinitum Golf could not be completed this Tuesday. A total of twenty players were unable to finish the round due to the arrival of an untimely thunderstorm. An attempt was made to resume less than an hour later, but the option was eventually dismissed. Minutes later, it was pouring down on the Tarragona course. The leading match with the standout leader Edoardo Molinari (-24) was left on the 16th green.
The players who couldn’t finish didn’t quite understand the decision of the DP World Tour. The storm was neither heard nor seen, and there were less than 40 minutes left to complete the day. In any case, in these situations, the weather report and caution prevail.
Regardless, the reality is that the rain has added to the drama of the Final Stage. More fuel to the fire. Not only because of what has fallen today but also because of what is expected tomorrow, Wednesday. In fact, the Tarragona city council, 20 minutes by car from Infinitum, activated the flood risk plan this Tuesday at three in the afternoon, and it will remain in effect until tomorrow at midnight. We’ll see if the Final can finish on time or if it has to be extended to Thursday. Right now, it’s not ruled out. The forecast for Thursday, at least, is quite good. More fuel to the tension, nerves, anguish, and even desperation of the golfers who are playing for their job for next year.
Except for the end, today, Tuesday, play was able to continue normally on the Lakes course at Infinitum. It wasn’t an easy day. The cold and wind dominated the early morning hours. There were no scorecards. However, in the last two hours, the wind’s intensity notably decreased, and more birdies started to fall. In this scenario, the reality is that it wasn’t a good day for the Armada. In fact, none of the four who made the cut managed to play under par. However, Albert Boneta (-16), who started from a very good position, remains in the top 10, while Adri Arnaus (-7), Sebastián García Rodríguez, and Borja Virto (-6) did not produce the reaction they needed coming from behind.
Boneta was at par for the day at the time of suspension. He was left on the tee of the 17th hole, a par 3. He had two bogeys and two birdies. It wasn’t an easy day for the young player from Barcelona. He struggled again from the tee. He didn’t miss the fairways by much, but he was almost constantly hitting from the rough, which makes it very difficult to leave birdie opportunities. He’s not quite comfortable with the driver. “I’m missing both sides,” he commented to Ten Golf with a smile. The good thing is that without being brilliant with the long club, he manages to stay up.
Boneta occupies the tenth position and has a two-shot margin over the tied twentieth place, which are the ones who will secure the DP World Tour card when the sixth day ends. The margin is reduced, but he remains in a magnificent position. We’ll see how much and how play can continue in the coming hours. Certainly, the rain, especially if it comes in quantity, is not the best news for a golfer who is without a caddie this week. “It is what it is, and we’re not going to change it, I don’t like it, but we have to adapt,” he said amusedly.
Edoardo Molinari (-24) remains the leader and has practically secured his card for next year. He will continue on the DP World Tour, although his goal now is to finish first. He has two holes and a green left to complete his fifth round. The Italian has a three-shot margin over the Swede Niklas Lemke (-21), who was seven under par for the day with the 18th to play, and Justin Harding (-21), also on the 16th green.
The best move of the day was by Bastien Amat (-16), who shot 64 and moved into tenth place, as well as the American Ryggs Johnston (-17), who moved into seventh with a round of 65. On the opposite side are Chase Hanna (-5), +5 today, or Alexander Settemsdal (-11), who was +4 through 16 holes and had fallen to 33rd place.
