It hasn’t been the day for the Spaniards at the Nexo Championship. In general terms, it hasn’t been the day. Only Sebas García Rodríguez managed to beat the course, and the best-ranked player is Jorge Campillo (+1), in 25th place. The good news, because there almost always is some good news, is that he is not far from the lead. Specifically, six shots behind Grant Forrest (-7), who played like he was at home, in his home of Scotland, of course. He delivered a card of 66 shots, the best of the week, and it is quite an achievement. The conditions have not been easy. Only 25 players managed to beat the course today, and there are barely 18 under par in the total of the 36 holes.
Campillo was the best Spanish hope after his great start on Thursday with a round of 69 shots. However, things didn’t go well today, especially on the greens. The Extremaduran has reasons to dream about two-metre putts. Nightmares. He missed up to five chances from that distance in the first seven holes. How much could the round have changed if he had made two or three of those? Well, you can imagine, quite a bit.
The golfer from Norba didn’t make any birdies and only made a couple of par putts from just over two metres, nothing to celebrate tonight with a pint. Afterwards, he had several more chances from three metres… and still nothing. “It was tough, I didn’t make a single one,” summarised Jorge to Ten Golf. The other good news, because there almost always is other good news, is that the long game is in perfect condition. It was a very solid round. Only a couple of ugly shots, the third on hole 1, the 3-wood on 8, and the driver on 4. Three shots in 18 holes. Anyone would take that.
On this basis, one can (and should) trust in a good weekend for Campillo. If the game remains the same and he regains his touch with the putter, he can still do something significant. The differences are minimal. The top 10 is just two shots away.
We don’t have any Spaniard under par, but what is written about Campillo applies to the rest. Making the cut this week is an opportunity. Rafa Cabrera Bello (+2), Pablo Ereño (+2), and Eugenio Chacarra (+2) also have a great position within reach on Sunday, even the option to fight for victory if they have a very good moving day. The same goes for Sebas García (+3), the only one of ours who beat the course today.
The rest have missed the cut in a rather bleak week, with cruel rounds like those of Joel Moscatel and Santi Tarrio. The Trump International Golf Links does not forgive when the chain is out of place. It punishes harshly.
Grant Forrest leads the tournament with a one-shot advantage over Jordan Smith (-6) and three over Richard Sterne (-4). These three players shared a turn (morning on Thursday and afternoon on Friday), so it’s not difficult to conclude that one of the draws has been favoured.
