There was a moment in his round when Manu Elvira (-6) wasn’t quite sure if he was competing or still on safari in the Kruger Park. Such was the order he maintained in his round, the solidity and comfort, that he even had time and place to take a selfie with the famous hippos that adorn the bordering grounds of Leopard Creek.
Elvira has made a sensational start in the Alfred Dunhill Championship, taking up the baton of the rich Spanish tradition in this tournament and, above all, on this South African course in Malelane, in the Mpumalanga region. He signed a card of 66 strokes, with seven birdies and a solitary bogey. The result speaks for itself, but on this occasion it has been a faithful reflection of his game.
Manu has played Leopard Creek with precision and accuracy. Really, he only got into trouble on hole 1 and knew how to solve it with a magnificent par. His only bogey of the day came on the 4th after a three-putt. Textbook. The perfect lesson on how to make a 66 without the need for fuss. His long game has been brilliant, as one would expect from one of the golfers who catches the most greens in regulation on the DP World Tour, and today he was also accompanied by the putter. Very solid on the greens. Making the ones that had to be made… and some more.
He passed the first nine holes with an excellent score of five under par, without letting two holes pass to sign a new birdie. Then, his reaction to the only bogey of the day was even better, with two birdies on the 6th and 8th. On Wednesday he got up early to go on safari and today Thursday to go out hunting… birdies.
Elvira has placed himself in the provisional second position of the tournament, just one stroke behind the leader, the South African Robin Williams (-7), another member of the southern hemisphere factory who has already won this season on the Sunshine Tour at just 22 years old. He had also won on the BIG Easy Tour, the South African second division. Watch out. He’s only been a professional for a year.
Tied with Elvira in second place is Jayden Schaper (-6), also South African and also 22 years old, although with much more experience as he turned professional very young. Schaper was fighting for victory until the last round in the South African Open last week. He finished fifth and was ninth in the Joburg Open. He’s in form.
Also showing their heads in the high zone, important names like Casey Jarvis (-5), very prominent last year in the Challenge Tour, Charl Schwartzel (-4), the absolute master and lord of Leopard Creek (don’t miss the story in the Provisional Ball), Erik Van Rooyen (-4), recent winner on the PGA Tour, or Dean Burmester (-3), winner in the last two tournaments of the DP World Tour in South Africa.
As for the rest of the Spaniards who played in the morning, good start for Ángel Hidalgo (-2) in his first round of the season, somewhat clouded by that double bogey finish on the 18th, and Sebastián García Rodríguez (-2). Meanwhile, Alejandro del Rey (PAR) and Santi Tarrio (PAR) will have to row this Friday to make the cut. Iván Cantero is playing in the afternoon.
The playing conditions are very good. Up to 18 players just in the morning shift have gone under 70 strokes. The wind is barely blowing and the greens are receptive.
