– Rafa Cabrera Bello continues to leave a trail of breadcrumbs in his path. Yes, those breadcrumbs that one day, sooner rather than later, will allow him to find victory again. We say it, not him. We know how this sport works. “I’m not going to tempt fate, I think so, but what I can say is that I keep training for it, that’s what I can promise everyone, and then let God distribute luck and give me a bit,” he assures.
The Canary Islander finished today with the best round of the day at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He shot 67. It’s true that he was able to play a good number of holes, not all by any means, without wind, but the same happened to others who started at the same time and were not able to produce a round like his. Beyond this specific result, which allowed him to climb more than 30 positions on the final day and secure a valuable top 20, Rafa’s performance is part of a trend. He has been playing very well for some time. His golf has been very organised for some time. He has been reminiscent of the best version of Rafa Cabrera Bello for some time.
First, all facets of the game had to align. That has already happened. Now, the next step is for everything to come together over the four days. It’s the only thing missing. This week, for example, the problem was with the putt on Saturday. From tee to green, he played very well, especially well with the driver, but he couldn’t capitalise on these greens, which have been a headache for many this week.
Rafa’s positive trend is more than evident. He has made 20 of the last 24 cuts, and of those four he missed, two were in the United States (tournaments squeezed into the calendar alongside the PGA Tour) and a third was at the PGA of Australia at the end of last year, where a back problem prevented him from continuing the great work he had done on Thursday (68 strokes). We say it: Rafa will sooner rather than later be fighting for victory again on a Sunday. It’s not a prediction. It’s a certainty.
Así se ha producido la cruel penalidad impuesta a David Puig en Dubai
– It has been a cruel Sunday for the Armada in general terms. Puig’s situation is already well-documented in Ten Golf, and additionally, Jorge Campillo, who also had a chance of victory, albeit more remote, did not manage to display his best golf. He struggled to hit good shots in the wind. He wasn’t sharp in any area, especially when it came to recoveries, where the putter didn’t help either. He finished in the top 20, which isn’t bad in this tournament, but it feels like a missed opportunity given how he started on Sunday.
– Alex del Rey, Ángel Ayora, and Iván Cantero also failed to conquer the course. It wasn’t easy, but at the same time, it was a great day to make a move. They didn’t succeed. Del Rey was brilliant in recoveries but struggled to give himself birdie opportunities. However, he finished with a sublime eagle, holing out from the rough on the 18th hole, about 20 metres from the hole. Ayora didn’t start well. He repeatedly missed on the wrong side and was playing catch-up the entire round. Once again, he showed great determination to finish at par for the day. Cantero, on the other hand, experienced a nightmare on the greens. That’s what held him back this week, as he was brilliant with the driver and especially with his second shots. It was also a tough day for Manu Elvira, who struggled over the weekend.
– Ángel Hidalgo did manage to play under par today. He signed off with a solid round of 70 to finish just outside the top 25. Today, the putter was his great ally. He made many putts. The par putt on the 6th hole was sensational, after getting into a bush, or the bogey putt on the 9th after going into the water. However, the highlight of his round was the eagle from the fairway on the 10th hole. Impressive. By the way, just on the back nine, when he played better, the putter didn’t help him as much.
– Francesco Molinari was not satisfied with the end of the tournament. After leading after the second day, the Italian finished in fourth place. Still, it’s his best result in six years. It sounds quick. Specifically, since he finished third in the WGC Match Play in 2019. That happened three weeks after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational. At that time, he was in the world’s top 10.
