Congestion in the ranking after the first day of the Magical Kenya Open being held at the Muthaiga Golf Club. Half of the tournament is five strokes or less from the lead held solely by the Dutch Darius Van Driel (-5), a Vietnam veteran still seeking his moment of glory in the DP World Tour. Half of the tournament is not a figure of speech. 144 golfers started playing this Thursday and we have 73 in that bunch.
In the good jam we have several Spaniards. In addition to Joel Moscatel (-2), Lucas Vacarisas (-2) and Alejandro del Rey (PAR), who played in the morning, Santi Tarrio (-2), Nacho Elvira (-2), Adrián Otaegui (-2), Iván Cantero (-2), Ángel Hidalgo (-2) and Manu Elvira (-1) have gotten into the thick of it.
Okay, we agree, none of them have made it into the top 10, but they are perfectly placed after the first day. They are eight players just three strokes from the lead. It’s a more than notable start. In fact, there is no country that has put so many players among the top twenty of the tournament after the first 18 holes. Not even England? Not even. It has five. Not even South Africa? Not even. It has three.
The first attack of the Armada in Kenya has been deep and sustained. Of all those who have placed themselves in that preferred position, we especially highlight Iván Cantero. The Asturian has signed a card of 69 strokes. It’s his second under par result so far this season. Moreover, he hadn’t done it since the first tournament of the season, back in November, in the second round of the Joburg Open. He needed a joy for the body.
The playing conditions in Kenya have been difficult and something similar is expected tomorrow. The rough is very serious and the wind has blown with joy. In fact, 14 of the 18 holes have been played over par, although, as there has to be everything in the vineyard of the Lord, Kenya has also served on a platter to the players the sweet of the year. It was hole 10, par 5 of 493 meters. It’s short, with a dog leg to the right and, to top it off, today it was played with the wind in favor. A good drive from the tee to the street meant having a very short club in hand.
A total of 13 eagles were made there this Thursday, an extraordinary figure. So far this season, there has only been one hole on the DP World Tour more generous. It was the 12th of the Heritage, course of the Afrasia Bank Open. It gave 14 eagles on the first day. However, looking closely at the photofinish, the winner should be the 10th at the Muthaiga Golf Club. Here 144 players play, while in Mauritius there were 156. That is, here 9.02% of the players have made eagle and in the Indian Ocean it was 8.97%. A photofinish.
Of those 13 eagles, three have been signed by the Armada. Namely:
– Vacarisas: Magnificent drive to the street, iron 9, about eight meters and putt for inside.
– Moscatel: Wood 3, has failed to the rough, it has been well placed about 180 meters from the hole and has hit a wedge to the clouds three meters from the hole. For inside.
– Tarrio: Good drive from the tee, although he has crossed the dog leg a bit and has ended up in the semi-rough, about 190 meters from the hole. Well placed. He hit the 7 iron, it didn’t come out quite right, it bounced a bit short of the green, it went in and it was given. Bingo.
