Manu Elvira (-4) has handed in a card of 69 strokes on the second day of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and not only has he made the cut, but he is fully involved in the noble area of the classification, with all the right in the world, and the illusion, to look up. Yes, the greyhound Cameron Young (-13) has escaped at the top, but the top 10 is more than within reach, just two strokes at the time the Cantabrian signed the card. There is a long way to go, no less than 36 holes, but it is always worth remembering that the best debut in Dubai was precisely from another Cantabrian, a certain Severiano Ballesteros, who finished in third place in 1990.
Unless someone has a crystal ball, and knows how to use it, it is impossible to anticipate what will happen over the weekend. What is certain is that no one is going to take away the joy and pride of the youngest of the Elvira’s for having shone on his own in the first two rounds of a Rolex Series, his first Rolex Series, the biggest tournament he has played in his career “Maybe I was a little more nervous in the days leading up to the start of the tournament, eager to start, but since the competition has started I have felt very calm. I knew I was playing well, hitting the ball well and I just told myself that I had to continue with what I was doing”, he explained to Ten Golf at the end of his round this Friday.
Manu’s tee to green game has been a real mace. A joy to follow him outside the ropes. And inside. “I can’t remember the last time I suffered less on a golf course”, admitted Adolfo Juan Luna, his caddie since the start of the season on the DP World Tour. And so much. You can’t suffer when you’re almost always on the fairway and there are hardly any greens left to catch on the way. His only missed fairway was on the 8th, really missed, with the bad luck that the ball went into one of the few bushes on the right and he had to declare it unplayable. He made a great bogey with an excellent approach and putt.
The rest has been a pleasant walk around the course with clean blows, with eleven of his fourteen starts on par 4 and 5 over 300 yards. We choose two drives to frame. It hasn’t been easy because he has hit a pile of brilliant shots from the tee. We stick with the 9th, wonderful, over 300 meters to the center of the fairway, and the 16th, sensational, practically in the nerve center of the fairway. They are not exactly two easy fairways. Also, on the 9th he was coming from his first bogey of the day.
Speaking of the driver, we must look back to tell you a story. Specifically, to July 19, 2022. Germany. First day of practice for the Challenge Tour tournament. That day Manu had a light bulb moment. To him and only to him. His natural shot has always been to the draw, with a right to left effect. He was comfortable with it, but occasionally he had a left-handed shot that made his life very difficult. “I realized that the best in this usually hit from the tee a ball to the fade, open (from left to right), since in case of failure it is a more noble ball, it bounces softer and makes less meters. Let’s say you have more control and it takes away stress. There is enough stress in this sport, so all that you take away, welcome”, he explains to this medium.
It was there, in that first round of practice in Germany, on July 19, when he started to test from the tee an open ball and there was love at first sight. “I felt comfortable very quickly, I noticed that it didn’t cost me to do it and on top of that I didn’t lose distance, it still came out long, so I didn’t hesitate and started to hit the fade from the tee. With the irons, my natural shot is still to the draw“.
In case there was any doubt, the fade quickly passed the cotton test. He finished third in Germany, his best result until then in a Challenge Tour tournament and that was the beginning of a long period of consistency and solidity. Since then, he has played 38 tournaments of the Challenge and the DP World Tour and has only missed nine cuts, has finished ten times in the top 10 and has added, three second places and five top 5. The mother of all consistencies.
Pablo Larrazábal (-2) has also made the cut with a very good round of 69 strokes, the same as Elvira. The taste in his case is a bit bittersweet, since he got to be five under on the day with brilliant golf. However, a three-putt on the 5th (he started on the 10th) stopped him in his tracks. He signed another bogey on the 6th and finished with three pars on the tough 7th, 8th and 9th. In any case, weekend assured and looking up.
Who is not sure is Jorge Campillo (PAR). The Extremaduran has signed 70 strokes, with five birdies and three bogeys and will have to wait until the end to know if his result is enough or ends up closing at -1. It’s going to be on the limit and will depend a lot on how the wind blows. Adri Arnaus (+4) has been left out, with a round of 73 strokes.
