Ángel Ayora (-10) has signed the best card of the day (65 strokes, seven under) in the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, a result that has propelled him into the penultimate match on Sunday (playing alongside Darius Van Driel just ahead of the star match) and has given him a real chance of victory at Leopard Creek, the legendary course in Malelane where Spanish golf already boasts four wins since this tournament has been held at this venue.
The young Andalusian had managed on Thursday and Friday to record scores under par without his best game. He wasn’t very comfortable off the tee and, generally speaking, his swing wasn’t flowing consistently. Today, Saturday, his game from tee to green improved enough to give himself many more birdie opportunities, which he capitalised on several times with the putter in hand. Because, indeed, on the greens he has been very efficient and accurate throughout the three rounds played.
The first big moment in today’s round came at hole 3, where he made a birdie from an almost impossible position. He had gone right off the tee, to an area where he was seemingly blocked by trees. However, he found a small gap and hit a great shot to leave himself a five-metre chance, which he then holed.
Another key moment, although a negative one, was at hole 5, a par 3, where he ended up with a surprising double bogey. He hit a smooth 9-iron off the tee, and the ball went into the lake, leaving both Ángel and Juan, his caddie, puzzled as to why. They are still wondering, because the ball was well struck, and the calculations didn’t add up. Mysteries of the breeze, so difficult to decipher at times on these types of courses, where there are treacherous eddies that cannot be detected. The worst part, obviously, was the setback this mishap represented. The best part was that the player genuinely felt he had hit a more than acceptable shot and had nothing to reproach himself for.
Third major key moment. Or key, as preferred. At hole 8, he went off the tee into a bunker on the right flank with a tree in front blocking the shot to the green from the sand, so the Spaniard could only play it back to the fairway, leaving himself 136 metres to the flag, but he hit an outstanding shot to leave the ball about forty centimetres from the hole. Excellent save and onwards.
Another brilliant, special moment was at hole 12. Here came that great bonus that can’t always be counted on, as Ayora holed a very long and delicate putt from about twelve metres downhill.
And now we move to hole 15, where he made an eagle that definitively boosted his chances. From the centre of the fairway, he had the wind against him, slightly from the left, and the young man from Manilva, raised for golf at La Cañada, wasn’t quite sure what shot he wanted to play. He addressed the ball, stepped away… Finally, he opted to grab the 9-wood and hit a massive shot to leave the ball a metre and a half from the hole and then holed the putt.
At holes 7 and 16, two fearsome par 3s at Leopard Creek, he managed to save the situation with two good putts on each of the greens, but it’s also worth noting some good birdie chances that went begging, like those at holes 14 and 17.
The theory now is very simple: if Ayora keeps the putter hot tomorrow, as well as the improvements experienced today in his game from tee to green, he will surely have a chance to win the tournament, even though he starts four strokes behind leader Marcus Kinhult (-14). But from theory to practice, there’s a tricky path to navigate. In any case, beyond the chances of victory, it is very noteworthy to see him in the final matches, going from strength to strength in the tournament and exceeding even the best expectations.
