The Armada hasn’t lost its touch during the holiday week. The good vibes left by the performances of the Spaniards in the four tournaments of the desert swing of the DP World Tour continue in Nairobi. Notable performance at the Magical Kenya Open. The morning has placed several horses at the top of the race, making their way, taking positions. The fastest starters have been Ángel Ayora (-4) and Joel Moscatel (-4). They have embedded themselves in the top 10, four shots off the lead held by John Parry (-8), the veteran Englishman who already took a victory from his last visit to Africa. Watch out.
Ayora stuck to his plan. He started on the 10th hole with a drive crossing the dog leg. Impeccable. He left himself an 8-iron for the second shot. Great shot. He placed it a metre and a half from the hole. In. Two under on one hole. That’s how you start a tournament. He made three more birdies and a bogey on his first nine. He had a bit of luck on the 18th. The ball was heading out of bounds, no one gave a penny for it, but it ended up staying in. He took advantage of it wonderfully, making the birdie. A good three-under on the first two par 5s.
That stroke of luck, of course, wasn’t going to come free. We know how golf works. Neither the first nor the last time. It’s common. The art of compensation. On the 7th hole, when Ángel’s round was heading more towards six under par than four under, the Muthaiga Golf patiently awaited its revenge. The young man from Malaga unleashed another great drive on this par 5. For his second shot, he hit a 9-wood. It didn’t go to the right spot, but it wasn’t bad at all, to the right of the green, in an area where it’s more than reasonable to make an approach and putt and get the birdie. When he reached the ball, surprise. It had nestled inside a tree bark. The bark was on the ground with the convex side up, and the ball hadn’t found a better place to nest.
There wasn’t much to do or think about. It was time to close his eyes and pray. Hit the ball however he could and see where it went. That said, with a nuance to add context: in the line of the ball towards the green, on the other side, there was water… Anyway, as expected, Ayora, cautious, hit it a bit softly, moved it a little, made a good approach to three metres, and didn’t make the putt. Cruel bogey. What goes around comes around. He finishes with 67 strokes, a very good round, but with the feeling that he could have done a bit better. He has been brilliant with the irons, while there is room for improvement from the tee.
Moscatel, for his part, has fought a beautiful battle without quarter against the Nairobi course. Exchange of blows and K.O. victory for the Spaniard. Seven birdies and three bogeys. He responded to each bogey of the round with one or two birdies, including that good finish with successes on the 17th and 18th. This makes lunch taste much better. Another round of 67 and well placed for what’s to come.
The notable (and massive) choral performance of the Spaniards in the Kenyan morning is completed by Adri Arnaus (-3) and Nacho Elvira (-3), Eugenio Chacarra (-2), Albert Boneta (-2) and Manu Elvira (-2) and Iván Cantero (-1). Anything under par is a good start. The downside this Thursday was for Alfredo García Heredia (+1) and Sebas García Rodríguez (+3). They have room, although it’s expected that tomorrow they will have to deal with the wind expected in the afternoon.
Beyond the Spaniards, Parry, the best player in the tournament by world ranking, has one shot over Jayden Shaper (-7) and two over Jacob Skov Olesen (-6), two of those young but well-prepared players who are already making their mark on the DP World Tour.
