The first day of the Hainan Classic has been definitively suspended due to a thunderstorm that has hit the Blackstone course at the Mission Hills Resort (Hainan Island, China), so the players in the afternoon session were unable to finish.
However, we already have three leaders at the top of the leaderboard with their rounds completed, including the notable presence of local idol Haotong Li (-6), accompanied by another classic, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (-6), and also by Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan (-6).
Good results are being seen, but perhaps not as many or as impressive as expected, once the course has been analysed and observed. It’s true that from the tee it doesn’t command much respect due to the width of the fairways, but the greens, small, undulating, and not too forgiving, are not so easy to handle. Additionally, especially in the afternoon session, another curious circumstance has arisen. The wind, without reaching a truly intimidating intensity, has surprised with its changing nature, making club selection very complicated on many occasions. It’s possible that the gradual approach of the storm has caused this instability, but the fact is that today you needed to know Chinese to read the wind, if the expression is allowed.
Rafa Cabrera Bello (-4) is currently the best of the Spaniards, although he still has four holes to finish the round. The Canary Islander is, in any case, one of the best in the afternoon session, only surpassed so far by young Dane Rasmus Neergaard Petersen (-5), who has five holes left to play. Splendid performance by Rafa, who strung together up to four birdies between holes 5 and 8 and needs a strong boost in the rankings like water in May (or April, for that matter). Things are also going well for Iván Cantero (-3), who still had six holes ahead at the time of suspension, one more than Eugenio López Chacarra (PAR), who on this occasion did not have an electric start, but still has enough room to manoeuvre to be a protagonist again this week and secure his presence in the next Major, the PGA Championship, a task he has well on track.
Last week’s winner, Ashun Wu (PAR), has finished the round and is currently not a threat to the contenders for victory. Wu is chasing his third win at home, on Chinese soil, something that no one has achieved in the 49 tournaments held in this country since 2004, the year it appeared on the DP World Tour calendar. Another seeking his third victory in Chinese territory is Alexander Levy (-2), who has started quite well.
Alfredo García Heredia (-1) is the only Spaniard with a completed round who is under par. Pablo Larrazábal (PAR), Santi Tarrio (+1), and Joel Moscatel (+2) have not been able to win this first battle with the course. They still have to finish this first round: Jorge Campillo (-1, with four holes remaining), Sebas García (-1, with nine holes remaining), Manu Elvira (+1, with seven remaining), Albert Boneta (+1, with ten remaining), Nacho Elvira (+4, with seven remaining), and Ángel Hidalgo (+5, with five remaining).
