Borja Virto (-4) has reached the finish line of the LIV Golf Promotions, which are being played this week at the Riyadh Country Club in Saudi Arabia. The Navarrese has earned it. A five under par on the first day was enough to advance to the second round, and this Friday a four under par was enough to also surpass the second. He has qualified for the final and decisive day, which will be played this Saturday over 36 holes with shotgun starts and the scoreboard reset to zero.
Only twenty players remain. The winner tomorrow will receive a spot on one of the LIV Golf teams as a prize, along with a cheque for $200,000, while the top 10 will also be guaranteed a card for the International Series. Two very enticing goals for Virto, who currently holds a full card on the Challenge Tour. The downside of today’s round was for Luis Masaveu (-1). The Madrid native was left out, two strokes short of making the final.
Virto secured his place with an epic finish to his round. He played in the early groups, so he really didn’t know for sure what score would be needed to advance. You go blind and only think about making as few strokes as possible.
The reality was that it seemed he was falling far behind and out of contention. Anyone would have thought that after missing two very good chances on holes 12 and 13. At that moment, the golfer from Gorráiz was at even par and needed a boost. On the 12th, a par 5, being two on the edge of the green, he was unable to make a fairly simple approach and putt for birdie, and on the 13th, he missed a very short birdie putt. He was at even par with only five holes remaining. Then, Borja called in the cavalry…
The show began on the 14th hole. If yesterday he almost made a hole-in-one on this par 3, today he sank a putt of just over seven metres for birdie, with a curious left-to-right break. He had 180 metres to the flag. A putt that gives a lot of life. Indeed… On the 15th, a par 5, he hit a good drive to the fairway. He had 240 metres to the flag with a bit of tailwind and the added factor that the ball flies quite a bit in those parts. He hit a 4-iron, left it at the entrance, and made two putts. He was at -2.
On the 16th, he hit a good shot but left himself a very fast eight-metre putt. He hit it well, but it didn’t drop. Par. Still -2. On the 17th, a par 3, he hit another very good shot. He left it three to four metres away and sank the putt right in the centre. Textbook. He was at -3.
The 18th remained, and he didn’t know if -3 would be enough or if -4 would be needed. In any case, in doubt, there was no choice but to attack. This par 4 had a somewhat awkward tee shot, with a lot of dog leg to the right. He teed off with a hybrid to the fairway and left himself a second shot of 131 metres. He had doubts about the wind. He couldn’t feel it, but he was convinced it must be there. He was between a 9-iron and a pitching wedge and nailed it. He trusted his instinct. If you can’t feel the wind and with the adrenaline, a strong, low, punch-type pitch. It was a great shot that ended up four metres from the flag, maybe a bit less. It wasn’t a straightforward putt. He saw it straight, but wasn’t entirely sure. He opted to aim for the middle, and it went in slightly on the left edge. Perfect.
Virto made it with that four under par round, while those at -3 had to go to a playoff. Specifically, six players had to play for a single spot.
Among those qualified for the final round are the Vincent brothers, Scott and Kieran, Ben Campbell, Jeunghun Wang, David Horsey, Branden Grace, and Max Rottluff, who sank a putt of over ten metres on the 18th to get in. On the other hand, John Catlin, Kalle Samooja, and Hudson Swaford, who played in LIV last year, were left out.
