Tecina Golf resonates with Álvaro Quirós (-11), who has become one of the main protagonists of this fifth edition of the Fred. Olsen Alps de La Gomera. Despite it being his debut on this course, the player from Cádiz has immediately connected with the field, and his score reflects it: after a solid second round of 66 strokes (-5), he shares the lead with Alfonso Buendía and the Italian Andrea Romano, all with a total of -11.
The smile with which the player from Guadiaro handed in his card reflects the excitement of competing for a title once again. His great performance this week shows that his talent remains intact, and that he has much to say in a competitive, young circuit with as much talent as the Alps Tour. “Happy because I have been able to turn the result around since this morning I wasn’t as sharp from the tee, and therefore, you end up with more uncomfortable shots or not so close to the flag. In this way, birdie chances turn into almost fought par options. I made a mistake on hole 4, par 3, where I didn’t calculate the shot to the green well. The key moment was the eagle on hole 7 which changed the overall mood of the round. I played more orderly again like yesterday, close to the flag. But I am very happy with that putt and another difficult one of six metres on 16 and also for the attitude. If tomorrow I return to the long game and good putt trend, I will have very good chances. That is the mental state in which I have to start the round tomorrow,” comments Quirós.
Alfonso Buendía has signed a brilliant round of 65 strokes (-6) on the second day of the Fred. Olsen Alps de La Gomera, allowing him to share the lead with Álvaro Quirós. The player from Alicante stood out for his solidity in all facets of the game, adding five birdies, a spectacular eagle on hole 9 —par 4 sinking an 8-metre putt— and a single bogey.
Buendía, who improves his first day’s card by one stroke, appears calm and satisfied with the great balance demonstrated in his performance. His consistency and confidence make him one of the big names to follow in the final day at Tecina Golf.
“It has been a very good day like yesterday, very solid in all aspects of the game. I started very solid with the irons, the driver and especially with the putt. It seems that everything is coming back. The eagle on hole 9, par 4, was a bit surreal because I slipped with my right foot, but I managed to square the face of the five wood, reached the front of the green and made a 7, 8-metre putt that I hadn’t made in a while. The key tomorrow will be to take advantage of the par 3s, lower the maximum possible on the par 5s and not make any big mistakes. Go hole by hole, shot by shot and finish calmly,” explains Buendía.
The Italian Andrea Romano, recent winner of the Alps de Andalucía – Roquetas de Mar, has joined the lead after signing the best round of the day with 64 strokes (-7). The Roman player particularly shone in his first nine holes, with four birdies and an eagle, conceding only one stroke on hole 12 (par 4), his only mistake of the day.
In fourth position, just one stroke behind the leading trio, are the Madrid native Juan Salama and the Frenchman Paul Margolis with -10. Salama, satisfied with his performance, points to the irons to the green as the key for the final day: “Happy with the round, I leave with good feelings, the irons to the green will be the key tomorrow to leave them close to the flag and give myself opportunities and go all out for the victory.”
Javier Barcos occupies the sixth place alone with -9, while the Top 10 is completed with -8 by a group of seven players, including the defending champion Gianmaria Rean Trinchero, along with Theo Brizard, Hugo Espósito, Alessandro Nardini, Quentin Debove, Jerry Jin, champion in Andorra, and Luca Memeo. The excitement is set for the final day at Tecina Golf.
15 Spaniards have made the cut which was set at -4, with a total of 45 players competing tomorrow at Tecina Golf for the final day of the Fred. Olsen Alps La Gomera. Two amateurs, Alejandro Rodríguez Andreu and Pedro Gallegos, have surpassed the cut and will compete tomorrow.
The third and final day will begin at 8:30 in the morning with starts from two tees (1 and 10). The star match formed by Andrea Romano, Álvaro Quirós and Alfonso Buendía will tee off at 9:47. At the end of the competition, the trophy and cheque will be awarded to the winner.
