Ángel Ayora (-4) played his first round of his career on the PGA Tour this Thursday and delivered a score of 68 strokes at the debut of the Puerto Rico Open. Here is the introduction of this 19-year-old from Marbella who set out not to be intimidated by the experience and he has achieved it. He certainly has achieved it.
Ayora went out to play his round at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Río Grande as if he had spent his whole life on the American circuit. He managed to get into his bubble and face each stroke as he would in any other tournament and circumstance. This is how he was able to sign no less than seven birdies in playing conditions that were not at all simple, as the wind, a constant on this course, blew quite strongly.
It took Ángel just three holes to score his first birdie of his life on the PGA Tour, and after the 7th he was already with a fantastic partial of three under par. Launched, with his head held high and without looking back. The first stumble fell on the 8th, he paused the round with four consecutive pars and from there, the outburst. The pars were over, four birdies and two bogeys. Full throttle. Without complexes.
He played very solidly and with nothing to reproach. There is always some stroke here and there that leaves the bad feeling of being able to do something more, but it really has been a fabulous staging. He also had time to show that we are dealing with a player with something special. The best example is the second shot of hole 15, a par 5 that today was played with a lot of wind against and from the right. They had 232 meters to the flag and he hit an inhuman 3 wood to leave it four meters for eagle. He didn’t make it, but he did take an easy birdie.
Ayora has provisionally entered the top 10. He is three strokes behind the first two leaders Scott Piercy (-7) and Joe Highsmith (-7). Piercy is a Vietnam veteran who is 26 years older than Ayora, while Highsmith is playing the eighth tournament of his career on the PGA Tour and his best result has been a 33rd at the Farmers. He comes from the Korn Ferry Tour and one of his favourite athletes is Nick Kyrgios.
In the top 10 we also have Garrick Higgo (-6), Rasmus Hojgaard (-5) or Sangmoon Bae (-4). Behind, the poor form of Aaron Wise (+4) is very noticeable.
