Aloha Golf has witnessed a fiercely contested second day at the Staysure Marbella Legends, where British player Simon Griffiths leads with 11 strokes under par, two ahead of and three ahead of Miguel Ángel Jiménez. With one round left to decide the winner of this new tournament on the Legends Tour, the big names of the tournament are in a position to fight for the title. Three winners at the top and still much at stake.
Today the day was cooler and, above all, the pin positions were more complicated, making it difficult to shine with rounds under par; the best of the day today was minus 6, achieved by Japanese player Yokota, who had signed 80 strokes in the first round. The second-best round of the day was by Miguel Ángel Jiménez, with 67 to climb to 3rd position, behind Griffiths and Montgomerie.
British player Simon Griffiths was the rookie last year on the Legends Tour. A professional since 1996, he has really spent all these years being a caddie and playing at his club, Sunningdale, until his moment arrived; he finally earned his card last year to compete on the Legends Tour, triumphed at the European Senior Masters, signed 4 top 10 finishes, and today leads his first tournament of the season with 11 under par after signing a second card of 68 strokes. “I am delighted. I played very well my first 9 (4 birdies) but today the course was a bit tougher and more complicated, it was difficult to leave the ball close. I don’t think I’m playing spectacularly, but the key has been how I’ve managed myself around the course. Confidence? It takes years to gain it and seconds to lose it, that’s golf. There are many very good players behind, so I have to play very well to win.”
Colin Montgomerie fought until the last today to place himself 2nd, in an attacking position. Starting with two bogeys, he resolved the round with five birdies, two of them in the last 3 holes, to fight for his 17th Senior victory with 70 strokes (he has won 9 on the Legends Tour and 7 on the Champions Tour), something he hasn’t achieved since 2019: “I started on the 10th with a good 6 and another bogey on the 11th, and I was saying what the hell is happening? But I reacted and it went well. I need a good round tomorrow but I still have a chance to win, which is the most important thing; after the first two holes I had no chance, and after 18 I have them again. I finished 3-3-3 which is very good; the pin on the 8th hole was really difficult, I think the most difficult of the day, so it was a very good 3 and finishing with birdies on the 7th and 9th was very good.
The fans are great. I’m playing with Miguel who is, without a doubt, the favourite, but some know me from my years in the Volvo Masters, Ryder Cup… it was a good match. We were also playing with Ryan Howsam who played very well and I enjoyed it a lot. I don’t usually say this when you start so badly but I really enjoyed it.
This morning the course was different due to the temperature, cooler, the ball doesn’t compress, there was dew and the ball didn’t roll as much, but it was the same for everyone.
I need another round like Friday’s, another 65; it is very, very difficult to win, no matter where you play, the Champions Tour, the Legends Tour, the PGA, the DP… it is always very, very, very difficult to win. There is always someone who has their week, or does well, or putts phenomenally, or has their day… And I have to be that person tomorrow, who makes everything to win.”
Miguel Ángel Jiménez today made one of the best rounds of the day, with 65 strokes with seven birdies and two bogeys for a total of 8 under par, and shares the third position with Frenchman Lionel Alexandre and South African Keith Horne.
“The day was quite good, in the end minus 5. I played quite solidly and in the second 9 holes there were a couple of good putts, about 5-6 meters on the 6th and 7th which came in very handy. I made a couple of bogeys on the 4th where I missed the green and made a poor bunker shot, and on the 17th the same. The rest quite well, solid play and there we are.”
Despite being in the top 10, José Mª Olazábal made 71 strokes with which he was not satisfied and which made him drop to 8th place with a total of 6 under par. “It was a bit of a return to the ghosts of before, halfway, really. It wasn’t a high-level game, mediocre I would say. The bogeys I made with silly mistakes, two shots I hit, one with the 9 iron and the other with the 6 iron and the rest orderly and no more. Without leaving the balls close to the hole, hitting quite a few greens but far, without many birdie options. I leave with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth especially because of how I played, no more.”
As for the amateurs of the Legends Experience, the competition is led by Swedish player Bengt Waxberg who today shared a match with Thomas Gögele and Markus Brier. In the case of the amateurs, the cut was made in the classification which 15 players passed, and tomorrow they will play their final round starting from the 10th hole at 10.20 am, after the professionals.
The third and final day of the professional competition of the Staysure Marbella Legends will start at 9 am from two tees. From the 1st, at 10.40 José Mª Olazábal will start, at 10.50 Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and the leaders’ match, with Simon Griffiths, Colin Montgomerie, and Lionel Alexandre will start at 11.00 am. At the end of the competition, the trophies will be awarded to the winner of the Staysure Marbella Legends and Legends Experience on the 18th green of Aloha Golf.
