Kristoffer Reitan (-15) is the big surprise after the first two rounds of the Challenge Tour Final. The Norwegian is second in the tournament after delivering the best card of the day with 64 strokes. Seven and eight under par respectively leave him two shots behind the lead currently held by Ángel Ayora (-17). The third contender is Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (-12). It’s too early to rule anyone out, but this trio is emerging as the favourite for the title on Sunday.
Reitan arrived in Mallorca ranked 36th on the Road to Mallorca and in need of a great result, which he is achieving so far. With his provisional second position, he gains 24 places on the leaderboard and jumps to number 12. It is undoubtedly the move of the week. He cannot afford to slip too much because anything less than fifth place will prevent him from finishing among the top 22 that grants access to the DP World Tour.
The 26-year-old Norwegian has yet to win on the circuit, but he is experiencing the best season of his career. He has flirted with victory and has secured a second and a third place, something that had not happened before.
Kristoffer knows the hardest part is yet to come, with 36 very demanding holes ahead: “When I arrived at the tournament, I knew I would need a very good result, and I’m happy because I’m playing very well. The goal is clearly there, but I don’t want to think beyond that; I want to prove to myself that I can continue playing at this level. Nothing more. I want one of the cards, but thinking about them won’t help me. Play well, and the result will follow.”
The Norwegian feels very comfortable playing in Spain; in fact, he is based in Marbella for much of the year and, among other things, is a member of Valderrama.
Ironically, the Norwegian shares a close friendship with Ángel Ayora. They get along very well. Juan Ochoa, the Spanish player’s coach, also manages Reitan’s physical training, which often leads to them warming up together and spending many hours on the course. Just before flying to Mallorca, they played 18 holes together with Álvaro Quirós.
Reitan is full of praise for the Spaniard: “It’s very impressive what he is achieving. I’m not overly surprised because I see him many days, but the quality he has and his swing are in a different league,” the Norwegian highlights.
However, when asked which quality of Ángel he would imitate, he is clear: “If I had to choose one thing, it would be his mentality. It’s surprising because he’s only 20 years old. He wants to win and goes for it. I think the environment he has also helps him achieve everything he’s accomplishing.”
They know each other perfectly, and the admiration is mutual. Tomorrow, starting at 12:45, they will share the spotlight in the featured match of the third round of the tournament. They could hardly have believed it a few days ago.
