Vuelta de siete bajo par. Quim Vidal (-7) shines again in an opening round, this time at the start of the Delhi Challenge. The Spaniard delivers a card of 65 strokes and begins co-leading the tournament held at the Classic Golf and Country Club in Hayran.
Quim is getting a taste for the lead. Just as he did only seven days ago, Vidal starts a tournament on an upward trend, confirming that he is in great form, which he will surely want to demonstrate in the remaining three rounds. He has more than enough skill to maintain the pace. Alongside Quim at the top are Jesper Sandborg, Jamie Rutherford, and the locals Udayan Mane and Angad Cheema.
The best part is the naturalness and simplicity with which he approaches the course of the day and the game displayed: “Normal, everything has been very normal,” he declares to TenGolf just after finishing his round. “Quim, but you’ve shot seven under, you must have done something very well,” and he insists on the response: “Honestly, I wasn’t very sharp with the irons and didn’t putt particularly well. Everything was very normal.” We repeat, a round of 65 strokes is not delivered every week, no matter how much the course offers opportunities. On one hand, the humility of not boasting when he doesn’t see it clearly, and secondly, how good these players are and what a pleasure it is to deliver 65 strokes in a “normal” round.
However, upon insistence, he does confess. “Well, the truth is that the chips worked well for me today. In fact, on holes 16 and 17, I didn’t have to putt. I had the ball just around the green and holed them. One of them was from fifteen metres. Also, on hole 14 (par five), I didn’t reach the green with the second shot and hit another good chip that left me with a given birdie.” Neither the driver, nor the usual shots, nor putting, this Thursday Quim enjoyed with the chip.
Two holed chips, one from fifteen metres in, and a third from a bit further away that left it given. It’s not common in a round to do something like that. Anyone would have gone a bit crazy, but Quim is like that. Simplicity and naturalness, taking it step by step and not giving himself more importance than necessary. He wraps the extraordinary in something common. As if it were easy.
Albert Boneta (-5) has also started like a rocket. The Catalan player keeps breaking down doors. Let’s remember that this is his first full season as a professional, he has the rights to the DP World Tour and is combining both circuits in his schedule. He is knocking on the door of a great week on the HotelPlanner Tour, and he has started this one with a card of 67 strokes adorned with seven birdies and two bogeys. He is eighth, just two shots off the lead pack.
Adri Arnaus (-3), Santi Tarrio (-2), and Víctor Pastor (-2) have started their journey in the upper half of the table. At the moment, they are within the provisional cut of the tournament (-2), but they cannot lose focus for a moment if they want to be in Delhi for the weekend. The top of the table is well within reach. Everything is very tight at the start. This course demands some under-the-radar rounds like Quim Vidal did this Thursday. He is the benchmark.
Sebastián García (-1) and Lucas Vacarisas (PAR) are just below the cut, but with more than enough margin to make a great performance in Delhi.
