Angel Ayora wasted no time making headlines at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, breaking the course record at Club de Golf Alcanada with a blistering 10-under-par round of 62.
The 20-year-old Spaniard dominated from the start, notching up an eagle and nine birdies with only one bogey, leaving him one shot clear of Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen as he charged ahead on the opening day.
In an unforgettable performance, Ayora bested the previous course record of 63, set by South African JC Ritchie in the season finale two years ago.
Ayora’s round was nothing short of thrilling, highlighted by an eagle on the par-five fifth hole, a minor slip with a bogey on the second, and a prompt comeback with a birdie on the third.
He cruised through the front nine, adding more fire to his game with birdies at eight and nine— the latter a stunning hole-out from the fairway—to turn in at four under.
Ayora kept the heat on through the back nine, kicking things up a notch with six birdies over seven holes, comfortably claiming the top spot on the leaderboard.
Angel Ayora: Today was like playing a video game. Everything was good, so I’m very happy with it. I’m very proud, especially doing it here in Spain. I have less work for the rest of the tournament now. Hopefully I can do the same tomorrow.
The greens were a little bit soft, so you can hit more at the pins. There was a little wind earlier on which meant I had to be a bit more precise with my irons.
I’ve grown a lot this year. I’ve never played 28 or 29 tournaments in a season. You learn a lot, playing on different types of courses with different grasses.
With this performance, Ayora is well within reach of his second victory this season on the 2024 Road to Mallorca.
Currently ranked sixth in the standings after winning the Rosa Challenge Tour and landing five other top-10 finishes, Ayora is nearly certain to earn his promotion to the DP World Tour.
Close on his heels, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen also put on a stellar show, firing a bogey-free 63. Already locked into a DP World Tour spot after three wins on the Challenge Tour, the Dane has his sights set on claiming the season’s top rank.
Meanwhile, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan made his mark on a low-scoring day, signing for a solid 7-under-par to sit in solo third. Frenchman Martin Couvra, Finn Oliver Lindell, Swede Joakim Lagergren, and Nicolai Kristensen of Denmark finished their rounds at six under, sharing fourth place.
A cluster of notable players, including Irishman Conor Purcell, Spain’s Joel Moscatel, and Danes Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen and Niklas Lemke, rounded out the top ten at five under par.
As the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final rolls into round two, Ayora will tee off alongside Neergaard-Petersen in the final group at 9:50 a.m. local time, hoping to secure his lead and inch closer to the trophy.
