Eight players, including Spaniards Joel Moscatel, Victor Garcia Broto, and Pep Angles, share a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Challenge de España at Real Club Sevilla Golf.
The trio posted four-under-par rounds of 68 alongside Welshmen Jack Davidson and Rhys Enoch, Finn Tapio Pulkkanen, Dane Jonathan Gøth-Rasmussen, and Englishman Sam Hutsby.
25-year-old Moscatel continued his strong form, registering six birdies and two bogeys. He was satisfied with his start, stating, “I really like this course. I’ve had a good season, with good feelings and although there’s still a long way to go, I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”
He also praised the course’s challenging conditions, saying, “The greens are hard and fast, so I’m very happy with the round.”
Broto’s day was equally eventful, with six birdies, one eagle, and four bogeys.
He noted the initial challenge of strong winds but was pleased with his late-round surge.
“The day started a little tricky,” he said. “It was windy at the beginning, but I then started playing really well.”
Broto also highlighted his renewed enthusiasm, adding, “I haven’t been playing too well the last few weeks, so starting in this way, in my home country, is really nice and I’m looking forward to the next few days.”
Angles birdied his closing hole to join the group of leaders, reflecting on his recent break from golf.
“Last season was very hard for me,” he said. “I decided not to play for a while, and now I’m playing very calmly and taking advantage of the opportunities I get.”
Davidson and Enoch also posted matching 68s, with Davidson starting on the back nine and finishing strong with five birdies.
Enoch, ranked fifth in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, appreciated the course’s setup, stating, “The course is in fantastic shape. It’s great to have to think your way around and to get punished for missing fairways. I love the challenge.”
Gøth-Rasmussen made five birdies, an eagle, and three bogeys to join the leaders, while Pulkkanen had a similar performance, even though he bogeyed the 16th and 17th.
Pulkkanen remarked, “It was a great round and a good front nine. The greens are fast and super firm, so you just can’t miss them this week. You need to hit the ball well.”
Hutsby also faced challenging conditions but managed to birdie three of his last five holes to tie for the lead.
He noted the importance of accuracy off the tee, saying, “There’s not a lot of rough, but it’s demanding enough off the tee.
If you can stay in the short stuff, it gives you more control into the firm greens which are really tricky.”
The leading group holds a one-shot advantage over 13 other players tied for ninth.
Round two will start at 8:00 am local time, with Moscatel and Pulkkanen teeing off alongside Spaniard Pedro Oriol at 8:40 am.
Scores after round one:
68 J G?TH-RASMUSSEN (DEN), J DAVIDSON (WAL), S HUTSBY (ENG), J MOSCATEL (ESP), T PULKKANEN (FIN), R ENOCH (WAL), P ANGLES (ESP), V GARCIA BROTO (ESP),
69 D BERNA MANZANARES (ESP), E WALKER (SCO), J SAINZ (ESP), J RUTHERFORD (ENG), G FDEZ-CASTA?O (ESP), R NEERGAARD-PETERSEN (DEN), N KRISTENSEN (DEN), G BOURDY (FRA), C BARROW (ENG), G DE LEO (ITA), R SANTOS (POR), R WILLIAMS (RSA), A HALVORSEN (NOR),
70 A GARCIA-HEREDIA (ESP), H BROWN (DEN), M COUVRA (FRA), B ROBINSON THOMPSON (ENG), F MORY (FRA), B HEBERT (FRA), R WATTEL (FRA), J LEE (USA), J HILLEARD (ENG), C BLOMSTRAND (SWE), J DE BRUYN (GER), P PINEAU (FRA), A CHESTERS (ENG), C WOOD (ENG), C HOWIE (SCO), M HONKALA (FIN), O HUNDEB?LL (DEN), D MCELROY (NIR),
71 S MAZZOLI (ITA), S GROS (FRA), M STEWART (SCO), Q VIDAL (ESP), R LUMSDEN (SCO), A QUIROS (ESP), A LEVY (FRA), A AYORA (ESP), P KATICH (GER), R MCGOWAN (ENG), A MAGUIRE (IRL), A ZEMMER (ITA), B MARTIN (ESP), T GOUVEIA (POR), O FARR (WAL), J PARRY (ENG), G PORTEOUS (ENG), J MCDONALD (SCO), B ?KESSON (SWE), F KENNEDY (ENG), R MULLARNEY (IRL), D NAIDOO (RSA), L KEUNEN (NED),
72 D FOOS (GER), H TOWNSEND (SWE), E ROUSAUD (ESP), J ALLAN (ENG), C BRING (DEN), J ANDERSEN (DEN), O FISHER (ENG), J MAICAS (ESP), O GILLBERG (SWE), C LINDH (SWE), R HOLMBERG (SWE), J FREIBURGHAUS (SUI), C GUICHARD (FRA), B EASTON (RSA), H MAGNUS (ISL), K REITAN (NOR),
73 G STAL (FRA), B RUSCH (SUI), L JOHNSTON (SCO), T VAHLENKAMP (GER), D HORSEY (ENG), O GUILLAMOUNDEGUY (FRA), J SALE (FRA), M HAMMER (GER), T ED?N (SWE), L VACARISAS (ESP), N LEMKE (SWE), W NIENABER (RSA), D YOUNG (SCO), O LINDELL (FIN), T SHADBOLT (ENG), R KAKKO (FIN), M GIBOUDOT (FRA), P L?NGFORS (SWE), J PASTOR (ESP),
74 W BESSELING (NED), J BERRY (ENG), J DEAN (ENG), M WARREN (SCO), V PASTOR (ESP), C PIGEM (ESP), P BOVARI (ITA), L RUUSKA (FIN), L MASAVEU (AM) (ESP), L VAN MEIJEL (NED), M GRADECKI (POL), L CIANCHETTI (ITA), G BOYD (ENG), J GOUGH (ENG), R KARLBERG (SWE), J LAGERGREN (SWE), J FLOYDD (ENG), M LINDBERG (SWE), J SENIOR (ENG), J CALDWELL (NIR), D BORDA (ESP), R KLEU (SUI),
75 C PURCELL (IRL), S FERNANDEZ (ESP), ? ?TIRN (SLO), E CUARTERO BLANCO (ESP), A PLANT (ENG), M BARGENDA (POL), A AGUILERA (ESP), A WILSON (ENG), R ROUSSEL (FRA), G BLOOR (ENG), M QUIROS (ESP), S BROHOLT LIND (DEN), K VAN DER WEELE (NED),
76 G KRISTJANSSON (ISL), A BOASSON (ISL), R THOMPSON (ENG), M POWER (IRL), A CA?IZARES (ESP), M MARTIN (ENG), M GILARDI (SUI),
77 B VIRTO (ESP), J ZUSKA (CZE), T TETAK (SVK), G HURLEY (IRL), C O’ROURKE (IRL), A ABREU (POR), C BRAEUNIG (GER), M SCHMITT (GER), C KNIPES (ENG), A ETCHENIQUE (FRA),
78 P ORIOL (ESP), J MURPHY (IRL), G MASON (ENG),
79 M MADSEN (DEN), J PARDO BENITEZ (ESP), Y SCHUETZ (GER),
81 V LOPES (POR),
