Tomas Gouveia showcased his golfing prowess on the opening day of the Kaskáda Golf Challenge, shooting an extraordinary ten-under-par 61 to seize a two-stroke lead.
The Portuguese golfer’s flawless round, featuring eight birdies and an eagle, left competitors in the dust and set the stage for an exciting tournament in Brno.
Gouveia’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. With no bogeys to mar his scorecard, the 29-year-old displayed a level of consistency that has eluded him through the first eleven weeks on the Road to Mallorca.
“I was able to put everything together which is something that I haven’t done this season,” Gouveia said, reflecting on his exceptional day. “When that happens, I know I can shoot low scores.”
Indeed, everything clicked for Gouveia as he navigated the challenges of Golf Resort Kaskáda.
His precision with the putter and sharp approach shots were pivotal. “Today it was that day where everything went well.”
“I made some putts, hit the ball really close to the hole and I’m very happy to be in the position I’m in,” he added.
The importance of this round was not lost on Gouveia. “If you look at my scores in the first rounds this year, they haven’t been great, so it’s a boost to put that score together today,” he noted.
His strategy centred on eliminating errors, which has been his Achilles’ heel despite making enough birdies to post competitive scores.
“My main focus was to get the bogeys and the mistakes out of the way because I’ve been making enough birdies this season to shoot a good round but just making a lot of bogeys. I was able to do that which was perfect.”
Gouveia also highlighted the key to mastering the Kaskáda layout: finding fairways and reading the undulating greens.
“Off the tee is the main key this week,” he explained. “If you hit the fairways you can have a lot of chances, and if you’re putting well, you’ll do well.”
“I was hitting great drives, great shots into the greens and I was seeing the lines really well on the greens.”
His only misstep came on the 17th green, but it was a minor blemish on an otherwise immaculate round.
“I didn’t see one on hole 17, but on every other hole I could just see the ball going in.”
“When that happens, you just have to take advantage of it and that’s what I did,” he said.
Hot on Gouveia’s heels are South African Bryce Easton and German Jannik de Bruyne, both posting impressive rounds to stay within striking distance.
Meanwhile, Dane Hamish Brown’s seven-under 64 places him in fourth, with a cluster of six players, including Englishmen George Bloor and Joshua Berry, Frenchmen Alexander Levy and Pierre Pineau, Finn Oliver Lindell, and Scotland’s Marc Warren, tied for fifth at six-under.
Round two promises to be equally thrilling, commencing at 7:30 am local time with Gouveia set to tee off at 8:50 am alongside England’s George Mason and Jamie Rutherford.
As the Kaskáda Golf Challenge unfolds, all eyes will be on Gouveia to see if he can maintain his remarkable form and secure a much-needed victory.
