The picturesque fairways of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in Normandy witnessed a masterclass from Spanish golfer Vidal, who stormed into an early lead with a scintillating display of golf.
Starting from the tenth hole, Vidal dazzled with four consecutive birdies beginning at the 12th, catapulting him to the top of the leaderboard.
A minor setback with a bogey at the 17th was quickly nullified by a magnificent eagle on the 18th, allowing him to make the turn at five under par.
The back nine saw Vidal maintain his momentum with further birdies at the sixth, seventh, and eighth holes, finishing his round at a remarkable seven under par.
This performance placed him a stroke ahead of the home favourite, Frenchman Sébastien Gros, who sits in second place.
Reflecting on his round, Vidal attributed his success to a stellar day with the putter.
“I played really well today. I was nice off the tee and with my irons, but the putting was very, very good.
I had a lot of 15-footers and missed maybe one out of six. Having those chances is really important – if you don’t hit the greens and make those kinds of putts, it’s tough to score.”
At 24 years old, Vidal is no stranger to pressure. He secured his Challenge Tour card after finishing second on the Alps Tour Order of Merit last season.
However, his recent form had been less than stellar, missing the cut in his last two tournaments on the Road to Mallorca.
The transformation in his putting at Le Vaudreuil was as surprising as it was welcome.
“I came here from a couple of bad tournaments, putting my worst, but today I putted the best in my life.
I don’t understand this kind of change from one week to another, but I would love to keep this momentum going on the greens. I know if I keep that it’s going to be a great week.”
Vidal’s performance overshadowed a strong field, with Englishman Sam Hutsby and Dutchman Wil Besseling sharing third place at six under par.
Close behind were German Marc Hammer, Spaniard Borja Virto, and South Africans Wilco Nienaber and Luke Jerling, all tied for fifth.
A cluster of six players, including Irishman Conor Purcell and Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who leads the Road to Mallorca Rankings, shared seventh place at four under par.
The second round of the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge promises more excitement, starting at 8:00 am local time.
Vidal, riding high on his superb form, will tee off alongside Dane Nicolai Kristensen and Swede Christofer Blomstrand at 2:30 pm.
As the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge continues, all eyes will be on Vidal to see if he can maintain his extraordinary putting prowess and secure a memorable victory in Normandy.
His opening round has certainly set the stage for what could be a defining moment in his burgeoning career.
