An eagle two at his penultimate hole sent Alfredo Garcia-Heredia hurtling straight to the top of affairs at El Encin Golf Hotel as the Spaniard carded an eight under par 64 in the opening round of the Challenge de Madrid.
The 33 year old from Gijon, on his nation’s northern coast, put the finishing touches on an exemplary opening salvo with a holed wedge on the par four 17th hole, which alongside eight further birdies and a couple of dropped shots sees him lead by one.
There are three players just a stroke shy of the leading Spaniard’s impressive total, however, with Frenchman Sebastien Gros, Michael Jonzon of Sweden and Ireland’s Ruaidhri McGee all seven under.
For Garcia-Heredia, however, it marked an upturn in fortunes for a man that has felt for a number of years that his play was not getting the rewards it perhaps deserved, but there was certainly no shortage of riches in return for his fine golf on Wednesday.
“I played really well and hit very good shots,” said the Spaniard, whose best European Challenge Tour performance was a runner-up finish at the 2008 Challenge de España. “I made a couple of good saves, and then I hit a good shot on 17 to make an eagle two. It was a perfect wedge, but they don’t always go in, so it was great that this one did.
“I’ve played really well the last three years, and the results have just not been what I expected, but I have kept working on my game. I have struggled a little bit with my putting, and those weeks when you need to play well I haven’t had my best moments, but I have kept trying.
“I like the course, and I played here in the Madrid Masters in 2011, so I knew the greens and that helps. You need to know this golf course, which side to hit it to on the greens and then be able to make some putts, and that’s it.
“I’ve been practising all winter at Valderrama, Sotogrande and La Reserva, so I would like to thank them for their help over the last few months. I don’t think I will shoot eight under again tomorrow, but I will try to keep hitting good shots and nothing else.”
Two-time European Tour winner Jonzon also has plenty of reasons to be pleased with his bogey-free opening effort in Madrid, especially when you consider he has barely played a round since last November’s Qualifying School Final Stage.
He has tasted success on Spanish soil in the past, however, claiming the CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar five years ago, and has arrived well rested as he looks to earn a return to European golf’s top table.
“Including the practice rounds here, that is probably only my third 18 holes since Q-School,” said Jonzon. “I have obviously practiced a bit, but I haven’t played, so I’m not surprised I’m hitting good shots but it is always the scoring part that you can’t always know how it will go.
“I haven’t had anywhere to play, and I took some time off after the school as I was a little disappointed. I didn’t go to Madeira as I didn’t feel like I was ready, but I am starting to get ready now, and today was a good day.
“I played here a couple of years ago in the Challenge Tour event, so I knew the course. It is generous off the tee and you need to be on the right side of the greens as they are tricky, so I think it kind of suits me. When you’ve had time off, it is nice to have a generous fairway to aim at.
“It is a great start though, and I’m surprised how it felt, as it didn’t feel like it had been five months. I’ve had success in Spain in the past though, and it is a nice place with good memories.”
Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia continued his rich run of form that dates back to a maiden Challenge Tour title last October at the EMC Golf Challenge Open with a six under par score in Madrid that has him in a four-way share of fifth.
He has a couple of home favourites for company on that mark, namely Nacho Elvira and Juan Sarasti, while Italy’s Niccolo Ravano also signed for a 66.
Frenchman François Calmels won this event two years ago, and he got his defence – of sorts – off to a solid start as he shot one under and finished in a tie for 61st. That is three better than Javier Ballesteros, on a course that has commemorative ‘Seve’ yardage markers lining its par five last, in memory of his father.
