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Ayora cards course record to claim Challenge Tour Grand Final lead

rugby31 October 2024 18:14
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Angel Ayora set a new course record at Club de Golf Alcanada to claim the outright lead on the opening day of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A.

The Spaniard fired an eagle, nine birdies and just one bogey to sign for a ten under par round of 62 in Port d'Alcúdia, one clear of Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen in second place.

Ayora’s round of ten under par sets a new course record on the Alcanada course which was previously set by South African JC Ritchie who posted a nine under par round of 63 in the season finale two years ago.

The 20-year-old made the perfect start to his opening round with an eagle at the par five fifth, before his only blemish of the day came on the second hole.

Ayora bounced back with a birdie at the third before further gains at eight and nine, which was a hole-out from the fairway, saw him reach the turn four under par.

The Spaniard parred the tenth hole before six birdies in a seven hole stretch saw him climb to the top of the leaderboard, and he has now set his sights on a second victory of the 2024 Road to Mallorca.

The 20-year-old currently sits sixth in the Road to Mallorca Rankings following victory in the Rosa Challenge Tour and five other top tens, and he has all but guaranteed promotion to the DP World Tour.

“Today was like playing a video game,” he said. “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 30 tournaments in a season. You learn a lot, playing on different types of courses with different grasses.”

Neergaard-Petersen, who earned automatic promotion to the DP World Tour after winning three times on the Challenge Tour this season, is hoping to finish the season as Challenge Tour Number One and he made the perfect start with an opening bogey-free 63.

Kristoffer Reitan from Norway had earlier set the pace on a low-scoring opening day, signing for a seven under par total to sit in solo third, one stroke clear of Frenchman Martin Couvra, Finn Oliver Lindell, Swede Joakim Lagergren and Dane Nicolai Kristensen who share fourth.

Irishman Conor Purcell, Spaniard Joel Moscatel, Dane Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen and Swede Niklas Lemke are in eighth on five under par.

Round two gets under way at 8:05am local time tomorrow with Ayora teeing off in the final group alongside Neergaard-Petersen at 9:50am.

© DP World Tour

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