Sergio García and Eugenio López Chacarra show their faces in Valderrama

Sergio García finished the first day of the LIV Golf de Andalucía in Valderrama on the verge of euphoria. He had been one of the seven players who had finished under par with his 69 and applauded, when he crossed paths with Eugenio López Chacarra, that his partner in the Fireballs had closed with one stroke less. “Very good, Chaqui,” he said to her. Ahead, South African Dean Burmester led with a 66, a specialist against the wind, who manages the medium shots with the 2 iron because he left the 1 at his home in Florida on this tour of Europe – British Open included – and he played some superb low shots that ended up very close to the flags. He made six birdies on a day where no golfer was spared bogeys.

On Friday he stretched without altering the expressions of the locals. There was west, like many days in July. Not even those from above, the nobility that protects itself with hats in the exclusive urbanization where the Valderrama club stands; Not even those from below, on the coast of Torreguadiaro, a fishing village colored mahogany by the sea breeze, were surprised.

A warm wind blew, from West to East, the most gruesome possible for the layout of the course because it dries the greens and it makes them hard as a Monday. But, and Sergio confided it to Jon Rahm (73 shot), on the way to the 4th tee, not the worst for golfers, although Chacarra believes that “Valderrama with the west, nothing good happens.” García says that in the other direction there are holes that become almost unplayable. “We were only going for four and I had the feeling of going for 17,” said the player from Barrika, who achieved a result below the game displayed.

In these circumstances, with unpredictable gusts among the branches of the cork oaks, the Borriol and Chacarra They engaged in a unique duel with Valderrama. Sergio, with the experience of more than 15 tournaments played and 200 training sessions, applied his experience so as not to be disappointed with shots that seemed good and ended with a worse result. “Of the eight greens that I have missed, maybe six were good shots,” he noted without regretting because he did find a stroke of fortune on the 7th when he holed it from 25 meters after the ball had gone six or seven times around the hole. “I just thought, fall down, fall down!”

Four birdies and two bogeys completed the card on a day with a great repertoire of different shots, confirming that he is completing a great course at LIV Golf and that he has natural talent. He doesn’t need to warm up on the practice field to get in shape. He just tried the approach shots to the green with a bucket and he was ready.

The last of the two errors was on the 17th (par 5). He ducked on the third shot after seeing Jon send the ball into the water due to a bad gust and wanted to play something more conservative. He fell into the bottom bunker and missed the putt. It wasn’t much of a toll because it was a rough day. So much so that, by team, only three squads finished under par: the Stingers of Burmeister, the Fireballs and the Iron Heads, of Danny Lee, second with 67.

A great version of Chacarra

Chacarra, meanwhile, had a great day. He finished with a birdie on the par-5 11th hole which allowed him to get one of the few drivers that Valderrama allows. The club with the largest head has been a torment for the young man throughout this course. After trying many, even daring to use the DeChambeau one, which is ungovernable, Titleist has created one that seems to suit him, similar to the ones he used in his university days where he gained fame. “I have played very solid,” said Eugenio proudly, with his medium socks as worn by Wilt Chamberlain in the NBA. Without a doubt, having hit that stick has reinforced his morale. He was third in Morocco last week.

Jon got lost on the first hole. His second shot from the fairway, 110 meters away, easy with a blaster for him it went to the left. He looked over the top of the trees trying to find an explanation for that bad shot that he didn’t find and that meant a bogey. From there, he offered a good version, close to what is presumed to be his champion spirit. He clouded his world with two more bogeys, made with pain, especially the one on the 13th hole when he three-putted after shooting for birdie. Then came the episode of the 17th, an unforeseen gust that suddenly stopped the ball from flying and took it directly into the pond. A price that has put Jon in a second platoon in sixteenth place.