The second round of the III Bizkaia PGAe Open was a thrilling affair at Meaztegi Golf, with significant changes at the top of the leaderboard and everyone wondering if José María Olazábal, a two-time Masters champion, would make the cut. And he did, after a hard-fought round and some truly historic shots.
David Borda, winner this season of the Izki Golf doubles with Borja Virto, repeated his first-day result and, with two rounds of 68 strokes (-4), has taken the sole lead with a total of 136 strokes (-8). Just one bogey in two days (today on the 11th hole) testifies to Borda's excellent form, as he aims to become the third winner of the Bizkaia PGAe Open, the fourth tournament of the 2024 TUMI Spain Golf Tour.
“The two rounds have been very similar. I played very solidly from the start, especially yesterday. Today, the back nine wasn't as good, but I finished well. It was cold early this morning and there was a bit of rain, but the course is perfect. I hadn't been here before, and honestly, it's a highly recommended course. The plan for tomorrow is to go all out and try to enjoy it. The PGA is growing, and the circuit that's being created is very positive for both young and older players. It's a great opportunity for professional golf,” David Borda commented afterward.
Just one stroke behind the leader are Gerard Piris, eager to avenge his playoff defeat in the inaugural edition, and Colombian Iván Ramírez, both with 69 strokes (-3) and a total of 137 strokes (-7). The leaderboard is incredibly tight, with only two strokes separating the top five.
Another of the day's protagonists was two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal, who was fighting to make the cut in the first round but succeeded in the second, much to everyone's delight, after a round of 71 (-1) and a total of 145 (+1). And that's despite starting the day with a triple bogey on the first hole.
“It was a tough day. On the first tee, I hit the ball badly off the tee and lost my confidence. I tried to get the ball in the fairway as best I could, and in the end, I fought back like a cornered cat and managed to salvage the round. Luck was also on my side on the 12th, where I hit a terrible drive, but we finally found the ball. From there, I hit a 3-wood and saved par, which, given the state of the ball, is a good result,” commented José María Olazábal, who hopes to welcome his parents to Meaztegi tomorrow. “Let’s see if they’ll join us, and we can have a nice day like last year,” added the Basque player, who shared 34th place with, among others, Manuel Ballesteros, nephew of the great Seve Ballesteros.
Marcos Pastor, the leader after the first day, finished with 73 strokes (+1) after a double bogey on the 10th and a solitary birdie on the 18th, and occupies sixth position.
Joseba Torres Olazábal, nephew of José María Olazábal, is the only amateur to have made the cut after a good round of 70 strokes (-2) that puts him in 14th place. The winner of the first edition, Asier Aguirre, also made the cut, while the defending champion, Borja Martín, did not, as did Álvaro Quirós, who missed the top 44 by a single stroke.
SOURCE: PGA of Spain
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