If it wasn't the dream start, it came very, very close. That could be the summary of the historic day that unfolded this Thursday at the Marapendi Reserve Olympic Course, where Rafael Cabrera-Bello (T4, -4) and Sergio García (T11, -2) delivered a tremendously exciting debut at the Olympic Games.
Less than half of the 60 participants managed to finish under par on a course where the wind, when it blows, is capable of putting even the most skilled player in a difficult position.
Thus, in this opening round, Bubba Watson (+2) and Rickie Fowler (+4) both fell short, but not the two Spanish golfers. Both experienced a range of emotions during their rounds, but their overall performance ultimately proved overwhelmingly positive.
Especially Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who scored 67 strokes (-4) in a round that started fantastically, went awry, and then recovered energetically with three consecutive birdies on holes 16, 17, and 18. Happy ending.
The Canary Islander braved the strong wind, the kind he loves to encounter when practicing his favorite hobby away from the golf courses: surfing. He climbed aboard and began racking up birdies with clockwork consistency and surgical precision.
Yes, consistency, because they came one after another regularly, and precision, because he used the putter with the same concentration and firmness as one would use a scalpel. His first round was simply a textbook example of great golf, always with the serenity that has accompanied him since he was a promising amateur.
His putts of around ten meters on holes 2 and 4 – strikingly similar to the viewer – allowed him to temper any understandable tension given the importance of the moment. It's not every day you're an Olympian. That magnificent start propelled him straight into the provisional Top 10, still led by a spectacular Marcus Fraser.
Another pair of birdies on holes 5 and 7 suggested a great day ahead: four under par for the front nine was certainly an encouraging result. But on the 11th hole, Rafael Cabrera-Bello's round took a turn for the worse with an unexpected double bogey, followed by a bogey on the 15th.
Given that scenario, many a player would have lost their composure on the last three holes, but not Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who once again climbed onto the birdie leaderboard to overcome the wind and the challenges posed by Gil Hanse's design. The fist pump he showed on the 17th and 18th holes bodes well for the coming days.
An eagle on the 18th hole brightened Sergio Garcia's debut
Sergio Garcia, for his part, experienced a rollercoaster ride, with some brilliant moments interspersed with others where he was unfairly penalized. His tee-to-green game was generally solid, but his putting was inconsistent.
His two phenomenal birdies on the 1st and 3rd holes, with two very fine, not excessively long putts, ignited the Castellón native, who, when he's on a roll, is capable of racking up a lot of birdies. But a bogey on the 4th, after hitting a bunker, clipped his wings… temporarily.
Sergio Garcia raised his score to -2 on the leaderboard on the 9th hole with a birdie after an approach shot before facing the worst moment of his round: bogeys on the 12th and 14th holes to lose his cushion and remain at par.
That's when Sergio García's inner genius emerged, the genius of improbable shots. With one from off the green, which ended up in a tight loop – the eagle was miraculously missed – he made birdie, lost that slim lead with a bogey on the 17th, and then dazzled with an eagle, this time on the 18th, which earned him the albatross. He left it within striking distance with a second shot from 207 meters, one of the best of the day.
His impressive finish, along with that of Rafael Cabrera-Bello, left the Spanish delegation with a fantastic feeling, as both of their riders are currently among the top contenders. One battle won, but the fight isn't over until Sunday.
Marcus Fraser's imperial debut
Australian Marcus Fraser was the star of the day at Marapendi Reserve. Teeing off in the fourth group of the day, he carded a flawless 63 (-8) with nine birdies and just one bogey. Five birdies in the first six holes for the Australian.
Marcus Fraser leads the standings with a three-stroke advantage over Canadian Graham Delaet and Swede Henrik Stenson (-5), and four strokes over a quintet that includes Rafael Cabrera-Bello with -4.
Justin Rose's hole-in-one on the 4th, the first in the Olympic tournament, or the navy blue and white armbands worn by Sergio García, Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Manuel Piñero in memory of Severiano Ballesteros – a fantastic detail that did not go unnoticed – added color to a day that is now part of golf history.
This Friday, on the second day, the same matches will be played but at different times. Sergio García will take to the court at 1:25 PM Spanish time, and Rafael Cabrera-Bello will start at 2:14 PM. The second round is set.
FIRST ROUND CLASSIFICATION
1. Marcus Fraser (AUS) 63
2. Graham Delaet (CAN) 66
+.- Henrik Stenson (SWE) 66
4.- Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67
11.- Sergio García (ESP) 69
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