The first round of the III Ciudad Real PGA Open of Spain, the third tournament of the TUMI Spain Golf Tour, was exciting right down to the last putt of the day. The day began very cool and with some rain, not much, but the wind did blow, which affected the morning's scores somewhat.
Marcos Pastor got up early, starting in the first game of the morning, continuing his unstoppable streak, and began dominating the standings with a total of 12 points at the end of the first round.
After winning the Pro-Am, he established himself as the favorite for his first victory of the season. And he led almost until the end, when Francisco “Chisco” Lagarto, with a round of five birdies in six holes (only one bogey from 1 to 6), surged into the lead with four more birdies and just three bogeys. Since birdies counted more, despite also shooting a 59 like Pastor, he took sole possession of the lead with 14 points. How can this be explained?
The leader's 14-point score is somewhat surprising to those unfamiliar with golf and its various formats. The tournament follows the circuit's traditional format of 54 holes (three rounds of 18) in Medal play, meaning scores are based on strokes. However, Ciudad Real has introduced a new scoring system, one that enhances the spectacle: the Modified Stableford system. This system awards points for each hole. An albatross earns 8 points; an eagle, 5; a birdie, 2; and par, 0. Mistakes also count: a bogey subtracts 1 point, and a double bogey or more subtracts an additional 3 points.
The nine birdies of “Chisco” Lagarto (two points each) subtracted from the four bogeys (one less for each mistake) totals 14 points, which has led him to lead alone with two more points than Marcos Pastor
The Cordoba native signed a first round of 59 strokes, which, added to birdies (seven) and subtracted from bogeys (2), gives a final result of 12 points on the leaderboard, second position alone.
Gerard Piris, who was the winner here in 2018, the first winner of the revived Circuit, seems to have the measure of Golf Ciudad Real and with 11 points (six birdies and one bogey) shares third place with Jorge García de la Osada (seven birdies and three bogeys) and with the Madrid native Vicente Blázquez (seven birdies and three bogeys).
“It’s the first time I’ve played this format in a long time, and I’ve enjoyed it because you really forget about the score, so you end up focusing more on your game. And that’s good. I’m fine-tuning things in my game, and during the week in Córdoba, my putting was a bit erratic, so I’ve been reading a book by the master, Bob Rotella, and it’s helped me focus on my putting. Ultimately, it’s what my father always told me,” commented Marcos Pastor, who fell in love with Golf Ciudad Real. “The driving range is monumental, the greens are perfect, and although it’s a short course, with this morning’s wind, it’s a course that holds its own. There should be a course like this in every city in Spain; it would do a great job of promoting golf,” he added.
The most charitable side of golf
Golf is an environmentally friendly, charitable, and healthy sport, and it also offers a special kind of support to those going through difficult times. A group of golfers, including Pedro Oriol, Emilio Cuartero, and José Manuel Caballero, accompanied by PGA President Ander Martínez and Ciudad Real City Councilor for Sports Pau Bertrán, visited the pediatric ward of the Ciudad Real University General Hospital to check on the children. There, they signed golf balls, spent time with the children, and cheered them up with smiles and affection—the best therapy in the face of illness.
In search of the second Grupo San Pablo Award for best Under-25
The Spanish Professional Golfers' Association and the San Pablo Group have joined forces in a remarkable joint venture to add a new dimension to the ninth edition of the Spanish PGA Tour, marking a new chapter in Spanish golf with the support of this prominent multi-sector company headquartered in Burgos. This alliance will be reflected in the recognition of the best Under-25 player in each Tour event, thus fostering the development and promotion of young talent in Spanish golf.
Furthermore, as part of this partnership, the San Pablo Group will lend its name to the tournaments in Madrid and Barcelona. The first award went to José Manuel Pardo, who won it at the 35th PGA Championship of Spain by Córdoba.
SOURCE: PGA of Spain
