Scotland’s Richie Ramsay is the first leader of the Andalucía Masters thanks to a great card of 65 strokes, six under par, in a day in which only 8 players managed to beat the field, among them, Sergio García (-1). The wind, which blew especially hard in the afternoon, made the always demanding course of the Club de Golf Valderrama as difficult as possible. Behind the Scotsman is the Englishman Ross Fisher, second by two strokes.
Sergio Garcia started his participation in the Andalucia Masters very well, placing himself two strokes behind Ramsay after a fantastic eagle on the 11th hole for four under par. But from then on, the Spaniard’s round has suffered continuous ups and downs. From the twelfth to the fourteenth he chained bogey, double bogey, bogey, bogey, and in the last three holes he signed birdie, bogey, birdie.
Tied in ninth place, at the Par of the course, 71 strokes, are Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Alejandro Cañizares, together with players like Martin Kaymer or Francesco Molinari. The defending champion, Graeme McDowell, has not been able to go below 73 strokes in the first round and in the chapter of disappointments we must mention Alvaro Quiros with +5 and Jose Mari Olazabal +4 who will have to row tomorrow to pass the cut of the top 50.
The leader, Richie Ramsay, 28, made a name for himself by winning the 2006 US Open Amateur and becoming the first player to be number one in the world amateur ranking in the year it was established by the R&A, 2007. Two victories in the Challenge preceded his arrival on the European Tour where he won the 2009 South African Open. Today he has been somewhat favored to go out in the morning with less wind, although his 65 strokes confirm that the Scot arrives in top form to the Andalucia Masters after the third place he achieved in Castellon last week.
Sergio García, 70 strokes, one under par: “It has been a tough day, it was very windy and finishing with one under par is a very good result in Valderrama. The wind makes the course very difficult, on the 14th or 16th, which are about 400 yards, you can normally play 3 iron, 7 iron, or Drive – 5 iron, that explains how complicated the course is.
I played well, I was lucky on the 11th, for the eagle, but the luck vanished on the 13th and 17th where I hit good Drives. Here you not only have to hit a good shot, but hit it to the right place.
Ramsay is playing very well, he seems to have had one of those days when it all comes together, but there is still a long tournament ahead.
As a Spaniard it is very special to play in my country, with our public, last week and this week are very special. I hope I can finish the week very well and fight for the Andalucía Masters”.
Richie Ramsay, 65 strokes, six under par: “Valderrama is a wonderful course, you have to hit the ball straight, keep it in play, know how to control it and that’s what I did today, as well as kicking well and staying very patient.
The course is in very good condition, I’m really enjoying it. To make 65 strokes, six under, in a classic course and one of the best like this one, is a fantastic feeling.
When you stand on the tee, you look ahead and even though you see the narrowness of the fairways, you realize the challenge you have in front of you.”
Miguel Angel Jimenez, 71 strokes, PAR: “It was a tough day, I couldn’t get the speed of the greens throughout the round, I didn’t hit the long putts well.
I’m playing well and a return to PAR is a good result at Valderrama, but I’m not happy about the double bogey on the 18th. I missed the tee shot and didn’t make the bogey, I didn’t make the putts.
ampo doesn’t allow mistakes, it demands a lot from you and you have to be there”.
Martin Kaymer, 71 strokes, PAR: “I had a lot of ups and downs in the first round, I made two bogeys on the par 3s, however I fought pretty well on the back nine.”
Graeme McDowell, 73 strokes, two over par: “Today I had a hard time controlling my wedge shots and leaving the ball close to the hole. With this result, +2, I honestly don’t know if I’m happy or disappointed”.
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