Angel Ayora remains with options to achieve his first victory in the Challenge of Cadiz that ends tomorrow at the Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri, where the Danish Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen aims to repeat history, as his father won a Challenge in Andalusia in 1993. Nienaber, one of the longest hitters on the DP World Tour, is in the fight with 18 holes left to decide the winner.
The die has been cast and tomorrow will decide the 4th winner of the Challenge of Cadiz. Today was the third lap, “the one of movement”, but here no one was willing to move from his position except Wilco Nienaber, who has moved from last place to 2nd, or Goth-Rasmussen, who faces the final day as solo leader. Ayora has held firm and will start with options tomorrow in Chiclana.
Angel Ayora, member of the RFEG Pro Spain and one of the youngest players of the tournament (19 years old), has made use of his youth and his grit to stay among the first places and not to be intimidated by the difficulties presented by the course. Thus, he started with eagle on hole 2 and finished the round with 4 birdies and 3 bogeys for 69 and a total of minus 8. “It was a tough day, as always, but I’m very happy, because I started with a good and very difficult chip to 2 for eagle; then I missed two very short putts, luckily my caddie was there to say, ‘calm, let’s keep giving us opportunities and they will come’. And so it was, I kept calm and started the second round very well with two birdies. A couple of birdies got away, but they didn’t give them away…, and a very difficult bogey on the par 3. The final, which is quite hard, I was able to save it well. These three days have been very similar, the wind has been changing a bit and I had to change the strategy sometimes, but I’m ready to push tomorrow. It’s the first time I’ve started 2nd, I’ve had options in other Challenges that didn’t work out well. Tomorrow I will go out hole by hole, leaving myself birdie opportunities, and calm, which is the most important thing. “.
Leading the way was Denmark’s Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, who started one stroke behind the leaders, and got off to a flying start to lead alone, with five birdies in the first 9 holes, and two bogeys against three birdies for the second for 66 and a total of 12 under par, leaving him 4 strokes ahead of the final. “It was a very calm round, I played very well all day, very good off the tee and made easy birdies. It wasn’t anything crazy, I played very solid. I found something in my game last week and I’m hitting very well, I feel like I’m playing very solid in all aspects. Tomorrow, I will keep working, I will try to play aggressive off the tee and see if I can make birdies. “. Jonathan’s father won the Challenge that was played in Seville in 1993, “I would love to win on the same course he did, but I’ll take this week“. Goth-Rasmussen earned his card to play this year’s DP World Tour through the School, where his best result to date has been a 42nd place.
Wilco Nienaber is one of those who share the second position with Ayora, as well as with Hamish Brown and Gary Hurley, with 8 under par, but he is the one who has presented the best card of the day to get into the ‘pomada’. Considered one of the best hitters of the DP World Tour, the South African Nienaber has signed a card with two eagle (holes 4 and 6), 5 birdies and a bogey, 64 strokes with which he has gone from passing the fair cut, to put himself in second position with options to win the Challenge de Cadiz. “Today I went out with no expectations; I’m kicking and hitting it well, so I’ve been looking for birdie opportunities and not par, like yesterday. I have to avoid laps like yesterday’s. (75 strokes) but we all know how golf is and we have to try to limit the bad days. Tomorrow I will go out to try to find birdies and see if it comes out. “.
Tomorrow Sunday will be played the final day of the Challenge of Cadiz, which will start at 8, will start from 2 tees and the leaders game will start at 10.06h with Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, Wilco Nienaber and Angel Ayora. At the end of the game the trophy will be awarded to the winner.
The Challenge de Cádiz is sponsored by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Diputación de Cádiz, the Challenge Tour, and the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, as well as the Consejo Superior de Deportes, the Junta de Andalucía, the two Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, Kyocera (official printing services), Allianz, Mahou San Miguel, Solán de Cabras, AON, Halcón Viajes, Volvo, Titleist, Tag Heuer, Iberdrola, TOA Shoes, Farma Dorsch, Marqués de Arviza, Licor Mediterráneo and Viamed under the organization of JGolf.
