01안방에서 저력 과시한 이달고, 단독 선두 질주
앙헬 이달고(스페인)가 고국에서 열린 DP월드투어 아시아노 오픈 데 에스파냐 2라운드에서 단독 선두에 오르며 홈 팬들을 열광시켰다. 이달고는 스페인 마드리드의 클럽 데 캠포 빌라 데 마드리드(파71)에서 열린 대회 둘째 날, 버디 6개와 보기 2개를 기록하며 4언더파 67타를 쳤다. 중간 합계 10언더파 132타를 기록한 이달고는 2위 그룹을 2타 차로 따돌리고 리더보드 최상단을 지켰다.
'스페인의 영웅' 욘 람 또한 매서운 기세로 선두권을 추격했다. 람은 2라운드에서 2언더파를 추가하며 중간 합계 7언더파 135타를 기록, 미국의 패트릭 리드 등과 함께 공동 3위 그룹에 이름을 올렸다. 선두 이달고와는 3타 차이로, 대회 통산 4번째 우승을 노리는 람은 주말 라운드에서 본격적인 역전 우승 사냥에 나설 전망이다.
잉글랜드의 조 딘은 이날 6타를 줄이는 절정의 샷 감각을 선보이며 중간 합계 8언더파 단독 2위로 도약했다. 한편 이번 대회 컷 탈락 기준선은 1오버파 143타로 결정되었으며, 총 73명의 선수가 3라운드 진출에 성공했다. 디펜딩 챔피언 마티외 파봉(프랑스) 역시 무난히 컷을 통과하며 타이틀 방어를 위한 희망을 이어갔다.
02Original (English) — DP World Tour
Grant Forrest hit the front, Eugenio Chacarra was thanking the home crowds, Eddie Pepperell produced a big finish and Nicolai Højgaard made his first competition hole-in-one.
Here is everything you need to know from day two at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
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After holding a share of the first-round lead, Grant Forrest carded a four-under-par 67 on Friday to reach nine under and earn a one-shot lead ahead of the weekend's action. The Scot has twice finished tied third in Spain’s national open, in 2021 and 2024, and has never missed the cut across his six previous appearances at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. Countryman Connor Syme and Switzerland's Joel Girrbach are his nearest challengers.
To read our report from the second round, click here.
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Eugenio Chacarra made a strong hint there were no guarantees he would be able to tee it up for the second round due to a fractured toe, but he persevered and was rewarded with a second-round 69 to sit two adrift of the lead. "I'm not playing very good golf, but I'm just fighting, you know, when I miss, try to miss in the spot that I can make a par, and yeah, overall, my putting is helping," he said. "I'm chipping good, and obviously, having the crowd with me kind of helps me get through it, you know? Like, today was way better than yesterday. I did a great job with my team last night, the medications are getting through. I played a little less pain-free. I didn't really feel my toes, that's a weird feeling, but I think overall we had a good Friday, and happy to have a chance for the weekend. I'm so proud."
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A potentially significant weekend ahead awaits in the battle to win the Race to Dubai. With longtime Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World leader Patrick Reed missing the cut, Chacarra will overtake Rory McIlroy and the American and top the season-long standings with a victory.
With seven holes to play in his second round, the omens weren’t looking good for Eddie Pepperell. Coming into the week 101st in the Race to Dubai as a late invite and needing a good showing to stand a chance of finishing the season inside the top 100 on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered and with it the ability to play almost a full DP World Tour schedule next year, a missed cut looked odds-on. But to his credit, he made four birdies coming home to make the cut on the number. "I was pretty resigned to be going home to be honest after 12 holes today through my round, but hung in there and yeah, made it happen," he said.
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Prior to a hole-in-one during the Pro-Am at the Omega European Masters last month, Nicolai Højgaard had never made one - either in competition or social play.
He now has two and has the bragging rights over his brother Rasmus, who is awaiting his first.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, as is often the case between siblings, Nicolai emphasised that point.
"We had a massive competition over who would make the first one [a hole-in-one]," he said.
"Now I’ve got two. So, he needs to up his game to keep up. It's a nice feeling."
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Despite that moment of excellence, the 25-year-old missed the cut in the Spanish capital after a second-round one-over-par 72 dropped him back to four over.
"You want a shot like that to obviously be the highlight of your week, but the poor play has overshadowed everything," he added.
"So, the feeling of making the hole-in-one is nice, but not as good as I wanted."
News
With seven holes to play in his second round at the Open de España presented by Madrid, the omens weren’t looking good for Eddie Pepperell.