Julien Guerrier posted the lowest score to par of his DP World Tour career as a bogey-free 10 under 62 handed him the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters first round lead at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
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The Frenchman reeled off five consecutive birdies from the second before picking up further gains at the eighth and ninth to make the turn in 29. He kept the momentum going on the back nine with birdies at the tenth, 11th and 15th to move into the outright lead.
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The 39-year-old battled gusty conditions as he parred his way in to remain in pole position on ten under, one ahead of Englishman Daniel Brown in second place.
Brown had set the target earlier in the day after he carded a bogey-free nine under par 63, which included two eagles and five birdies.
Home favourite Jorge Campillo sits in third position after his bogey-free 64, while American Johannes Veerman is a shot further back in fourth.
Denmark’s Niklas Nørgaard and Frenchman Romain Langasque share fifth place on six under after they posted rounds of 66 in Andalucía.
Frenchman Ugo Coussaud made a brilliant hole-in-one at the par-three eighth, holing out from 175 yards using a six iron, on his way to signing for an opening two under par round of 70.
Player Quotes
Julien Guerrier: I had the feeling I was playing the PlayStation on the front nine. It was very nice but we know golf, we know we have to stay in the present. Of course, it was really nice but I try to stay focused because we know with this wind that anything can happen.
When you’re playing like that and everything goes your way, you feel like you can make everything, and it was a great feeling. The front nine was not easy because the wind was blowing and it’s tighter. It was so nice to play this kind of game.
It looks easy from the outside but it’s very tough to stay in the present because you are enjoying yourself out there. Sometimes the emotion is too high, and you need to calm yourself down a little bit.
Daniel Brown: I actually started a bit slow today but then managed to make an eagle on hole six. The back nine, especially the last seven holes the putter was hot and I even had a chip-in on 16. It was a good day and it was great to see the putts rolling in.
On the front nine I was getting used to the speed of the greens so the first five holes were a little bit timid. As soon as you start to see the putts dropping, you think you can hole everything.
The course is soft but on the front nine you can’t feel the wind that much. The back nine is a lot more exposed and you realise how windy it is. It was definitely two different nines out there for me
Jon Rahm: It feels great to be here. The atmosphere is brilliant and playing with Angel Hidalgo again is a lot of fun. We’ve had a few laughs out there but I haven’t been at my sharpest. I hit it good off the tee I hit it good off the tee but made too many mistakes with my irons. When you’re not striking it solidly in this wind you can pay the price and that’s what happened today. I didn’t hole as many putts as I needed too but I am happy with my finish today. I played some good golf over the last five holes and posted a score which I can hopefully build on.
I don’t feel pressure out there, but I have to control my willingness and hunger on home soil. It means a lot to be home and I think over the weekend I will have to concentrate. It was pretty early on in my round that I realised that I wasn’t swinging it great and it was going to be a battle today. On a day like today, the home crowd is always going to be helpful and pull me back. I was glad I was able to finish strong.
