Jon Rahm overcame early jitters from enjoying at dwelling and shot a 7-under 64 within the opening spherical of the Spanish Open on Thursday to take a seat one stroke behind leaders Ashun Wu, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Darius van Driel.
Rahm is making an attempt to win for the third time at dwelling and be a part of the nice Seve Ballesteros for essentially the most Spanish Open titles.
It isnt that my heartbeat was sooner, however it was positively much more intense on the primary few pictures and the primary few putts simply because I am enjoying in entrance of he dwelling crowd and I wish to do good, and so they need me to play nicely, the sixth-ranked Rahm mentioned.
Rahm made six birdies, an eagle and a bogey at Membership de Campo Villa de Madrid.
It at all times helps if you begin with a birdie, it at all times helps settle issues down, after which getting a pleasant up-and-down on the second gap received me going, Rahm mentioned. It isnt that it is extra nerve-wracking (to play at dwelling), however it simply issues extra, it is just a little bit extra intense.
Rahm completed in a tie for seventeenth in final yrs Spanish Open, when he mentioned he arrived with extra strain as a result of he was ranked No. 1 and had received the U.S. Open and performed nicely within the Ryder Cup.
Wu, the Chinese language participant who completed in a tie for 79th in Spain final yr, took the early lead after making eight birdies and no bogies in a spherical of 63. Thailands Aphibarnrat made 5 straight birdies after a bogey on No. 12 in a busy spherical of 63. He additionally made three different birdies, an eagle and one other bogey. Van Driel had 9 birdies and a bogey.
Additionally a shot again had been Swede Joakim Lagergren and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, who was 6 beneath par by way of the primary six holes after choosing up 4 birdies and an eagle. He added one other birdie in a quiet again 9.
The opposite top-30 participant within the area, Tommy Fleetwood, had a lackluster opening spherical of 70 and was tied for forty seventh.
Defending champion Rafa Cabrera-Bello struggled and was tied for 107th after a 74.
Rahm arrived in Madrid with elevated confidence after taking pictures 62 within the closing spherical of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth final month.
I am glad I may comply with again up my final aggressive spherical with one other actually good spherical and maintain the great play going, Rahm mentioned. It is necessary to start out sturdy. The course is just going to get tougher. To come back out within the morning and make the most of the simpler circumstances was nice.
Rahms solely win this season got here on the Mexico Open in Might.
Daniel Gavins rapidly went from disappointment to pleasure in a two-hole span on the Membership de Campo.
He rebounded from a quadruple bogey on the par-4 eighth with a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth.
The Englishman ended taking pictures par for the spherical and was tied for 69th.