Rafa Cabrera-Bello was keen to play well at this Open de España because of his failure to do so in 2018. Therefore, the Canary Islander came flying out of the blocks on the first day of competition, signing for a -5 thanks to a practically flawless card that allowed him to be one of the tournament’s provisional leaders as the morning rounds drew to a close, as were Adri Arnaus and Jon Rahm.
Producing 5 birdies (holes 10, 14, 16, 18 and 4), Cabrera then parred his way home. Some consistent driving was the key to avoiding any kind of error and finishing Thursday with a 66, making him one of the biggest stars on the opening day at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
Having Arnaus and Rahm in the same team proved incentive enough for Cabrera, who was very happy to have put on a show for the fans and to play just as well as either of his playing partners. This is what he had to say about his day:
