Andalucia Masters: Jon Rahm makes poor start but fulfils Ryder Cup eligibility requirement as Julien Guerrier leads

Two-time major champion Jon Rahm had a difficult start at the Andalucia Masters but is now set to be eligible to play in next year’s Ryder Cup; Julien Guerrier holds first-round lead; watch Andalucia Masters second round live on Sky Sports Golf from 1pm on Friday

Jon Rahm is eight shots behind Julien Guerrier after the first round of the Estrella Damm N.A Andalucia Masters, where he fulfilled the requirement to remain eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup.

 

Last month, Rahm appealed against his outstanding fines for defecting to LIV Golf in order to be allowed to contest DP World Tour events, so entered the Open de Espana, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Andalucia Masters.

His participation at the Andalucia Masters this week is his fourth DP World Tour event this season, but he is down in joint 39th and two shots behind France’s Guerrier after 18 holes.

 

“It just wasn’t my sharpest,” Rahm said. “As good as I hit it off the tee I made too many mistakes with my irons and

when you’re not striking it solidly in this wind you’re going to pay the price and that’s what happened.

“It was pretty early on that I realised the swing wasn’t great and it was going to be a bit of a battle, but on a day like that the crowd is always going to be helpful and pull you back.”

 

It could have been a lot worse for the two-time major winner, who had to birdie three of his last five holes for a 70.

“I missed that putt on four [from inside three feet] and had some cheers and a lot of support and I was able to finish strong,” he continued.

 

“I’m happy that the last five holes I played some good golf and gave myself some chances and posted, not the best score, but a score, and hopefully I can improve upon it the rest of the week.”

 

At the top of the leaderboard, Guerrier raised the prospect of carding just the second 59 in DP World Tour history before settling for an opening 62.

 

Guerrier raced to the turn at Sotogrande in just 29 shots and also birdied the 10th and 11th to reach nine under par, with two par-fives still to come.

However, the 39-year-old was unable to take advantage of the 12th and 14th and although he did birdie the 15th, his chance to match Oliver Fisher’s 59 in the 2018 Portugal Masters had effectively disappeared.

 

Nevertheless, at 10 under par, Guerrier ended the day with a one-shot lead over England’s Dan Brown, with Spain’s Jorge Campillo another stroke back.

 

Brown had the back nine which Guerrier required to make history in his 63, the 30-year-old from Northallerton covering it in 29 thanks to five birdies and an eagle.

“It actually started a bit slow but I made an eagle on six and then on the back nine, the last six or seven holes I managed to hole some putts and had a chip-in on 16 so it was good,” Brown, who finished 10th in the Open at Royal Troon in July, said.

 

“I was just getting used to the speed of the greens a little bit [on the front nine]. They were a lot quicker this morning to what we’ve had in the practice rounds so the first five holes I was a little bit timid.

 

“Then got the speed of the greens and just felt comfortable – as soon as one or two go in, then all of a sudden you think you can hole everything.