Jon Rahm overcame early tees playing at home to shoot a 7-under 64 in the opening round of the Spanish Open on Thursday to sit one stroke behind leaders Ashun Wu, Kiradech Aphibarrat and Darius van Driel.
Rahm is trying to win his third home title and join the great Seve Ballesteros for most Spanish Open titles.
“It’s not that my heart rate was fast, but it was really intense in the first few shots and the first few balls because I’m playing in front of him and I want to do well and they want me. To play well,” said sixth-ranked Rahm.
Rahm made six birdies, an eagle and a bogey at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
“It always helps when you start with a birdie, it always helps straighten things out, and I got a good up-and-down on the second hole to get me going,” Rahm said. “It’s not more nerve-wracking[playing at home]but it’s just more important, a little more intense.”
Rahm finished 17th at last year’s Spanish Open, and added that the pressure was on him because he was ranked No. 1 and played well in the US Open and Ryder Cup.
The Chinese player, who finished 79th in Spain last year, made eight birdies to take the lead in a bogey-free round of 63. Thailand’s Aphibarnrat made five straight birdies after bogeying the crowded 12th. Round 63. He also made three more birdies, an eagle and another bogey. Van Driel had nine birdies and one bogey.
Also back are Sweden’s Joachim Lagergren and France’s Mathieu Pavon, who were 6-under through the first six holes after four birdies and an eagle. He quietly added another birdie to the back nine.
Another top-30 player in the field, Tommy Fleetwood, had an opening-round deficit of 70 and was tied for 47th.
Last year’s champion Rafa Cabrera-Bello struggled and was tied for 107th after a 74.
Rahm arrives in Madrid full of confidence after shooting a 62 in the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last month.
“I’m happy to be able to follow up my last round of competition with another really good round,” Rahm said. “It’s important to start strong, the course will be more difficult. It was great to go out in the morning and take advantage of the easy conditions.”
Rahm’s only win this season came at the Mexican Open in May.
Daniel Gavins quickly went from frustration to excitement during a two-hole stay at Club de Campo.
He bounced back from a quadruple bogey on the par-4 eighth with a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth.
The Englishman finished the round tied for 69th.
