James Morrison leads as wind and rain affect Andalucia Masters

James Morrison took advantage of favorable conditions in the first round of the Andalucia Masters, shooting an impressive 8-under 64 to grab a one-shot lead. Morrison’s round included seven birdies, an eagle, and only one bogey, while many players struggled in the afternoon with rain and strong wind gusts exceeding 30 mph.

Due to darkness and safety concerns, play was suspended and fans were asked to leave the course. Morrison expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I’m very happy. We were aware of the difficult conditions this afternoon, so we took full advantage of the calm morning conditions. Spain has been a great place for me over the years, and I always enjoy playing here.”

Morrison, who previously won the Spanish Open in 2015, was particularly impressive during a stretch of seven holes where he carded seven birdies to go 7 under. He explained, “Most courses here are not as long as on the tour, so they suit my style of play which relies more on positioning.”

Nick Bachem of Germany trailed Morrison by one shot, with defending champion Adrian Otaegui of Spain two shots behind after a bogey-free round. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, the highest-ranked player in the field, finished the day tied for 18th after a solid round of 2-under 70.

Reflecting on his performance, Clark acknowledged some rustiness and struggled with the wind during the middle part of his round. However, he remains optimistic about his game, stating, “I feel good about my game. The wind caused me some trouble, particularly with my wedges, but overall, I’m happy with how I played.”

Other notable performances include Matt Kuchar shooting a 71 in the challenging afternoon conditions, Robert MacIntyre finishing even par, and Ryan Fox, the highest-ranking European tour player in the field, also carding a 71. Matthieu Pavon, last week’s Spanish Open winner, shot a 2-over-par 74.

The Andalucia Masters, which was played at Valderrama last year, marks the final tournament of the year in continental Europe. The tour will now move to South Africa, followed by the season-ending tournament in Dubai.