Rafa’s Daily Diary: Too many par scores when birdies are the need of the hour
A round two score of 71 leaves me three under and hoping to make the cut
I have shot rounds of 70 and 71 in this week’s €2 million BMW International Open in Munich on the DP World Tour at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried.
The predicted thunderstorms came in the afternoon, play was suspended and it seems play may not finish on Friday or at least, very, very late.
I am hopeful that I will make the cut on three under par, but you never know in this game. When the players get back out, it may be very easy or very difficult, depending on the wind and ground conditions.
Stunning golf
I started on Tee 10 in my morning round and finished strongly by birdieing my 15th and 18th holes, both par 5’s (holes 6 and 9 on the scorecard). After two rounds I lie, as I write this diary, in tied 58th place. The cut falls at 65 and ties, who progress to the final two rounds.
I managed three birdies and two bogeys in Friday’s second round. That is seven birdies and four bogeys and too many pars in two rounds for me. I need to be making many more birdies to move in the right direction in, hopefully, Saturday’s third round. Leader Haotong Li of China has made 11 birdies and three eagles in the same 36 holes as me. That is some golf!
My playing partners, Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark and Scot Robert MacIntyre shot 69 and 74 respectively to lie in tied sixth and alongside me in tied 58th.
Just one observation on one of my playing partners for the first two rounds, 21 year-old Rasmus. He is second, so far this year, in Driving Distance stats on the DP World Tour at an average of 329.42 yards. That is not a game I am familiar with. He already has three DP World Tour wins to his name and can become a dominant global player, if he continues to improve his game!
Fun night
This afternoon I hosted a golf clinic for title sponsors BMW and have a sponsor’s function later where all the players attend in the German National Dress of lederhosen. It is always a fun night.
Support by all of us players to sponsors, media and fans is so important on the DP World Tour and I believe it will become even more important in the future.
Need to be tournament sharp
BMW have been great supporters of the DP World Tour with this being the 32nd edition of the BMW International Open and the 25th time it has been hosted at this same venue in Munich.
Wish me luck that I have made the cut. I have a big run of tournaments coming up in the next few weeks and need to be tournament sharp.
This week’s tournament is live on Dubai Sports Channel TV on Saturday) starting at 5.30pm UAE time.
— Rafa Cabrera Bello is a Dubai Golden Visa Awardee and has a winter base in Dubai. He is a four-time winner on the DP World Tour including the winner of the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic. Rafa is also an Ambassador of JA Resorts & Hotels.