American Darron Stiles, the clubhouse leader at Bogota Open of Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open commenced yesterday at the par-71, Country Club of Bogota in Colombia. It was the American Darron Stiles who topped the leader board with a score of four-under par going through just 13 holes.
Conditions of the course were extremely wet, as there were heavy rains overnight and players had to play in the damp course. It was a major disturbance for many players who failed to cope with the soft conditions. There was a delay of more than seven hours
as the course in charge was busy with his team clearing the water early in the morning. More than half of the players were seen sitting inside the club house waiting for their tee off.
Play was abandoned in the evening due to bad light and no player on the field completed his round. Stiles had four birdies during his first thirteen holes and no bogey on his card. He was in great shape, but had to be content as the referee stopped the play.
The Professional Golfer’s Association Tour member had a few crisp iron shots in the moist conditions and there was a lot of spin on the greens.
As he finished his thirteen holes, Stiles said, "It was like I was playing in a damp course with greens being extremely soft. The spin on the ball was difficult to control from a distance of hundred yards."
Mathew Giles, Garth Mulroy, Ewan Porter, Tommy Biershenk and Rahil Gangjee were all tied for the second position at three-under par through to the first ten holes.
The inexperienced Gangjee from India played his first ten holes and had a score of three-under par with three marked on his card. The Asian Tour member was in exquisite form and was all charged up during his round. The 32-year-old Indian is looking to improve
his win record and will be completing his first round early morning today, Friday.
Seven players were tied for the seventh position and had a score of two-under par for the first ten holes. All these players will also be completing in their first round early morning today.
The tournament committee is hoping that the weather forecast will improve in the next three days and there will not be any delay until the final day. They had a lot of problems on the first day, as players were sitting and waiting for their tee time which
was delayed.
The clubhouse leader Stiles will look to finish his first round with a few more birdies on the finishing holes to maintain his lead. All five players who have a deficit of just one shot will be hoping to match up with the overnight leader. There will be
an early morning start for all the players followed by the second round.
Tags: