Scotland’s Marc Warren boosted hopes of retaining his 2024 Tour card after a solid opening round at a very windswept Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
Warren, 42, managed four birdies in a two-under score of 70 to be trailing six shots behind England’s James Morrison, who grabbed an eagle and seven birdies in an eight-under 64 to lead by a shot on the host Sotogrande course at San Roque.
The increasing winds forced officials mid-afternoon into directing all on-ground spectator facilities to be closed and for spectators to leave the course while remainder of the round was played under what the Tour declared: ‘Closed Doors’.
Warren arrived in Spain lying 118th on the Race to Dubai money-list trailing 68.2 ranking points behind Spain’s Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, who holds the 116th spot.
Scotland’s Marc Warren
It will be the top-116 at the close of next week’s CB Qatar Masters who will gain full 2024 DP World Tour membership.
Warren, 42, said: “I am just outside, looking in at the minute and clearly these two weeks are important in holding onto my card for what happens next season.
“Hopefully, I can keep playing well like I did today and it will be a fruitful couple of weeks and lead to a full ’24 season schedule”.
It is the first time since 2006 a DP World Tour event is being staged at famed Sotogrande club in San Roque after the DP World Tour parted ways with nearby Valderrama after a distinguished 35-year relationship, first begun with the 1988 Volvo Masters but ended this year when Valderrama signed a five-year deal to host a LIV Golf event.
Warren, and looking for a first Tour win in over three years, will not wish to be reminded that when he was last at the Sotogrande course 17-years ago he missed the cut.
He said: “It was absolutely perfect conditions this morning but getting very tricky now for the afternoon half of the field.
“The greens have not been cut, so that were a bit slower and that’s due to the high winds being forecasted for the afternoon. That made the greens very tricky as they were pretty fast for the three days ahead of the tournament compared to this morning as they were much slower.
“The increasing winds forced everyone to adjust their game plan, so given that a two-under was a good score. So, I’ll sit back and watch the guys out there this afternoon struggle”.
Tied with Warren is reigning US Open champ Wyndham Clark and contesting just a second ‘regular’ Tour event after his T25th finish in July’s Geneis Scottish Open,
