Staff WriterIt took just 18 holes for Alvaro Hernandez Cabezuela to turn the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge into his own personal highlight reel, carding a bogey-free nine-under-par 63 to seize the first-round lead at Vierumäki Resort.
The 28-year-old Spaniard, who’s been trying to find his rhythm on the 2025 Road to Mallorca, suddenly looked like a man who’d never been out of tune.
Starting on the 10th, Hernandez Cabezuela wasted no time, rattling in three birdies and an eagle to reach the turn in 31. Four more birdies on the way home completed a round that would’ve made even the Finnish Golf Union raise a glass.
His nearest pursuers — Italy’s Aron Zemmer, Portugal’s Daniel Rodriguez and Germany’s Anton Albers — are one shot adrift, possibly wondering what exactly they have to do to catch him.
“I’m very happy,” he said, clearly understating the obvious. “I haven’t been playing well recently so to start with a low round is obviously very positive and hopefully I can carry this on for the rest of the week.
“I had some luck out there today and the flagstick got in the way a couple of times. I hit two chips and would have been happy to have got them within 15 feet but luckily, they hit the middle of the flagstick and dropped in.
“I hit my irons so well today and gave myself a lot of chances. I left a couple out there but as golfers we always think we could have shot lower. Overall I am very happy with today.”
It’s worth noting that Hernandez Cabezuela hasn’t made a cut in his two previous Road to Mallorca starts this season. Yet here he is, leading the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge after admitting that tweaks to his short game have been paying dividends.
“I think over the last few years that ball-striking has been very good,” he said. “I’ve also improved my short game and that has been key to playing a little bit better. Hopefully I will take this good energy into tomorrow and I can keep going.”
Lurking just two shots back at seven-under are South Africa’s Wilco Nienaber, Scotland’s David Law, England’s Josh Berry and George Mason, along with Dutchmen Vince van Veen and Lars van Meijel. With 54 holes still to play, there’s plenty of room for movement — both up and down the leaderboard.
The second round gets underway Friday at 7:30 am local time, with Hernandez Cabezuela set to tee off alongside Switzerland’s Jeremy Freiburghaus and Ireland’s Robert Moran at 12:40 pm.
If he keeps swinging like this, they may need to start engraving his name before Sunday.
