Jonathan Caldwell shot a five-under 66 to lie just outside the top 10 on day one of the HotelPlanner Tour’s Challenge de España at Fonatanals Golf Club in Girona.
The Clandeboye man carded six birdies with a lone dropped shot coming on the last, leaving him three shots shy of first round leader Victor Sidal Svendsen who birided six of his opening nine holes.
Caldwell is making his sixth HotelPlanner Tour start of 2025 and has yet to finish inside the top 25 so it’s a welcome return to form.
Max Kennedy, Mark Power and Alex Maguire all share 71st place on -1 and will likely need rounds in the 60s to ensure weekend work, while Jack Madden will need to go one stroke lower after a level-par 71. Liam Nolan (+2) and Dermot McElroy (+3) face an even tougher task if they’re to earn Saturday tee times, and just Power, Madden and Nolan have the benefit of early Friday tee times and better scoring conditions.
Sidal Svendsen, starting on the tenth, parred his opening two holes before firing seven birdies in eight holes – including five in a row from the 12th – to jump into the lead.
The 26-year-old added two more gains on the fourth and sixth, and despite a double bogey on eight, responded with a closing birdie to lead after 18 holes.
“I would’ve taken that score any day of the week, so I’m really happy,” he said. “I made one mistake but that doesn’t matter as the rest was good.
“I hit some good shots on the first couple of holes, and then I holed about a 55-foot putt. Otherwise, it was just good shots and good putts which was nice.
“Being good off the tee and a burning hot putter were the key I’d say.”
Sidal Svendsen has enjoyed a fast start to his first full season on the HotelPlanner Tour after graduating from the Nordic Golf League in 2024.
The Dane currently sits 30th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings after recording two top tens in four starts this term, and has been pleased with the progress he’s made over the last 12 months.
“Last year was my second season on the Nordic Golf League and I got off to a hot start, winning the first event of the year,” he added. “I hit a bit of a low spot for a few months, then I won two in a row to get out here.
“So far, this season has been really good. I didn’t get into the South Africa events, so it was nice to get off to a good start afterwards.
“I’m really pleased with where my game is. I don’t need to get ahead of myself, and I’m just trying to be present and control what I can control.”
Nine players share fourth place on six under par, including Frenchman Clement Charmasson, Oliver Gillberg and Albin Bergstrom from Sweden, German Anton Albers, Spaniard Javier Sainz, Finn Lauri Ruuska, Scotland’s Euan Walker and Englishmen Alfie Plant and Tom Shadbolt.
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