Goya takes first-round lead at Argentine Masters

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BUENOS AIRES -- After missing the cut last week in Chile, Estanislao Goya came back with a vengeance to start the 21st Torneo de Maestros Copa Personal stronger than anybody else on the 147-player field from 16 nations.

Tour de las Americas

Estanislao Goya shot 65 on Thursday despite making four bogeys.

The young Argentinean, a lock for TLA Rookie of the Year honors, fired an unmatchable 6-under par 65 early on a beautiful day at Olivos Golf Club. His entertaining round featured eight birdies, one eagle, four bogeys and five pars.

"After playing bad in Chile, my goal for this week was to play much better in order to renew my confidence for the challenges ahead of me", said the 20-year old star, set to travel to South Africa on Sunday night to make his official debut as a 2009 European Tour member next week.

On his performance, which included a hot streak of birdie-eagle-birdie between his Nos. 9 and 11 (Olivos GC's 18, 1 and 2), he added: "It was a little tough, a bit windy, but my iron play was extremely good. I hit many greens and sank a few putts that helped a lot."

Trailing the leader by two is American Josh McCumber, a 2008 Nationwide Tour player who recently joined the Canadian Tour as an affiliated member. At 1-under for the day with only two holes to go, McCumber enjoyed a dreamed final of eagle-birdie to post a 4-under par 67.

"I played solidly, hitting a lot of quality shots. I missed a couple of greens and failed to make the up-and-down for a couple of bogeys, but I think those five birdies and an eagle that I made, kind of took care of it!" commented the solo second.

Argentina's Eduardo Romero, the 2008 U.S. Senior Open champion, and Daniel Vancik, winner of the European Tour's 2007 Madeira Island Open, join Ecuador's Rafael Ponce, the USA's Mike Grob and Canada's Stuart Anderson in a five-way tie for third at 68.

"A win here would be like the icing on the cake," said the veteran star Romero, who is closing a spectacular three-win season on the Champions Tour. "Today I made a couple of poor mistakes, but it's OK. I feel well, full of confidence."

Vaulted by a perfect 8-iron for hole-in-one at the 180-yard No 7, Argentina's Julio Zapata reached a seven-player tie for eight. His countryman Fabián Gómez and Germany's Christoph Guenther, in contention last week in Chile, are among those joining Zapata at 69.

The defending champion Angel Cabrera started his run for a fifth blue jacket with a 1-under par 70. "Today I struck the ball much better that I did last week (at my own event, the Angel Cabrera Classic) and I feel this was a good way to start. The course is in better shape that ever, and hopefully it will be a good week for me," said the 2007 U.S. Open champion, paired today with Len Mattiace, 73, and Ricardo González, 71.

Among those closing the day late in the afternoon was the another local superstar Andrés Romero, winner of this event in 2006. His opening day effort in the event organized by Golf Play and the host Olivos GC was good enough for an even-par 71 that trails the leader by six in a tie for twenty-first.

Offering a prize purse of $145,000 U.S., the 21st Torneo de Maestros Copa Personal is co-sanctioned by the Tour de las Americas, the Canadian Tour and the TPG Tour of Argentina.