A Tight Leaderboard Emerges After Round 1 of the 2026 UGolf Aravell Andorra Open by Creand
Aravell, June 25th, 2026 – A mostly sunny day welcomed the players for the opening round of the 2026 UGolf Aravell Andorra Open by Creand, taking place at the picturesque UGolf Aravell Andorra, located just a few kilometres from the Principality of Andorra. Now in its fifth edition, the tournament was first established in 2022 to celebrate the 25thanniversary of the host venue and has since become a regular fixture on the Alps Tour schedule.
After the opening round of the tournament, a tightly packed leaderboard sees six players share the lead at 4-under-par: Switzerland’s Maximilien Sturdza, Spain’s Anton Vazquez Muinos and Pau Sanchez Marin (am), France’s Alexandre Vandermoten, Lars Keunen from the Netherlands and Italy’s Manfredi Manica. Just one shot back, a large group of players sits at 3-under-par, ensuring a tightly contested battle heading into the next round.
At stake this week is a total prize fund of €49,700 and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The 2026 UGolf Aravell Andorra Open by Creand winner will walk away with €7,200 and 6,525 points awarded to the winner.
Round 2 will begin at 8.00 a.m. local time from both the 1st and 10th tees. The 2026 UGolf Aravell Andorra Open by Creand is contested over 54 holes of stroke play, with a cut after 36 holes to the top 40 professionals and ties, including all amateurs within the cut. In the event of a tie at the conclusion of the final round, the tournament winner will be decided by a sudden-death play-off.
As the season progresses, the 2026 UGolf Aravell Andorra Open by Creand marks another important stop in the race for the Order of Merit, with valuable points on offer for players looking to climb the rankings.
Round 1 Player Quotes
Maximilien Sturdza, 26, from Switzerland, said: “Today went well, from tee shots to putting. The key was to give myself plenty of birdie chances and try to convert as many of them as possible. It’s always nice to start a tournament well, both for confidence and peace of mind. Over the next two days, I’ll focus on maintaining a positive mindset and concentrating on the things I can control. I struck my irons very well today, which allowed me to create a lot of opportunities throughout the round. It’s encouraging to see that part of my game working well and giving me plenty of chances to score.”
Spain’s Anton Vazquez Muinos, 35, commented: “Overall, I struck the ball really well and made some good putts. I also made a few mistakes along the way—some I managed to save and some I didn’t—but I’m pleased with how I played. I made five birdies, one eagle and three bogeys. The greens here at UGolf Aravell Andorra are quite undulating and the grain has a significant effect, so it’s very important to leave your putts on the correct side. More than the score itself, what I’m most proud of is the way I stayed committed to every shot and managed to remain focused on the present. Looking ahead, my goal is to keep following my routine and maintaining that same level of commitment. I holed some good putts and made a couple of excellent up-and-downs today. If I can improve a little with the driver over the next few rounds, that could make a difference.”
Alexandre Vandermoten, 25, of France, one of this season’s winners, was pleased with his opening round, saying: “I think the key for me is to stay steady and stick to my routine on every hole. I try not to think too much about the score. What’s more important is the battle with myself to stay focused and remain in my own process. I finished well, which was really positive, and I did a good job of keeping my emotions under control and staying level throughout the round. A second win this season is somewhere in the back of my mind, but I’m focused on staying in process mode rather than thinking about results. My goal over the next few rounds is to keep doing that and, as much as possible, stay committed to my routine.”
Lars Keunen, 29, of the Netherlands, commented: “It’s always nice to get off to a good start. I played pretty solidly from tee to green, and my only bogey came from a three-putt on the 3rd hole. For the next two days, I want to stay patient and give myself as many birdie opportunities as possible.”
Italy’s Manfredi Manica, 30, said: “I got off to a really good start and tried to stay as patient as possible because there are a lot of scoring opportunities out there. That said, I’m not entirely pleased with how I played the par 5s today, as I didn’t manage to make a birdie on any of them. I think the key on this course is patience. The par 5s are the holes you need to take advantage of, while on the par 3s you have to be careful and avoid mistakes. Over the next two rounds, I’ll do my best to remain patient and keep putting the way I did today, apart from the 18th hole, where I had an eagle chance and ended up making par.”
Also in the share of the lead is Spanish amateur Pau Sanchez Marin, 22, who birdied his final hole of the day to join the group at the top.
Tournament Promoter
The 2026 UGolf Aravell Andorra Open by Creand is promoted by former DP World Tour winner, Spain’s José Manuel Lara.
The economic promoter of the tournament is UGolf Aravell Andorra, and the main sponsor of this week’s event is the bank, Creand.
For further information, please visit the official Alps Tour website at www.alpstourgolf.com or download the official Alps Tour Golf mobile application, available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). Stay informed by following the Alps Tour on social media via Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
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