Jiménez and Haeggman share the lead at the Staysure Marbella Legends

Home favourite Miguel Ángel Jiménez and fellow Ryder Cup star Joakim Haeggman share the lead at the Staysure Marbella Legends after both carded impressive opening rounds of 66 at Aloha Golf Club in Spain.

The leading pair sit two shots clear of a high-class chasing group that includes former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn, three-time DP World Tour winner Johan Edfors and another former Ryder Cup player, Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, who all sit at –4.

Another Swede, Mikael Lundberg, is a shot further back, alongside two players making their debuts on the Staysure Legends Tour – former Ryder Cup player, Soren Hansen, and Qualifying School graduate, Anthony Grenier.

Spaniard Jiménez, who lives just 30 minutes from the stunning Marbella venue, produced a bogey-free opening round to delight the home crowds. The highlight was undoubtedly a 225-yard approach to the par-five 5th that settled just a few feet from the hole to secure an eagle three. Back-to-back birdies followed as the Mechanic dismantled the Aloha layout he knows so well.

“The golf course needs you to be very precise from the tee,” said Jiménez. “If you miss the fairway, you’re always in trouble. It’s not very long, but you need to be in the right place to attack the flags. Today I hit the ball very solid.”

For Jiménez – a man with 21 DP World Tour wins and almost the same number in the senior ranks to his name, the week carries added motivation after he finished just outside the top positions at Aloha last year.

“I played well here last year and would love to win. We are all here to enjoy ourselves and to entertain the fans at one of the finest courses and clubs in Europe,” he added.

Sweden’s Haeggman, who represented Europe in the 1993 Ryder Cup and won the 2024 India Legends Championship, matched the Spaniard’s six-under-par total thanks to eight birdies and a red-hot putter, defying limited winter preparation in Sweden to take a share of the lead.

But amidst the birdie blitzes, the defining moment was a vital par save at the 17th. After blasting out from a greenside bunker, Haeggman holed a gutsy 15-footer to preserve momentum heading to the final tee.

“Sometimes the par putts are more important than the birdie putts,” admitted Haeggman afterwards. “It just keeps the momentum and the energy going. If you drop a few shots at the end, it’s still a great day but the energy doesn’t quite stay up”.

“How can you not be happy with 66?” he added. “Coming out of the winter in Sweden, this is way above my expectations. The way I rolled the ball on the greens today – if I can keep doing that, then I can shoot any number. The putter was definitely the key.”

Making an eye-catching start to his Staysure Legends Tour career, 2008 Ryder Cup player Soren Hansen opened with a three-under-par 69 to sit tied sixth on debut. Hansen became only the second Dane, behind Thomas Bjørn, to represent Europe in The Ryder Cup, and his strong opening round marks an encouraging return to competitive golf after a lengthy absence.

“I’ve been away from competitive golf for a long time, so today was really about seeing where my game is – and it actually felt pretty good,” said Hansen, who in recent years has made a name as a coach to players of the calibre of Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard, as well as Matteo Manassero.

“I haven’t really been playing – not even many Pro-Ams or social rounds – so getting back into the rhythm of scoring was the biggest adjustment. Today was encouraging but doesn’t fully reflect where I want my game to be yet.”

Frenchman Anthony Grenier, who competed for a decade on the Challenge Tour and secured his card through Qualifying School last month, made an immediate impression as he also signed for a 69 to join Hansen at three-under.

Elsewhere, eight-time European No.1 Colin Montgomerie finished at level-par, where he was joined by two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal.

“After a long time without competing, honestly, the start felt a bit uncomfortable and a little tough,” said the Spaniard. “I managed to steady the boat, but then missed a couple of short putts at the end. There’s definitely plenty of room for improvement, but hopefully little by little I’ll start to feel a bit more comfortable out on the course.”

With a home favourite at the summit and Major champions and Ryder Cup stars in contention, the stage is set for a compelling weekend in Marbella.

The tournament continues on Saturday at Aloha Golf Club – with free entry for spectators.

The Staysure Marbella Legends is the first event on the newly-rebranded Staysure Legends Tour’s global schedule, with 18 tournaments, three Majors and more than €20 million to play for in 2026.