Fernandez-Castano fired a 6-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead during the rain-delayed round at Castello di Tolcinasco Golf Club.
Play was disrupted by an afternoon thunderstorm and the round was suspended with half the field on the course.
Ireland’s Gary Murphy, England’s Simon Khan, Bradley Dredge of Wales and Sebastian Fernandez of Argentina completed their rounds at 5-under 67.
Francois Delamontagne of France was at 5-under through 14 holes when play was suspended.
Two years ago, Fernandez-Castano completed a business degree in Madrid. Only after winning the Spanish Amateur Closed Championship in 2003 and being part of the winning team in both the Bonallack Trophy and the Palmer Cup did he decide to join the professional ranks last September.
He immediately earned his European Tour card through Qualifying School at San Roque to earn a place among the game’s elite and now finds himself leading in a tournament for the first time.
Fernandez-Castano started with two pars before picking up the first of four birdies on his first nine holes - the back nine on the course. He picked up another shot on the first before dropping his only shot of the round on the sixth, his 15th.
Fernandez-Castano then enjoyed a big finish, eagling the ninth after a huge drive left him needing only a seven-iron to the flag, which he judged to perfection with the ball finishing just three feet from the pin.
“I have been hitting the ball well the last couple of weeks but the results have not been coming,” he said. “This is a tough course, very demanding off the tee, especially, and I just tried to be focused on every shot and not think about the result. I played some very good shots and I’m delighted with the round.”
After birdies on three of his first four holes, Khan ran into all sorts of trouble on the sixth. A pulled drive left him deep in the punishing rough and even with a nine-iron, he was only able to advance the ball four yards. He then got the ball back in play with a wedge, left his chip short, chipped again and missed the putt to rack up a triple-bogey.
But Khan kept his composure and eagled the ninth to get his round back on track and then made another three birdies coming home.
Fernandez also made a fast start with four birdies in his first five holes after starting at the 10th but his progress was slowed by bogeys on the 15th and 17th. Four birdies with another dropped shot on his homeward stretch completed a 67.
Dean Robertson, the winner of the title here in 1999, was among a group of players at 4-under after a round of 68.
Mark Calcavecchia struggled with a 78 before he was to marry his fiancee later in the afternoon. After the morning round, the couple headed off to Lake Como to get married.
By TSN.ca
