Angel Hidalgo held off pre-tournament favorite Jon Rahm to claim a dramatic play-off victory on home soil at the acciona Open de Espana in Madrid.
Hidalgo missed a four-foot birdie chance for victory on the final hole at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, seeing him finish at one-under 70 and finish 14th behind Rahm.
Rahm – making his first regular DP World Tour appearance since joining LIV Golf – birdied three of the last five holes to force a play-off, with the former world No 1 then matching Hidalgo’s birdie on the first extra hole.
The players returned to play the par-four 18th for the third, where Hidalgo got up and down from near the green to post a kick-in birdie – as Rahm could only make par – and register his maiden DP World Tour victory. .
How Hidalgo retained Rahm in his native land
Hidalgo’s two-shot lead disappeared immediately when he missed a close-range par putt at the start, where Rahm converted to move atop the board and Puig also took a shot to jump within one of the lead.
The overnight leader responded with a birdie at the next par-four and Rahm went further when he failed to get up and down to save par at the third, as Puig rolled from 15 feet at the second and took advantage of the par-five fourth. to go along with Hidalgo.
Jon Rahm recorded a record fourth Open de Espana victory
Hidalgo sent back-to-back bogeys from the fifth and saw Puig temporarily move three clear when he birdied the par-five seventh, but Puig bogeyed the next as the two playing partners carded back-to-back birdies.
Rahm added his third consecutive birdie on the par-four 10th to create a three-way tie at the top, but Puig bogeyed two of the next three holes and Rahm double-bogeyed the par-four 13th to restore Hidalgo’s two-shot lead. bearings.
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Thursday, October 3, 12:00 p.m
The former Masters champion matched Hidalgo’s birdie on the next par-five and poured from 20 feet on the 17th to close on one of his playing partners, as Puig’s hopes faded with dropped shots on the 15th and 17th.
Rahm holed from five feet on the last driveable par-four to set the target at 14 in, which was enough to force a play-off when Hidalgo missed a putt from even closer to victory in regulation.
Hidalgo rebounded to join Rahm in birdieing the first two extra holes, played the par-four 18th again, then left himself a putt from two feet deep on the second play-off hole – when Rahm failed to get up and down from the rough. – to complete the emotional victory.
“It’s crazy, it’s crazy,” Hidalgo said. “It’s weird because I’ve been relaxing all day, I don’t know why. It’s amazing. This is for everyone who believed in me.”
Puig ended four strokes and in the group of six strong at 10 in, with Tommy Fleetwood, Joe Dean and Scotland’s Grant Forrest – who carded the final round of 64 – also finished tied for third.
Patrick Reed posted a level-par 71 to end the week in 10th with Tyrrell Hatton and Alfredo Garcia Heredia, with Shane Lowry and former PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker eight strokes back and a share of 13th.
What’s next?
The DP World Tour heads to Scotland next for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where Rory McIlroy returns to action. Watch live on Thursday from noon on Sky Sports Golf. Stream DP World Tour, PGA Tour and more with NOW.
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