“Incredible scenes on the ninth hole at Dundonald as Ángel Hidalgo holes his second shot from 120 yards (109 meters)”. The same ‘X’ account of the tournament reproduced in this way the phrase with which the official radio commentator of the British Open narrated the Malaga native’s feat. Ángel Hidalgo will therefore play the first major of his life from July 18 to 21 at Royal Troon.
The Marbella won one of the four places that were distributed in the qualifying tournament that has just concluded at Dundonald Links, also in Troon, just 10 minutes by car from the route where the last major of the season will be held. Wonderful finish for the 26-year-old Spanish golferwell known by all those who follow the DP World Tour.
After 35 holes played (the ‘qualifying’ is 18 holes in the morning and 18 in the afternoon), He needed a birdie to at least enter a hypothetical playoff but, with a wedge in his hands, he hit the ball so well that he ended up holing out from more than 100 meters. Hidalgo scored 70 in the morning and 69 in the afternoon to occupy the second shared spot. Ángel, who still eludes victory in the DPWT, but who in 2021 won the Challenge Tour and Asian Tour (2), will fulfill his dream of fighting for the only major tournament held on the Old Continent.
Ángel told us what happened as soon as it finished. These were his words: “It has been incredible, the truth is that I have played very well all day. The course was quite difficult and I had never played it, so very difficult. On the 8th hole [su penúltimo del día] I made a very good putt of about eight meters for par and still have options. If he failed he lost all options. And on the last hole I hit a good drive into the fairway and it was a perfect distance away. It was the first time all day that the ball was the perfect distance from a club. I didn’t have to swing 3/4. It stayed at 99 meters and I do 98 with the 56º, so it was perfect. I saw the ball half bounce and people started jumping on the green. It was incredible, surreal.”.
The other Spaniards
Ángel Hidalgo joins Jon Rahm, Jorge Campillo and David Puig, which were already classified. However, the man from Malaga has not been the only Spaniard classified in the previous ones. Huge amateur surprise Jaime Montojo Fernandez, currently at Texas A&M University, who has achieved a place after being second -shared- in Royal Cinque Ports. He made 71+70. Luis Masaveu is now playing for a place in a playoff.
For second consecutive Year, Sergio García misses the Open, although just barely. He was sixth, two shots off the lead at Royal Troon. The Castellón native played for West Lancashire. “It would have been nice if the British was my 100th major.” Josele Ballester It was also close in this same field.
