Hidalgo bests Rahm in Spanish Open playoff
Angel Hidalgo held off three-time champion Jon Rahm in a play-off to win the 2024 acciona Open de España presented by Madrid.
The pair had gone head-to-head in an all-Spanish final group with David Puig, with Rahm's birdie-birdie finish leaving them tied at 14 under par.
Both players birdied the first extra hole but after Rahm's chip slipped past the second time, Hidalgo holed a two-foot putt for victory to claim his maiden DP World Tour title.
It was the first all-Spanish final group at the national open since 2019, when Rahm won comfortably ahead of Rafa Cabrera Bello and Samuel Del Val.
It was closer this time, right from the off as Hidalgo's two-shot overnight advantage was wiped out at the first hole - he missed a three-foot putt and made bogey while Rahm, also champion in 2018 and 2022, started with a birdie, as did Puig to lie one shot behind.
As the lead changed hands between the trio throughout the round, it was Rahm's 19-foot putt for birdie at the 17th which cut Hidalgo’s lead to one and Rahm’s birdie the last, as Hidalgo's putt stayed right of the hole to set up a play-off.
Puig finished in a large group at 10 under with Swede Jens Fahrbring, English pair Tommy Fleetwood and Joe Dean, Scotland's Grant Forrest - who shot 64 on Sunday - and American Sean Crocker.
South Africa's Jayden Schaper was on his own in ninth at nine under with Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, Patrick Reed and Tyrrell Hatton sharing tenth.
“Two or three years ago, I was in the first tee, in the trees, supporting Jon - without playing,” Hidalgo said.
“I just come here to Madrid to see the tournament. To be here and win the tournament is unreal. Oh, my gosh, it's amazing.
“I was pretty relaxed all day, even the first tee, I don't know why. Even when I missed the short putt (at the first) - or this one, hole 72 - I was not discouraged.
“On the eighth tee, I thought David Puig is going to win the tournament by eight because he was hitting amazing, and Jon and myself made a few mistakes.
“That's amazing. That's for everyone that was there and believed in me, and yeah, my team, my family, especially my caddie, he's my best friend. I called him last year, I was struggling a little, and I called him and he stopped playing to carry my bag.
“And my grandpa yesterday was 80 years - well, he passed away a few years ago, but yesterday was his birthday. My best friend Paco and coach Jordi and my parents travelled this morning by train to be here for the tournament. I wish my brother was here but I will make a video call now - probably he cries more than me, knowing him.”
Rahm said: “May he (Angel) enjoy it. Winning at home, winning a Spanish Open with all the support that there has been. You could tell how much he felt it and how important it was for him. May he learn from these moments and enjoy them.
“Thinking that on Tuesday morning I was still in the hospital in another country, on the other side of the Atlantic, in the end, I’m happy. It's a pity to have lost in the play-off and not have been able to do better today. I can't say it has been a bad week. I gave myself a chance to win, which is what I wanted. I gave it my all until the end, and I'm proud of myself.
“What happened today helps (for Spanish golf). Having a final like this, no matter who wins, helps those kids who were watching here or on TV to want to try playing golf to experience moments like today’s.”
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry’s closing two-under 69 for a share of 13th gave him his fifth top-20 finish in a row and his 12th from 24 individual starts this season.
While he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in partnership with Rory McIlroy in April, he will have another chance to win as an individual for the first time since the 2022 BMW PGA when he joins Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington and Tom McKibbin in this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
On the Challenge Tour, Conor Purcell closed with a two-over 74 to tie for 12th on two-under in the weather-reduced, 36-hole Swiss Challenge, seven shots behind Scotland’s Euan Walker.
As a result, the Portmarnock man fell one spot to 11th in the Road to Mallorca standings which will see the top 20 awarded DP World Tour cards after the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by the R&A on November 3.
On the LPGA Tour, Leona Maguire’s bogey-free, five-under 66 left her tied for 37th on seven under in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
She finished ten strokes outside a playoff that saw Jasmine Suwannapura earn her third career career victory after making an eagle on the second extra hole to beat Lucy Li.
