Hidalgo hoping for more home success in Sotogrande
Angel Hidalgo has set his sights on a second victory on home soil when he tees it up in the tenth edition of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande this week.
The Spaniard won the hearts of his nation just under a month ago when he held off two-time Major Champion Jon Rahm in a play-off to win the 2024 acciona Open de España presented by Madrid.
That win in the Spanish capital catapulted the 26-year-old to 22nd on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, and he is now chasing dual membership with the PGA TOUR on offer to the ten players not otherwise exempt on the season-long rankings with just four events remaining.
Hidalgo finished fourth at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters in 2022 to earn his DP World Tour card for the following season and he will be hoping to use those memories as fuel for another strong showing in Andalucía.
Hidalgo joins home favourites Rahm, 2022 winner Adrian Otaegui, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Pablo Larrazábal, Jorge Campillo, Adri Arnaus, Nacho Elvira, Álvaro Quirós and David Puig as a star-studded field assembles in Sotogrande for the penultimate event of the DP World Tour’s Back 9.
Otaegui will bid to win the event for the second time following his triumph in 2022 and the five-time DP World Tour winner sits in 29th position on the Race to Dubai Rankings after a strong season, including victory at the Volvo China Open in May.
Joining them in the field this week are Rolex Series winners Victor Perez, Thorbjørn Olesen and Nicolai Højgaard, alongside his twin brother Rasmus. PGA TOUR winner Matt Wallace and Matteo Manassero, the youngest winner in DP World Tour history, will also tee it up in San Roque.
Estrella Damm, the premium lager brand of the Spanish brewing company S.A. Damm, will be the title sponsor for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters for the sixth time and the event will be played at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande for the second consecutive year.
Angel Hidalgo: It feels good to be back in Spain and pretty close to home. I think we will have low scores this week because the greens are soft, especially over the first two days. I don’t know how the weather is looking for the weekend but the wind could make it tough. This is a course I know and that gives me confidence this week, especially over the tricky tee shots.
There is more pressure since I won in Madrid. There is more media attention, interviews and more is expected of me on the golf course. I am trying to stay calm and focus on hitting some good shots and hole my putts. Hopefully I can have another good week and celebrate on Sunday.
These events are great for Spanish golf and I’m sure the final round in Madrid has encouraged many young people to take up the game of golf. I’m very happy to be inspiring the next generation.
Jon Rahm: It’s always a different feeling being back in Spain. I think my emotions can be heightened when playing in front of the Spanish crowds. Obviously, I always want to do well but when I come home it’s something that makes me want to play a little bit better and is one of the reasons I have done so well in the past. I’m looking forward to the week and hopefully I can do well again.
Sotogrande is a beautiful golf course, a classic design and it’s well known all over Spain. We’ve had a lot of rain so the greens should be quite receptive, and you can be very aggressive with your approach play. If we don’t get the wind, I think you can expect to see some low scores out there.
These events on the DP World Tour always happen at the end of the year for me so it feels like it takes a little longer to re-charge. I’ve been home, the kids had a full break in the United States so to have all three of them at home all week was a lot of fun. It’s a lot of work but I don’t usually get the chance to be Dad for that long, so mentally it was a very nice break for me.
Adrian Otaegui: I’m very happy to be here. I’ve always said that the Sotogrande area for me feels like home because I used to practice here when I was an amateur to test myself in the windy conditions. Every time I come here it feels very special to me and I love this area. I love this golf course, and it is always in fantastic condition.
Last year we were here at Sotogrande Golf Club and the crowds were amazing. I also won this event in 2022, and everyone was very supportive, and cheering me on with big crowds. I’m looking forward to playing in front of the home fans again.
We have had some very important events in the last few weeks, and I’m really looking forward to finishing the season in style. I love the finale to the DP World Tour season and hopefully I can finish well.
Matteo Manassero: I love coming back to Spain because it’s like a bit of a second home for me. I really feel that the crowd appreciates me and knows me and wants me to do well. That goes along with the culture which is very similar to Italy so I just like being here.
The Sotogrande area has a really good energy, a good vibe and I always like coming here. It’s a long time since I was at Sotogrande Golf Club, so it brings back good memories. It’s got something special about it: the surroundings, the trees, the way the grass is. It’s a pleasure to play.
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I know that I’m having a good season, I know that there is something at stake for the end of the year and golf is always like that. I want to play well this week and then move on but I want to really keep my focus to the immediate future and not too far ahead. The end of the season is close and we’ll think about that after.
