Nacho Elvira (-14) has remained untouchable in the lead of the Soudal Open once the afternoon round was completed. Only Aaron Cockerill (-10), Sam Jones (-10) and Joe Dean (-9) managed to make their way into the top 10 among those who played this Friday afternoon. It’s not that the conditions have been hellish, not at all, but it has not stopped raining throughout the round. It also rained in the morning, for a long time, but there was more respite.
The fourth best player of the morning/afternoon round has been Ángel Hidalgo (-7). Fourth in solitude. His round of 68 strokes today, without bogeys, is therefore very meritorious. He played much better from tee to green than on Thursday and should have finished even higher had he found a little more support from the putter. In any case, a great round of golf that allows him to be in the fight for everything for the weekend.
Hidalgo’s tactic has worked well. He decided to be aggressive from the tee, hitting everything he could on many holes where yesterday he did not hit the driver. The explanation is simple. The water has made the terrain much heavier and he needed yards to be, at the same time, more aggressive in the shots to the flag. A good example was hole 4, where today he hit a drive 40 meters longer than yesterday. “It was an uncomfortable day because it was raining all the time, without taking off the umbrella. I was very solid, better than yesterday from tee to green. At the beginning the greens cost me. I was a bit short on some, but then I made some good ones,” he assures Ten Golf.
Another tribute from Hidalgo to the saint Job, the one of patience. He knew how to wait for his moment and in the final stretch, last seven holes, the birdies arrived, three to be more exact. If the putter responds at the weekend and maintains the good play from tee to green today, we will see him fighting for important things on Sunday. Right now he is two strokes off the top 10.
On the other hand, Rafa Cabrera Bello (-3) has made a comeback with a round of 68 strokes and has made the cut. It’s the second consecutive one after a series of six in a row missed. Consolidating the good play, the feelings and rebuilding the confidence. Nobody has to explain to the Canarian how these things are done. He is cured of fright. Who did not manage to make the cut was Iván Cantero.
