– The situation is as follows. You’ve just missed a one-meter putt to win the Spanish Open and you’re facing a playoff against Jon Rahm. On the way to the 18th tee for the playoff, it’s inevitable to ruminate on the mistake, to regret it, even if it was small. That’s when the man driving the buggy says to Ángel Hidalgo: “When have you ever lost a match play against the Basque Country? Never, right? Well, this is the same…”. Of course, the comment brings a smile to the man from Malaga. The thing is, what a coincidence, the driver of that car is Gonzalo García, referee of the DP World Tour and Hidalgo’s partner in the Andalusian teams whenever they played the inter-autonomous. What a thing. Who would have told him that such a close friend would take him to play the first playoff of his career in the DP World Tour.
– The other big winner of this Spanish Open is called Gonzalo Vicente, alias Win. Everyone calls him Win. He is Ángel Hidalgo’s caddie. Why does he get this nickname? Well, obviously, because he won a lot as a child, but the germ of the nickname has an even more curious story. He started playing golf relatively late. At 12 years old. In a very short time, just 15 months, he went from a 48 handicap to 0. Faster than a Formula. In his first appearance in a national championship, Gonzalo, an absolute unknown who came from Huelva, signed 70 strokes on the first day, the only one under par. Then, as a joke, Juan Parrón, who has a great sense of humor, told him: “you must have an uncle who knows a lot about Windows and lowers your handicap”. Since then, because of Windows, everyone knows him as Win. Just in case, like yesterday, Gonzalo keeps winning so that the nickname also fits him for the sense of winning, winning and winning again.
– Javier Ballesteros is one of the strong members of Ángel Hidalgo’s team. He is his manager through the company All in Sports. Seve’s eldest son has just started this new adventure in the world of representation and the truth is that he is doing very well. Just recently he was celebrating Ángel Ayora’s victory in the Challenge, shortly after Pablo Alperi’s triumph in the first phase of the DP World Tour School and now Ángel’s great success. Yesterday in Madrid he was one of the happiest.
– Ángel Hidalgo adores the Ryder Cup. You only have to see him on the field to guess that he is an animal that was born for that competition. In fact, one of his favorite players is Ian Poulter. Don’t rule out that in the coming weeks we will see the Ryder command, Luke Donald, Edoardo Molinari or one of his close collaborators, playing with the man from Malaga. Who knows if this very week in the Alfred Dunhill Links.
– Nearly fifty thousand fans have passed through the Club de Campo in this Spanish Open, a considerable figure. But the aspect of the Black course on Sunday, with the three Spaniards forming in the stellar match, has been epochal, with thousands of fans outlining each hole in the purest major style.
– Alfredo García Heredia has come a little closer to that great goal that is the Dubai Final, where he would get in for the first time in his career. He has achieved it thanks to a meritorious tenth place in the Club de Campo, his third consecutive top ten in the Spanish Open, by the way. It’s never too late for the Asturian. He is now number 57 in the Race to Dubai and, as is well known, the first sixty get in. He is still going to have to fight to secure that goal, but he is on the right track, just like his game.
– Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton were other big stars, big attractions, of this Spanish Open, in addition to Jon Rahm. Except for Fleetwood, in the early stages of the first day, none of them have really been in the mix, but in the end you have to admit that they are full of self-esteem. Tommy finished in third position, Tyrrell in tenth and Shane was thirteenth.
– And for next year, note down the name of Grant Forrest. The Scotsman is one of the three players, only three, who have made all the cuts in the last five editions of the Spanish Open, the ones that have been played consecutively at the Club de Campo. He likes the Madrid course and this Sunday, in addition, he signed the best result of the day (64) and finished in third position.
– Although if we are to note down names, they should be of Spanish players. They are spoiling us, and in what a way. There are already five victories of the Armada in the last six editions, a real paranormal event, no matter how we look at it, and even counting on the presence of a mega crack like Jon Rahm. Five victories of three different players (Rahm, Cabrera Bello and Hidalgo) and, pay attention, two playoffs played in recent times (years 2021 and 2024) in which two Spanish players played for the victory (Cabrera Bello beat Adri Arnaus and Hidalgo beat Rahm).
