Ángel Hidalgo has hit it from the fairway for an eagle on his last hole of the Open Championship qualifier to play the first Major of his career. The shot was out of this world, just like the story that hides behind it. We go back in time to add context and make everything perfectly understood. Warning: Netflix should make a series about this.
Context one. Week of the European Open in Hamburg. Three days before the Champions League final, Hidalgo asks for his 55-degree wedge to be screen printed with the following: Real Madrid 15th. Some superstitious Madridista blames him, but you already know how the final ended.
Context two. Last week at the Italian Open. Hidalgo, who openly admits to being superstitious, notices that for some strange reason every time he takes out a new ball during the Italian tournament he makes a birdie.
Context three. When Scheffler wins the Augusta Masters, we mortals are left with the sublime game he displayed throughout the week. Unapproachable. Hidalgo, in addition, realises that the world’s Number One plays with high numbers on his golf balls (you know that the balls, in addition to the brand, carry a number). Remember what we were telling you about his superstitions? That same week, Hidalgo asked Titleist to send him only balls with high numbers. For training he uses the 7 and for playing he alternates the 5, 6 and 8.
Knowing the context, which is crucial to understanding this wonderful story, we go to the tee of hole 7 at Dundonald Links. Hidalgo is three under par, there are three holes left to finish and he knows he needs a birdie to get into the Open. The need is pressing and he considers taking out a new ball. However, he thinks twice and decides it’s better to save it as a last bullet. The moment will come.
On hole 7 he hits a good drive, but the ball ends up in a divot. In another damn divot. Just like it happened in the first round in the morning. He couldn’t believe it. He had less than 80 meters to the flag and what seemed like a birdie option, turns into a struggle to save par. He hits it as best he can and leaves it right at the entrance of the green. He makes two good putts for par from about eight meters.
Hole 8 is one of the most complicated at Dundonald Links. There he doesn’t even consider putting the new ball. You have to make par no matter what. The tee shot is bad. It goes to the only pot bunker that protects that fairway. To the left. Dead. Dead, dead. Unplayable. He has to take it out sideways. Yes, one of those dreaded links bunkers. It’s the second fairway bunker he’s hit all day. What a moment. He takes it out to the fairway. The only good thing is that on hole 16, in the other bunker he hit, he managed to save par. He has 72 meters to the flag, with a strong wind in his favour, receives downhill and the flag is short. He hits a great shot, but the greens, somewhat damp from the side rain, of course, that has fallen during the day, make the ball skid on the first bounce and leaves an eight-meter par putt. He knows that with the bogey he has no option.
It’s a life or death putt to have any chance of being in the Open. Ángel and Gonzalo Vicente, his caddie, agree on the break. Left edge. They are clear. However, they made a deal at the beginning of the season. If once over the ball, Hidalgo sees the break in a different way, he throws it according to that last feeling. That’s what happens. Ángel feels it’s going to break a little more and takes it out a ball to the left. It goes right in the middle. Shouts. Several. Fist. One very strong.
Now, on the 9th tee, he takes out the new ball. The first one out is a Titleist number 5. Fate doing its thing. Hidalgo hits a great drive and puts it in the fairway. He has 99 meters to the flag. It’s the perfect distance for… his 55-degree wedge. Of course. Fate. From the fairway you can’t see the hole, but the shot comes out just as he had drawn it in his head. It bounces to the left of the flag with lateral spin. They know it’s good and suddenly they see some spectators raising their arms and a journalist from the Open who is broadcasting live also raising his hand. Hidalgo asks in the distance: “It’s in?” “Yes, It’s in”, they respond excitedly.
The madness. Hidalgo doesn’t remember well what happened in the next minute. He doesn’t know how his 55-degree wedge appeared 35 meters from where he had hit the shot, he doesn’t know why suddenly he was crying like a child hugging his playing partners as if he had scored a goal to win the Fifteenth, he doesn’t know how he got to the green, nor does he know how he was able to sign the card… The only thing he knows is that he was shaking, crying and laughing. All at the same time. And that he sent a message to the WhatsApp group he has with his parents and his brother to tell them: I hit it in from 100 meters.
Hidalgo will play his first Major after shooting -5, with a ball marked with the number 5, hitting a 55-degree wedge to make an eagle from the fairway and with the 15th of Real Madrid screen printed on the club.
And now, go ahead and tell Hidalgo that his superstitions are crazy.
