Under the bright Madrid sky, Angel Hidalgo turned what could have been just another Thursday into a spectacle that had the local fans practically dancing in the aisles.
With a sizzling six-under-par 65, Hidalgo didn’t just play; he dominated, nabbing a two-shot lead right out of the gates at the 2024 Acciona Open de España.
The Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, known for tripping up even the seasoned pros, played its tricks on many today, but Hidalgo? He had the magic touch—especially on the front nine where he blazed through with a blistering 30 strokes.
And sure, he hit a bit of a bump later on, but by then, he’d already done enough to keep the crowd buzzing.
Angel Hidalgo: I played really, really good today. It was a long time I didn’t stroke the putt as well as today. Doesn’t matter if I hole it or not, but the way I was stroking the putt was great.
Yeah, unlucky the last few shots, two bad swings with the irons, and well, unlucky. But pretty happy I sign this round all my career here, but yeah, looking forward the next three days.
It was an important one, especially when I hole an important putt on number six. I think that was the key for the next three birdies, that putter. This course have this type of stretch that you can make a few birdies in a row. So yeah, today, pretty happy, I’m not going to lie, obviously if I make three pars to finish, I’d probably be more happy but yeah, it’s good
It’s different. I’m not going to lie. You feel the love. You feel the support. Yeah, it’s incredible playing at home, and I wish that we could play more tournaments here.
Just a stone’s throw behind him, Julien Guerrier, Sepp Straka, and Sam Bairstow kept things interesting, each carding a respectable 67.
Not to be overlooked, Jon Rahm, the hometown hero with three titles under his belt at this very event, kept the chase interesting.
Mixing birdies with a couple of pesky bogeys, Rahm wrapped up his round with a show-stopping 27-footer for birdie that got everyone on their feet—himself included.
Jon Rahm: I was telling somebody before the round, I think it was my family, even maybe yesterday. Just flying in yesterday afternoon, not having touched a club in a while, and you know, between being sick and hospital beds, I was like — with the wind forecasted, if I could somehow break 75, I’ll be happy and see if I can work myself into the tournament.
You know, I keep putting it in play for the most part, and giving myself good looks. Made a few really good par putts on six and 11 that saved the round. Had a great finish and I find myself with a great score that is rather, I would say, unexpected.
It’s hard. There’s quite a bit of elevation change on a few of the holes here, right. So a lot of times, the wind funnels through the hole, so whatever you feel on the hole is different to what it might be doing above.
You have to play that to put that into account and think about what type of ball flight you’re going to try to hit. The second hole is a perfect example. I hit it a little bit lower than I expected instead of being pushed to the right and hurt, almost got helped, right. But I think that works both ways. I think sometimes we get lucky and other times we don’t.
But let’s not just chat about the big names. The leaderboard’s brimming with talent—like Rahm’s Olympic buddy David Puig and the up-and-coming Luis Masaveu, both hanging tough at two under, alongside international stars like Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Jones.
And hey, don’t forget last year’s champ, Mathieu Pavon, lurking just behind with a steady one under.
This year’s Acciona Open de España isn’t just a tournament; it’s shaping up to be a showdown.
With Angel Hidalgo setting a scorching pace and a field of hungry challengers not far behind, we’re in for some real golfing fireworks.
So, keep your eyes peeled and your claps ready; the golf in Madrid this week is anything but ordinary.
