Angel Higaldo on 10th tee on second day of Andalucia Masters 2022 © Real Club Valderrama |
|
Andalucia Masters underway at Valderrama - 13th to 16th October 2022
Day Two
Another beautiful calm almost windless weather conditions for Friday the second day of Andalucia Masters at Real Club Valderrama, Sotogrande.
Angel Hidalgo 24 years who lay in 21st place overnight on thew first day with one under par, was one of the early starters (08.40 hrs), scored a tournament record eight under par with 63 strokes. (62 is the Valderrama course record.) This put him in the lead with nine under par at the tournament half-way point.
Starting on the 10th he made a birdie on the 11th then a hat trick on the 16th, 17th and 18th. It was still mid-morning. Angel was growing in quiet confidence as the spectators were starting to realise what was happening. A small following grew on his second nine where he delighted them with four more birdies on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th. "It was the first time I played with that number of persons following me."
When asked after the round if he believed this was possible. “Absolutely no, I just tried to put the ball in the fairways on the first few holes and then I began to get confidence. I made every single put today and that was the key.”
Ángel Hidalgo Portillo is from Marbella and is a member of the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina. This young man started playing golf when he was only 2 years old at the Escuela de Golf El Ángel, in the Golf Valley of Marbella, under the guidance of his grandfather and his father, also called Ángel, who is a professional golfer. He is registered as belonging to Royal Las Brisas golf club in Marbella and been training and supporting young golfers at La Cañada club in Sotogrande. Angel was invited onto the Andalucia Masters event alongside Alvaro Quiros, Pedro Oriol, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Pep Angels as the five National Spots.
By the afternoon first-round co-leader Australian Min Woo Lee joined Hidalgo at the top of the leader board in the afternoon thanks to a 67 which featured a magnificent eagle, three birdies and a single bogey. Two-time DP World Tour winner Lee battled hard on the back nine, parring the final seven holes courtesy of some excellent recovery shots.
Spain's Otaegui then made it a three-way tie late in the day, notching six birdies and one bogey in his 66.
The leading trio are three shots clear of Swede Joakim Lagergren, with Scot Robert MacIntyre and Spain's Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez another shot back on five under. The 2020 winner John Catlin of the United States is then amongst a group of four players at four under par.
Following the Day 2 cut at three over par (second tightest in the tournament) the 126 golfers are now down to 66. On Day 3 - Saturday the golfers are again in groups of three all starting on the Tee One. The first departure is 08.49 hrs with Amdrew Wilson (UK), Pedro Oriol (Spain) and Angel Ayora. Each tee time follows 11 minutes later.
The last round starting at 12.50 hrs comprises of the three joint leaders; Adrian Otaegui (Spain) Min Woo Lee (Australia) and Angel Hidalgo. Forecast is Sunny.