ACCIONA OPEN DE ESPAñA PRESENTED BY MADRID

September 29, 2024

Angel Hidalgo

Club de Campo Villa de Madrid

Quick Quotes

Q. I can't imagine what this feels like. Can you try and sum up what it means to win your first DP World Tour title on home soil in this prestigious event?

ANGEL HIDALGO: It's insane. I don't have the words right now to explain what I can feel. Pretty happy. Pretty happy. This is a long, long walk. We fight a lot. We work a lot. Yeah, the trophy is with us and here in Spain, it's unbelievable.

Q. Tough start to the day. How were the nerves?

ANGEL HIDALGO: Zero nerves. Just bad shots, especially the hybrid on 4 and on 7. It was important the birdie on 8 and especially on 9, I feel like I'm back in the tournament because on 8th tee, I think I was four or three back off the lead. And he was playing amazing and I was playing really bad.

But yeah, I was really calm all day. But yeah, the putt I holed on 14, that was the first moment I said, I can win this tournament.

But yeah, everyone knows Jon. Everyone knows he will make a really good finish and obviously he made birdie, birdie. Yeah, really happy.

Q. How was your mind, you're starting the day with the lead, chasing David and Jon is down your neck on the back nine and giving yourself chances. How was your mind?

ANGEL HIDALGO: I was trying to be focused on the round. I don't care what the other two guys make. I was enough with my bad shots. But yeah, it was just try to put the ball in the fairway. I start with a few drivers to the left and yeah, I was talking with my caddie all around, like what we can do to try to put the ball in the fairway; and in the moment when I put the ball in the fairway, I know I'm hitting pretty good wedges and the irons.

So yeah, I think that was the key, and yeah, I'm pretty happy, I'm not going to say anything.

Q. Giving yourself a chance to win on the last in regulation, we saw you shake your hands after that putt. Were you nervous at that stage?

ANGEL HIDALGO: No. Need to say no. On hole 72, on the second, I missed a short putt to win but I was not nervous. Just a bad stroke, like on the first one. But yeah, I just was laughing all the time with my caddie, with all the Spanish people, the crowd following me and cheering me. I was extra close to play that good in the playoff.

Q. You've had some life-changing moments in tournaments in Spain. I know you had one at Valderrama a few years ago, but this win, this is a life-changing moment. What does this do for you, do you think?

ANGEL HIDALGO: Probably I think Valderrama was bigger step because I was on Alps Tour and Challenge Tour, and in a week I started to play with the big boys. I don't think this will change a lot in my career. Obviously I hope I can win a few more of those.

To be here with the trophy, knowing I can win this tournament, yeah, I think that's the biggest step I can make since last week, knowing I can win and everyone knows I can win now. That's pretty good.