Ángel Hidalgo has achieved an epic victory in the Championship of the Valencian Community played at the Escorpión Golf Club (Bétera, Valencia). The Andalusian player from Guadalmina, current champion of Spain, has confirmed his favorite poster with a final round of 70 strokes, the best of the day, to finish with 289 strokes and three strokes ahead of David Puig and Adrian Mata. He started the last day with no less than six strokes ahead of the leader.
Sunday’s round was characterized by difficulties, and that is where Angel Hidalgo was strong, leaving his rivals far behind. Compared to his 70 strokes, the next best result was the 74 strokes of David Puig and Xabier Gorospe. The Catalan finished second tied with Adrian Mata with 292 strokes, while the Basque finished sixth with 297 strokes.
Hidalgo, after taking the victory, commented in La Trastienda de la Fábrica de Adolfo Luna that “it had been a long time since I had played with so much wind. I think that only in the British I have played with so much. It was very difficult to kick. The first three days I was not so good from tee to green, but the putting saved me. 24, 24 and 25 putts. Today it was a little bit the other way around. I have taken more tracks, I have hit the irons great and yet I have not been so accurate on the greens”.
On the other hand, Adrián Mata, from Madrid, who started as leader with three strokes ahead, has not been able to maintain that position after a card of 79 strokes, and with 292 strokes he is three strokes behind the champion. In fourth place is Adriá Arnaus with 293 strokes, and in fifth place is also Andalusian, from the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, Gonzalo Leal with 294, both after a card of 77 strokes.
Two leaders to start
The tournament began with the shared leadership of José Miguel Rosillo and Adrián Mata, great protagonists of a start in which only five golfers finished under par. With rounds of 68 strokes, Rosillo, a player from Valencia, and Mata, from Madrid, presented their credentials.
Gonzalo Leal from Seville scored 69 strokes, while Íñigo López-Pizarro from Galicia and Víctor García-Broto from Barcelona finished the round with 70. Also noteworthy was the 70 of David Puig, also from Barcelona. Two of the great favorites to play for the title until the final holes on Sunday, Adriá Arnaus and Ángel Hidalgo, did not lose any ground in their debut. With 72 strokes to their credit, they remained on the prowl.
On the second day, Adrian Mata was the sole leader. In a more complicated day, in which he shot 74 strokes, the player from Madrid was at the top of the leaderboard with 142 strokes, one less than Gonzalo Leal, who also shot 74. In third position was David Puig with 144, thanks to his 73 strokes, the best round of the day together with the favorites Ángel Hidalgo and Adriá Arnaus, who were in fourth position with 145 strokes.
José Miguel Rosillo dropped back to sixth place with a total of 149 after 81 strokes.
In the third round, Adrián Mata from Madrid consolidated his lead as the only player under par at Escorpión. With 71 strokes he kept the lead and, incidentally, increased his income over some of his pursuers. He totaled 231 strokes, three less than a very firm Adriá Arnaus -another 71 for him in that third round- who was emerging as his great rival.
Third were David Puig and Gonzalo Leal, who had the lead at four strokes. Six strokes behind and slightly losing pace with respect to Adrian Mata was precisely Angel Hidalgo, whose 74 complicated the tournament, which he finally won with a sensational Sunday.
Results
1.-Ángel Hidalgo 289 (72+73+74+70)
2.-David Puig 292 (71+73+73+75)
Adrián Mata 292 (68+74+71+79)
4.- Adriá Arnaus 293 (72+73+71+77)
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