Angel Hidalgo defeated fellow compatriot Jon Rahm to earn a maiden DP World Tour triumph at the at the acciona Open de Espana in Madrid.
Hidalgo came into the final round at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid with a two-shot advantage over the two-time major winner but only went onto card a one-under 70 in the final round to end the event on 14 under and give Rahm an opportunity for a comeback.
The LIV Golf individual champion, who made his first appearance on the DP World Tour since joining the Saudi-backed tour in December, hit a final round 68 which included three birdies in his last five holes to join level with Hidalgo and force the play-off.
The pair made a return to the par-four 18th which saw them both birdie the hole but for the third time the World No. 398 held his nerve to post another birdie which Rahm could not match to claim his first DP World Tour triumph.
“Two or three years ago, I was on the first tee, in the trees, supporting Jon. Without playing, I just came here to Madrid to see the tournament,” said Higalgo.
“To be here and win the tournament is unreal. Oh, my gosh, it’s amazing.”
A runner-up finish for Rahm however boosts his chances of earning a place in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. He collected 555 points moving up to 41st in the Race to Dubai standings, just above the cut-off for both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship.
There was a six-way tie for third featuring English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Joe Dean, Sweden’s Jens Fahrbring, America’s Sean Crocker, Scotland’s Grant Forrest, and Spain’s David Puig.
What is the next event?
The next event on the DP World Tour schedule is the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship taking place between 3-6 October at St. Andrews Old Course in Scotland.