Hidalgo Charges into Lead at Irish Open, McIlroy Trails by Four
KILKENNY, Ireland – Alejandro del Rey Hidalgo surged into the lead at the irish Open on Saturday, carding a stunning round despite a late hiccup on the 16th hole at The K Club. The 27-year-old Spaniard finished the day with a meaningful lead, while Rory McIlroy remains within striking distance, four shots back heading into the final round.Hidalgo’s round was highlighted by a remarkable run of seven consecutive birdies starting on the second hole. He added four more shots over the first six holes of his back nine, demonstrating extraordinary form. A double-bogey seven on the 16th,after finding water with his second shot,briefly threatened his momentum,but he recovered with a par on 17 and a closing birdie four. “I really feel for a few moments I was playing the PlayStation,to be honest,” Hidalgo said. “Every single shot was directly to the pin. Even the one I missed, it was directly to the pin, like the 13 one I go over, but it was straight to the pin.”
The Irish open, a cornerstone of the DP World tour, has a rich history of showcasing world-class golf and attracting a strong international field. This year’s event at The K Club, a renowned venue that previously hosted the Ryder Cup, is no exception. Hidalgo’s remarkable performance puts him in prime position to claim his first DP World Tour title, having previously defeated two-time major winner Jon Rahm in a play-off to win his national title last year.
While mcilroy found birdies hard to come by at times, Hidalgo’s relentless scoring put pressure on the rest of the field.Saddier holds the 54-hole lead, having mixed seven birdies with three bogeys, positioning himself for a second DP World Tour title. European Ryder Cup players Shane Lowry (70) and Tyrrell Hatton (71) struggled to make significant gains, and Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin posted a disappointing 74 with only one birdie.
“I’m so happy. Not going to lie,really,really happy,” Hidalgo added. “Obviously now you remember the 16th, but you need to remember the few recoveries I did. The one on 17 was pretty crucial, and obviously the birdie on 18 to finish with good feelings obviously for tomorrow.”
