Mixed fortunes for Malaga golfers at the Open de España

The Open de España ended with a strong Malaga presence thanks to Ángel Ayora’s impressive performance across four days in Madrid. The 20-year-old, who lives in Manilva and is regarded as one of Spain’s brightest golf prospects, capped an excellent week by finishing joint ninth on ten under par alongside Jon Rahm and David Puig.

Ayora had been one of the surprises of the early rounds. He opened with a four-under-par 67 on Thursday to sit just two shots off the lead, and he maintained his composure on Friday with a 69 that kept him among the top ten. In fact, his steady play confirmed his status as the leading Spaniard for much of the event.

"I started badly but stayed patient and the good feelings I brought to Madrid showed through," he said after the opening round.

While Ayora impressed, fellow Malagueño Ángel Hidalgo was unable to replicate his 2024 triumph. After an opening round of 71, the Marbella native carded a disappointing 75 on Friday to miss the cut and surrender his title defence.

Jon Rahm, meanwhile, recovered from an erratic start to post the best round of the final day, a 65 that lifted him to ninth.

However, it was England’s Marco Penge who took the trophy, defeating compatriot Daniel Brown in a playoff after both finished tied at the top on Sunday.

The tournament once again underlined Malaga’s growing reputation as a hotbed of Spanish golf.