HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 27, 2023

Angel Hidalgo

Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Fantastic day, can you sum it up for us?

ANGEL HIDALGO: Yeah, it was amazing. I didn't start hitting so good the ball but yeah, the birdie I made on 18 gave me a lot of confidence and I start playing so good the back nine, and yeah, the last hole was really, really long. I hit driver, 4-iron. So with that pin, sometimes you sign five.

Q. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Rory McIlroy shot 6-under, and he's world No. 1, so how does that feel to look at that leaderboard and see your name?

ANGEL HIDALGO: Yeah, it was weird. See my surname and his surname together in the leaderboard was pretty cool. That's why I made bogey, to be close to him (laughing). Yeah, it was something, a good dream when you see him winning majors, so yeah, we played good today, and maybe why not play with him.

Q. Speaking of dreams, we saw your unbelievable performance at Valderrama last year, it's obviously your rookie year this year, but what did that experience give you in terms of what you can do under pressure?

ANGEL HIDALGO: I love the pressure. You know, I heard, I think it was Seve or Jacques Léglise, I don't remember, he said, if I don't feel pressure, I'm playing for nothing. So I like the pressure.

So, well, it's my rookie year but last year I played a lot of tournaments and obviously Valderrama was like top one. So that gave me confidence to know I can play with Rory and the rest of the players, so yeah, go to the course and hit the ball.