Copa de Andalucía: Another top-10 for Yates

Naas and Ireland's Jonathan Yates. Picture by Pat Cashman

Jonathan Yates clinched his second successive top-10 in the Copa de Andalucía as Malaga's Ángel Hidalgo claimed a memorable victory at the course where he learned how to play the game.

The 2016 Spanish Close champion, a member of Spain's winning European Team Championship side last summer, closed with a bogey-free, four-under-par 68 —his fourth successive sub-par round— to win by five strokes from compatriots Victor Pastor (67) and Eugenio López-Chacarra (72) on 10-under 278 at Real Club de Golf Guadalmina.

Leading by a stroke overnight from Madrid native López-Chacarra, Hidalgo birdied the second, 12th, 17th and 18th to record a memorable victory at his home club.

Winner Angel Hidalgo with Victor Pastor and Eugenio López-Chacarra. Picture via Al Sol de la Costa

Yates was three-over for the day after a double bogey at the 12th but finished strongly with birdies at the 15th and 17th for a final round 73 and a share of sixth place on three-over 291 — 12 months after finishing tied for seventh.

Another Naas man, Rob Brazill, shot 73 and tied for 33rd on 12-over 300 with Castleknock's Paul Coughlan (77) while Kilkenny's Luke Donnelly closed with a 71 to share 38th on 301.

Rosslare's John Brady notched an eagle and five birdies in a rollercoaster 77 but left to rue four bogeys, two double bogeys and a quadruple bogey seven at the 180-metre ninth, his final hole of the day.

Copa Analucía, Real Club de Golf de Guadalmina, Malaga (Par 72)

Detailed scores

1 ANGEL HIDALGO PORTILLO -3.5 69 70 71 68 278 -10
2 VICTOR PASTOR RUFIAN -3.5 66 75 75 67 283 -5
3 EUGENIO LOPEZ-CHACARRA COTO -3.4 72 67 72 72 283 -5
4 GIOVANNI TADIOTTO -4.7 76 70 71 69 286 -2
5 JON LOPEZ-LANCHARES ECHEZARRETA -0.4 76 73 73 67 289 +1
6 JOEL MOSCATEL NACHSHON -1.6 71 78 74 68 291 +3
7 ASIER AGUIRRE IZCUE -2.1 74 71 73 73 291 +3
8 JORGE MAICAS REDONDO -2.0 69 75 78 69 291 +3
9 ADRIAN MATA ALSDORF -2.6 74 77 73 67 291 +3

10 JONATHAN YATES -3.2 71 71 76 73 291 +3

35 ROB BRAZILL -1.9 74 78 75 73 300 +12
37 PAUL COUGHLAN -4.2 71 80 72 77 300 +12
39 LUKE DONNELLY -2.2 71 80 79 71 301 +13
48 JOHN BRADY -2.2 76 75 76 77 304 +16
53 ROBERT MORAN -1.3 78 76 76 78 308 +20

CUT

65 JACK MADDEN -1.3 76 80 78 234 +18
67 CHARLIE DENVIR -1.8 72 80 82 234 +18
68 REECE BLACK -1.7 77 77 81 235 +19
80 ANTHONY MCDAID -1.2 82 79 81 242 +26