World No. 153 Adrian Otaegui said “it’s a dream” to be back at St. Andrews for his second start in the Hero Open, as the Torrance Course was the site of his third career European Tour victory at least year’s Scottish Championship.
The 28-year-old Spaniard won by four strokes over Englishman Matt Wallace last October, finishing at 23-under 265. “I have really good memories and feelings,” said Otaegui, who opened with a bogey-free, 10-under 62 and closed with a 9-under 63, bookending back-to-back rounds of 2-under 70 in Rounds 2 and 3. “It was very satisfying, the way the whole week went, the way I managed it. A very, very good first round. The second and third rounds were very important, they were only 2-under rounds, but that was key. I didn’t play my best, as good as Thursday and Sunday, but I still managed to shoot under par, keep up there on the leaderboard and a very good final day gave me the win. I was very pleased with the way I played and the way I managed the week.” Otaegui has made 12 cuts in 18 starts this season, but he’s missed out on weekend action in his last two starts, including last week at the ISPS Handa World Invitational. His best finish in 2021 came in June at the Scandinavian Mixed. In last year’s Hero Open, held at Forest of Arden, he shot 70-75 to miss the cut by three shots.