Barnes leads in Italy

Tough day for this first round of Acaya golf Open. England’s Jason Barnes shot 67, -4 to lead by one and be part of the 6 players who beat the par today. The golf course of Acaya is in great shape and the wind did not help players to shot low scores. Rough is dense and “eats” the ball as seen on big European tour events. Only a few of them managed to adapt. Barnes did play very solid and Alan Bihan, his playing partner said he got impressed by Barnes putting:

« I really improved my game compare to the beginning of the season. I play much more solid. Today I only missed 3 fairways and I hit 16 greens. I deal better with pressure and it is this kind of feeling I had when I played first stage of Q school too. »

Barnes, 26 year old, is on top of the leaderboard for the first time in 2010 but strong players are very closed. Fellow Matthew Cryer is only one stroke behind. Then come Italian Matteo Delpodio and Frenchman Kenny Le Sager. They both played in the same group and the level of the game was really nice to watch. Delpodio, second at the Alps Tour order of merit, missed the last two cuts. He confessed his game was getting better and good sensations were back.

At 5th place, 3 shots back of the lead, Frenchman rookie Romain Schneider and young Italian Amateur, talented Emanuele Sesia, 18 year old. Sesia is a good friend of European tour rookie Matteo Manassero.

The projected cut will be around +8 or 9.

At Acaya
Agathe Séron

Eyraud of the day!

Frenchman Raphael Eyraud, 35 year old next Wednesday, captured the Allianz Open Stade Français Paris by defeating Matthieu Bey after first extra hole. Eyraud shot 67 and Bey 68 to be -11 total after 4 rounds. The last group with yesterday’s leaders was not in the race any more four holes before the end. Bihan and Joakimides dropped two shots in a row on 15th and 16th and Benjamin Nicolay made dropped one on the 17th to open the door to challengers.

Spain’s Pedro Erice has been playing for a victory for 3 weeks now and looking forward to finally grab a trophy. He finished at third place alone and jumped to 12th place at Alps Tour order of merit.

Eyraud described to journalists the story of the day:

“This win is totally unexpected. I started very bad and after 7 holes I had already dropped 3 shots. I tell myself to try to enjoy. Then I holed a good birdy on the 9th and I felt I could play better. My back nine was incredible. I hit the green always very closed to the pins and I though why not being in the top 10… I turned 7 under on back nine and made again a birdy on the 18th during the play off… What a day ! It is golf. This year, either I missed the cut on events I played or I got into a play off. I have lost the one at French PGA Championship and I won today. A little voice in my mind is whispering me to try again European Tour qualifying school next year… We will see.

I want to thank and congratulate my playing partners, Pedro Erice and Matthieu Bey. We are al together on the podium and it was a great match. I am sure they will have a win soon.”

Jason Palmer is still leading the Alps Tour order of merit and followers kept their place as well.

At Courson
Agathe Séron

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Joakimides still ahead

Nicolas Joakimides, 36 year old, kept the lead of Alllianz Open Stand Français Paris. He signed for 69, 3 under par and unfortunately dropped only one stroke on last hole. On his toes, 3 fellows, Alan Bihan, Benjamin Nicolay and young amateur Alexander Levy.

Levy, 20 year old, is 44th at amateur world ranking and second in his country. He is the current French Champion and won the Murat Cup in 2010. Following him outside the ropes, Maitena Delamontagne Technichal Director of French Federation. This event is the last one for amateurs to get their selection in French team for the Eisenhower Trophy, the team World Cup. Levy did not feel any pressure about that.

“ I was happy to have many people following me. The other guys supported me and it is nice to feel this spirit. I really wanted to be in the last group. Honestly today, my game was almost perfect. I only missed one green and had three putts once. On last green, Nicolas made a wonderful chip but missed the putt and I holed for birdy, so I came back very closed.”

Joakimides last and only win on Alps Tour was in 2005 and he confessed a win would be either a personal pleasure and a joy for his banker!

Alan Bihan, who already won twice this year, could take the lead of Alps Tour order of merit thanks to a win in Paris. Leader Jason Palmer was playing in Austria this week and runner up Italian Matteo Delpodio missed the cut. What a difference a week made…

Then, Frenchman Benoit Bozio shot the score of the day 66 and joined fellows Vincent Cachera, Matthieu Bey and Spaniard Pedro Erice at 5th place.

Agathe Séron

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Joakimides one clear in Paris

Frenchman Nicolas Joakimides, 36 year old, shown that experience was the key on the course of Courson near Paris.
Former European tour player shot 68 today to add 4 strokes to the 3 he already had won over the course during first round.

With a 7 under par total, Joakimides leads Allianz Open Stade Français Paris by one over 4 players, Frenchmen Eric Chaudouet, Anthony Grenier and amateur Alexander Levy and England’s Jason Barnes.

The cut is fixed at +1 including 4 amateurs.

Agathe Séron

Sulzer and Fournier tie in Paris

Frenchman Thomas Fournier and Swiss Nicolas Sulzer are tie for first place at Allianz Open Stade Francais Paris. They both signed for 68, – 4 to lead by one.

Sulzer’s card shows a different story from his opponent’s one. He holed no less than 7 birdies and had only one hole he obviously wanted to forget. He dropped 3 shots on the 16th hole. Sulzer is 33 years old and had four Top 5 last year.

Frenchman Thomas Fournier already won on Alp Tour. It was in 2007 in Austria. Since the beginning of the year, Fournier’s coach is former LET winner Stéphanie Arricau.

A group of 7 players are tie for third place at -3 including Frenchman Alan Bihan and England’s Matthew Cryer, both in top 5 of Alps Tour order of merit.

Projected cut is level par.

Agathe Séron

Maiden win for Dear

Scot Gavin Dear captured his maiden win by beating young Frenchman George Leriche in sudden death at Feudi di Asti Golf Open presented by SCAVINO-PIAGGIO Veicoli Commerciali.

Dear teed off almost our hour before the last group and played his best golf. “My golf is really better for weeks now, I had good results in August. I knew I needed to score very low. The leaderboard was not updated so I tried to make a lot of birdies.”

Meanwhile, Frenchman Leriche struggled a little with his game and dropped 2 shots on 3rd par 5 where he used to hole for birdy.

Dear signed for score of the day tie 63 but had to wait until last group completed their round. He had a chat with Jason Palmer, winner after many tries…

“Jason told me he was playing for victory twice before winning, I answered that I have been in that position many more times this season ! Finally I did it.”

Leriche did not hole for birdy as he did the first two rounds and had to go into a play off. They played twice the short 18th par 3 and Gavin Dear holed 60 cm to win as his opponent missed 10 meters.

Gavin Dear earned 2 places to be 4th at Alps Tour order of merit and George Leriche jumped from 71st to 38th place.

Agathe Séron

Leriche precious day

Frenchman George Leriche, 21 year old, shot a 6 under 64 to be -9 total and to start in the last group of the final day. Young player is showing good form since the beginning of August.

One stroke behind, another player who does improve his game during summer tournaments, Italian Pietro Ricci. He made two cuts in August after long weeks looking for better results.

Then, at third place, yesterday’s leader Matthew Cryer. He only succeeded in gaining one stroke over the course today.

The cut is fixed at +3 including 18 Italian players.

Agathe Séron

England's Cryer to lead in Italy

Matthew Cryer shot 65 -5 to take leadership at Feudi di Asti Golf Open. The 35 year old Englishman already won this year. He grabbed a trophy in Austria. His advantage is only one stroke.

At second place tie, a group of 5 players, two Frenchmen Mattieu Bozio and Romain Schneider, Scot Gavin Dear, Spaniard Juan Antonio Bragulat and Italian player Andrea Signor.

Signor shared his time playing on Alps Tour and Challenge Tour and a win could give him confidence.

Younger of the five, 21 year old French rookie Romain Schneider is looking for maiden win as pro. Schneider had a great amateur career and needed a few months to improve his game on Pro circuit but he has been playing very solid for weeks now and could be the surprise of the week.

Scot Gavin Dear is said by fellow players to be one of the best player without a win this year. Obviously, he is a serious challenger to Cryer.

This projected cut is +2 after 18 holes.

Alps Tour is visiting Italy for third time this season. The Feudi di Asti Open is presented by Scavino – Piaggo Veicoli Commerciali. This sponsor is faithfull to Italian pro Tour for a while.

Agathe Séron