Alps Tour Rising Stars

Alps Tour is pleased to introduce you the top 5 of order of merit 2010.

From left to right, Italian Matteo Delpodio, England’s Jason Palmer, France’s Alan Bihan, Scotland’s Gavin Dear and Englands Matthew Cryer.

Pujalte happy in Italy

Spain’s Miguel “Puji” Pujalte captured his maiden win and lifted the trophy of Open di Publia Basilicata. Italy has always been kind to hom. After finishing second at the qualifying stage of the Alps Tour last year on same courses, he got his best result as runner up at Le Fonti beginning of June.

This morning, he was one stroke back of the lead after a great -4 front nine he stayed focus and calm to hole nine par in a row and win with easy margin of 3 shots. He signed for -13 total.

At second place, Italians Andrea Rota and the Alps Tour player of the year, Matteo Delpodio. After third win last week in France, Delpodio shot the best score of the day, 66, -5 to finish on the podium again and increase his margin on the top of the ranking. He succeeds fellow Andrea Perrino as winner of the Alps Tour order of merit.

Obviously, this final event was the last chance for some players to entr the top 5. One regret for Juan Antonio Bragulat. He dropped 3 shots on the last and it cost him the fifth place but he still have chance to play on the Challenge Tour next year. If one of the top 5 players makes the cut during the Final Stage of qualifying school, Bragulat will be the first on the list to take the free spot…

A very good reason to wish all the best to England’s Matthew Cryer, Scotland’s Gavin Dear, Frenchman Alan Bihan, Englishman Jason Palmer and Italian Matteo Delpodio…

Agathe Séron

Swiss Sulzer shines in Italy

Swiss Nicolas Sulzer, 33 year old, demonstrated his ability to proide great golf. Swiss player split his season between Challenge Tour and Alps Tour. His results were not at the level of what he could do and this last run for victory is a good support to his career. He shot 67 and 66 to lead by one at Open Puglia Basilicata with a total of -10.

One stroke behind, Spain’s Miguel Pujalte and Frenchman Remi Dupuis. Then at -8 total, Italian Andrea Rota and Englishman Jason Barnes.

It does no harm but this once, except Jason Barnes, all top 5 players will try to capture their malden win. New names on the top of the leaderboard as a prelude to a new season to start…

The cut is fixed at level par.

Agathe Séron

Three way tie at Riva de Tessali

Open di Puglia Basilicata is the last tournament in Alps Tour 2010 Schedule. Players are golfing on two different golf course for first two rounds.

On Tessali course, England’s Jason Barnes did best score with 65, -6. Barnes finished second last week and obviously hopes to win again in Puglia after his success in Acaya. Fellow Sam Robinson and Mark Davies are 2 strokes behind.

It seemed that Metaponto golf course suits much more to continental players. Italian Andrea Zanini and French rookie Remi Dupuis signed for 65, seven under par. One stroke behind, Frenchmen Anthony Pailler and Xavier Poncelet and Italian Joon Kim.

Agathe Séron

Delpodio captured Masters13

After a very long day and a battle of nerves, Italian Matteo Delpodio won his third title of the season defeating England’s Jason Barnes by one stroke.

He scored 73 today one over par in very windy conditions. He had a margin of 2 shots at the beginning of the round. His challenger Barnes holed a birdy on the first hole as a kind of warning message saying he will be around all day. And he was.
Both players showed great golf but most of game, it was a battle of nerves. When Delpodio holed for birdy on the third as Barnes dropped one shot, the spectators though it was going to be an easy Italian story but Pont Royal golf course is a place when many dramas happened.

After nine holes and great birdies both sides, Delpodio had one stroke advantage thanks to birdy on 7th and 9th. Jason Barnes waited until the 13th hole to catch again the Italian and be square. Delpodio hit a 9 iron on par 3 and a gust of wind stopped his ball and it almost felt in the water hazard. Barnes hit a 7 iron and had less than 60 cm for birdy. Then he holed another one on 14th as Delpodio played par.

As the wind, the chance seemed to turn in favour in Englishmen.

When a leading player looses a tournament, there is often a guilty hole. Jason Barnes will regret the second shot on 15th for a while. He had 135 meters to the green with strong wind coming from right. He admitted he pulled it but the punishment was hard. The ball bounced left and went out of bounds. Barnes said that he didn’t even know there are out of bounds there… He dropped three shots of the hole and Delpodio seemed to take a little breath.

On last hole, as the end of the play was supposed to be written, Delpodio missed the green for 3 and landed in the bunker, his ball embedded. Barnes was on the rub of the green, chipped first and finished 2 meters from the flag. Delpodio can’t find the green after bunker shot. At this moment if Italian dropped one stroke and Englishman holed, they could have gone into a play off…

Delpodio missed his putt and gave Barnes a opportunity to win but it was not his day. Many “Forza Italia” came from Italian fans in the crowd and finally Matteo and caddy Andrea enjoyed the victory.

“Compared to my two other wins, it was the tougher. In Spain, I was so strong that nobody could beat me. But since a few weeks, I amp plying well but I tried to fix some points for Q school so I am not in the same confidence. It was such a long day. I did not feel the pressure that much. The conditions was so hard that you have no space for stress ! I knew my chance over the guys was the wind. I play very well in the wind but so did Jason. The key for this tournament was patience but most of all, I am sure I would not have win without Andrea my caddy. He helped me so much…”

Delpodio recovers his first place at the Alps Tour order of merit.

At Pont Royal
Agathe Séron

Third win to catch for Delpodio

Italian Matteo Delpodio takes the lead at Masters13 in France after trilling day. Mother Nature wasn’t in a good mood again today and players had to put up with strong winds and treacherous gusts all day. Italian player admitted he was very happy with 69 card he signed for. He is one of the 5 players who scored under par today.

“It is a tough week, a tough day and a tough golf course. You must be 100 % focus on every shot. It is exhausting. There is no hole where you can have a break. My caddy Andrea really helped me to stay patient and calm. For example, many times on greens, we decided to put to die to the hole. The deal was to take 2 putts and leave. Some times, it goes in. And I had 3 putts twice but I knew I had to accept this. It was very difficult to adapt the pace with the wind. The key for tomorrow is patience again and again. Despite our scores, Jason and I won’t play like in match play. It would be to dangerous to attack in those weather conditions. I will play same as today, shot after shot.”

Jason Barnes, yesterday’s leader, was leading over Delpodio until the 8th hole. They swung their place after Englishman dropped one shot on par 5 9th and Italian holed for birdy. Then, Barnes never came back. He was still very closed but dropped a precious stroke on last hole.

“I played well all day, my only regret is I lost concentration on the 18th and give Matteo one stroke advantage as a gift… ”

Barnes won two weeks ago in Acaya and he played last round with Matteo Delpodio in the last group. The story is about to be played again…

At third place tie, 6 strokes back of the lead, Raphael Eyraud, winner a few weeks ago in Paris and the local hero, amateur Thomas Grava. The crowd behind the ropes supported him and cheer him on loudly. Amateurs are doing well this week and they are two more in top 10, Jean-Pierre Verselin 6th tie and Frédéric Abadie 9th tie.

At Pont Royal
Agathe Séron

Barnes one stroke clear

Jason Barnes kept lead of Masters 13 in Provence, south of France with a total of -8. He shot safe 70 to take one single stroke advantage over Italian Matteo Delpodio.

“ I have hit some low balls this morning at the driving range to keep the ball in play in the wind. I succeeded in doing this on course and that the way it went. This kind of weather suit to British players ! I feel very confident since my win two weeks ago but I had poor putting today so I did not expect to hole many birdies. I only dropped one shot and had to wait until last 3 to birdy 7th my 16th hole and 9th my last of the day.”

Englishman only took the lead thanks to this last birdy. Until this, Italian Matteo Delpodio who played this morning, was the leader at the club house. He shot 68, properly but in a kind of frustrating way.

“I played well on first nine holes. I holed an eagle two on the first, wedge shot but after that I did not holed for birdy. I struggled a little more on back nine and had good recoveries not to drop any stroke during the round… This week, playing for a victory is important but the main target is to be ready to face stage 2 of Q School. I like to play tough golf course and with the wind, I am really able to stay focus and it is very good to improve patience…”

This point of view is obviously shared by a group of well known French players in the top 10. Former European tour players Jean-François Remésy and Benoit Teilleria as well as Dominique Nouailhac and Raphaël Eyraud, between 35 and 46 year old, did play and score very well on this golf course. No place for luck. Strategy, calm, these experimented players proved that in the wind, on such course, there is no place for “crazy young guns”.

Still some exceptions as far as age is concerned, at third place tie total -4, 16 year old amateur Thomas Grava and pros Norwegian Jason Kelly and Frenchman Jacques Quillet.

The cut is fixed at +6.

At Pont Royal
Agathe Séron

Barnes full of confidence

England’s Jason Barnes showed amazing golf and especially great putting during first round of Masters 13 at Pont Royal.

Englishman has won his maiden trophy 2 weeks ago and said he felt less pressure on course. As proof of confidence he holed 5 birdies in a row on back nine and signed for a splendid card of 66, -6.

At second position, two fellows Ricki Neil-Jones and Sam Robinson, the most “frenchy” of English players on Alps Tour. He likes France so much that he is really thinking about living here. These two players are 2 strokes behind Barnes. They share the provisional podium with young French amateur, Thomas Grava, 16 year old and member of Pont Royal golf club.

Defending Champion, Ghislain Rosier had a tough day and shot 75. Former European Tour player Jean François Remesy, twice winner of the French Open, posted a opening 71.

The projected cut is +2.

Agathe Séron

Maiden win for Barnes at Acaya Open

Jason Barnes won for the first time after only one year as professional. He had all Alps Tour great players on the race beside him but succeeded in maintaining his level of game to win by one over fellow Matthew Cryer with -8 total.

Italian Matteo Delpodio and England’s Jason Barnes teed off square. During the first nine holes, none of them seemed to take the advantage. Both did great shots and both missed easy ones. Barnes was really in trouble on 5th and save good bogey. Delpodio was quite far from the pin and holed. Then, Italian holed 2 birdies in row on 7th and 8th. He was -6 and Italian fans wanted to believe than it would be enough to lift a third trophy this year. But as Delpodio said yesterday, he has to improve his bad shots and the one he had on the 9th cost him a lot… He missed the green with 5 iron to the pin and can not save par. Meanwhile, Frenchman Julien Forêt signed for the score of the day, 64 -7 and jumped to 5th place.

After back nine Italian Delpodio was leading by one at -5 over Jason Barnes, Gavin Dear and Matthew Cryer. But Italian game became more and more fragile as Barnes’one got stronger. Delpodio dropped two shots on 11th, save a incredible par on 12th but his opponent did much more better. Englishman holed a great putt for birdy on 12th and confessed he was to turn of the match.

“I knew I had a chance to win as I teed off this morning. But the real turn was on the 12th hole. At the beginning of the round I was nervous but after that putt holed I felt more relax and I played solid. I holed two more birdies on 13th and 14th and it was good until the end. I am very happy and I want to thank my sponsor so much for supporting me. I hope JSM Construction are happy too…”

Barnes holed the 17th too as everyday. One group ahead, fellow Matthew Cryer was trying to stay in touch. He could see his fellow score on leaderboard and could only realize that despite his birdies he was always one stroke behind. He signed for a wonderful 65 to finished second.

The Top 5 players of the Alps Tour order of merit are the same. Matthew Cryer exchanged his 5th place with Gavin Dear’s fourth.

At Acaya
Agathe Séron

Barnes and Delpodio neck and neck

England’s Jason Barnes and Italian Matteo Delpodio are neck and neck at Acaya Open. They both are -4 total to lead by one over Scot Gavin Dear and Englishman Matthew Cryer.

Jason Barnes is going to play tomorrow for maiden win. Beside him the 3 other players on the podium already lifted one or two trophies this year. Barnes struggled a little more on greens today. Everybody had to deal with suspended play. The weather was as rainy as in Wales and players had to wait one hour an half to get back on course.

The rough was full of water and what was difficult yesterday became a nightmare today. For those who lost driving accuracy during the break, the day was very long. The cut is the highest of the season +9 and only five players shot under par today.

Among them Gavin Dear with the best score 67, -4. He is playing better and better this last few weeks and always seems to do even more.

“I did not practice last weeks because the weather was very bad. I have no idea what would be a good score on this golf course son I played my first round safe. Then today I feel good and I pushed my game a little more. I have good feeling again with my putter and as I am not the kind of guy that got mad with a bad shot nor a putt, I only play the way I used to and I wait… My goal is to stay on the top 5. I am not thinking about that on course but once I completed my round I always check Bragulat and Cryer scores…”

Italian Matteo Delpodio is back on top of the leaderboard after two poor events. Delpodio already won twice this year but his goal is higher than playing well on the Alps Tour:

“Since the Peugeot Classic where I missed my first cut of the year, I have been working very hard. I did realize that I needed to improve my game for upper circuit. My good shots are really good and I know I can do things the others can not. But my bad shots are very bad as well and you can not afford such poor shots on European Tour or Challenge Tour. I am on the right way, I feel good and I keep in mind this work for Q school.”

Working and working, always the same story. A little story to end the day: it is raining on Acaya golf course, Ryder Cup is playing on TV at the club house but the practice range is full of players hitting balls…

The cut is fixed at + 9 including 2 amateurs.

At Acaya
Agathe Séron