22nd July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Back to victory for Crespi

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Italian Marco Crespi, 34 year old, got back to success on Alps Tour. He won Le Fonti Open after last score 67 to aggregate -12. The player from Monza had to wait until last hole of France’s Clément Gallois to catch 4th trophy. Frenchman, unfortunatly for him, dropped one shot on the last hole and miss his first opportunity to go into a play off.

Crespi is used to win and only failed last year to get a victory. As he said, he needed two in 2011, one is done. Gallois had his second podium in Italy this year after a third place in Milano 3 weeks ago.
Third man on the podium is Italian Marco Bernadini with -10.

Marco Crespi thanks to this win jumped to 4th place at the Alps Tour ranking.


21st July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Gallois recovered swing to lead

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France’s Clément Gallois shot wire-to-wire 67 to lead by one with -10 over fellow Guillaume Cambis at Le Fonti Open. Gallois who has been struggled with his swing since his podium at Milano, is again in good form. He was complained about his poor golf last week in Madrid but obviously found the way to fix his swing.

Guillaume Cambis is again in good position to go and catch maiden win. French rookie is still waiting for first win and is thinking about it every day he said.

To complete podium with -7 total, Italian Marco Crespi. Crespi is used to win every season but missed last year so he said as joke that he should win twice in 2011.

The cut is fixed at level par.


20th July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Kelly holds Le Fonti lead

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Norwegian Jason Kelly (picture)does like very much Italy. After first win on Alps Tour 4 weeks ago in Milano, the 29 year old from Wentworth England signed for 66, 6 under par at Bologna to lead by one.

A solid group of 4 players are just one stroke behind. Among them Italian Nicolo’ Ravano, 26 year old but only playing his second season as pro. Tie second as well Frenchmen Clément Gallois and Xavier Poncelet and German Philip Mejow.

Alps Tour leader, England’s Jason Barnes shot 72, already 2 strokes more than the projected cut. Barnes overpassed fellow Chris Paisley with last week podium in Madrid.

Young Italian amateur, Domenico Geminiani confirmed national hope and completed his first round 4 under par tie 6th.


16th July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Garcia Simarro to win four clear

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Carlos Garcia Simarro won the Peugeot Tour Alps de Espana in Madrid. The 35 year old player signed for 69 to aggregate -10 and have a ‘ stroke advantage over fellow Eduardo De La Riva and England’s Jason Barnes. Thanks to this podium, Jason Barnes took the leadership of Alps Tour order of merit.

It was a very hot day in Madrid but as first groups could play almost without wind, the last groups had to deal with it. One player made the story of the morning, Italian Andrea Rota. As he turned first nine, many numbers were written in red on the leaderboard and the news run as gossips to the press room : -6 so far and a podium as a target, Rota has been playing with golden hands for 3 weeks now and only missed a maiden win. In the end, he shot the score of the day 67, -4 and finished at 7th place tie.

Over night leader, Spain’s Vicente Blazquez did not manage to keep on surfing the good wave. He lost his 3 shots after 9 holes and did not holed any birdy today. He had eight the day before… The door was open and another Spaniard, Carlos Garcia Simarro entered the final round with 3 birdies in a row on 3rd, 4th and 5th hole and never let anyone took the top after. He dropped a shot on the 18th, as during every round but nearest challengers were 4 strokes behind.

“This is my first win since Laukaritz in 2005, I am very happy. And especially to win here in Madrid in a great honour. I have always considered that it is one of the best. I did not fell so much pressure. I was lucky to play in these conditions. If someone would have been closer, it might have been different.”

At Madrid
Agathe Séron


15th July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Vicente Blazquez Madrid

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Spaniards were the best today on their land. Vicente Blazquez, 35 year old, played as in a dream and did not make any mistake. Signing for a splendid 63-8-under-par with no dropped shot, he leads by three the Peugeot Tour Alps de Madrid. Carlos Garcia Simarro, 35 year old as well, took second position after scoring 67 for -7 total. To complete Spain’s podium, 37 year old Gabriel Canizares, Alejandro European Tour brother.

In club house de Club de Campo de Villa de Madrid, the Open and images from Sandwich was on air all day long. While Miguel Angel Jimenez was doing great at Saint Georges, Spain’s players paid tribute to Spaniard golf. No less than 5 players from the Iberia peninsula the first 6 places. England’s Jason Barnes is the only foreigner among these red-and-yellow flags. Last week winner, France’s Michael Hill is 7th tie with fellow Matthieu Bey.

Vicente Blazquez explained his huge score by a kind of luck and solid long game.

“I only missed 3 greens but what made the difference is that I holed 3 or 4 putts from about 10 meters… I am very confident you know as I am leading Madrid Tour. I’ve been playing very constant for many weeks. My work with Quico Luna is great And helped me a lot. I have never won here and obviously I will try to be as solid tomorrow”.

At 4th place, two former winner of the tournament: Santiago Luna in 2000 and Eduardo De La Riva in 2007. They both said it helps a lot to know the course.

The cut is fixed at level for exactly 40 professionals and one amateur.

At Madrid
Agathe Séron


14th July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Peugeot Tour Alps de Madrid

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IMAGES GALLERY HERE


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National Day for Guillet

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France’s Jacques Guillet, celebrated his own way French National Day. The 14th of july was a good spot on the schedule to take lead on Peugeot Tour Alps de Madrid. Normandy’s player shot 67, 4 under on the great golf course de Villa de Campo and took one stroke advantage over a big group of 6 players.

Guillet is a very quiet and nice guy beside the golf course but shows different face once he holds a putter. He turned first nine 5 under par but then the device got some breaks and his playing partners could learn some French words, to excuse -his french-.

“ I’ve played very well the first nine but I missed 2 short putts. My score could have been even lower. It is my first time in Madrid and I really like the course.”

Defending champion, Alvaro Salto, signed for solid 68, -3. Salto is playing in his own garden but it was not so easy to deal with he said.

“As I am playing here, I have been the witness of the preparation of the course for this tournament. Day after day, I could feel the pressure going high and I was very nervous during my first hole. But on the second, the 11th, one of the most difficult I hit a perfect 5 iron 50 cm to the pin and I felt better. I am happy with this first round.”

At second place tied, Alps Tour players among Spaniards, Northern Ireland’s Richard Kilpatrick and England’s Jason Barnes. Kilpatrick missed the birdy on 7th hole to share lead but confessed that he loved the course -leitmotiv of the day-.

European Tour player, Gonzalo Fernadez Castagno is back to competition after back injury. He stopped playing last February and has been playing today his first 18 holes for month. He scored 4 over par.

“I am tired, it is really a lack of competition. I hit the ball well but I did silly bogeys and it affected my confidence. But my game is going back. Obviously, it will take time but I am happy to be here. I really look forward to play better tomorrow and make the cut.”

The projected cut is +1.

At Madrid
Agathe Séron


13th July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Peugeot Tour Alps de España in Madrid

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Peugeot Tour Alps de España will start at en el Club de Campo Villa de Madrid with some of the best fields of the season: 2 European Tour players – Fernandez-Castaño and Echenique-, winners at Club de Campo and 7 winners at the Alps Tour.

Paisley “My game is well, I have not won since Peugeot Open de Catalunya but had a couple of chances on the Challenge Tour. I hope to continue my good play in Spain. Winning Peugeot Valencia and Catalunya opened “the gates” and got invitations for the Challenge Tour, and that is my main goal for the season. I am playing well with lots of confidence, but working in my putting with my coach from 8 years, Andrew Nicholson. Putting is not as well as when I won. My goal now is to get the Challenge card as soon as possible”.

7 winners on the Alps Tour, 1 Spaniard
Along with two times winner Chris Paisley, there are 7 winners on the Alps Tour that will play the Peugeot Tour Alps de España: England’s Jason Barnes, Scotland’s Scott Henry; Italian Cristiano Terragni; Norwegian Jason Kelly; France’s Michael Hill; and Spaniard Ignacio Sánchez Palencia.

Ignacio Sánchez Palencia: “I am playing very well, I played badly after winning in Guadaloupe, but I am recovered now. Once you win, your expectations increase, and it is not good to go that high. Now I am playing very well and with lots of confidence. I played very well all four days in Guadaloupe, I think I won because I was patient, and because I holed a great 10 meters putt!!! On hole 17 I was one shot ahead and went out of bounds so I needed an eagle to tie on the 18th, I did, and holed a 10 meters putt to win the tournament. I am much more motivated now, going step by step and trying to keep my position. I am enjoying my game very much”.

Winners at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid
8 out of 138 players at the Peugeot Tour Alps de España have already won at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, one of the best golf courses in Spain that has hosted Spanish Open and Madrid Open, with winners such as:  Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, Ricardo González and Rafael Jaquelin.

Since 1999 there has been a Peugeot Tour tournament at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, with winners  playing this week: Raúl Quirós (winner in 1999), Santiago Luna (2000), José Manuel Carriles (2001), Gonzalo Fdez-Castaño (2005), Eduardo de la Riva (2007), Carlos Balmaseda (2008), Xavi Guzmán (2009) and tournament defender Álvaro Salto (2003 and 2020).

Álvaro Salto, defending champion : “I am playing very well, looking forward doing a good tournament in my home club. I think the golf course is even in better conditions than last year. It is going to be a tough week with such a good field, there are such good players that are going to make it a great tournament this week”.


9th July 2011 | Alps Tour Golf

Rota and Hill in the race for maiden win

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It was a day to break every ones nerves. France’s Michael Hill and Italian Andrea Rota were the strongest in the wind and lead the Open International du Haut Poitou with -2 total. The wind was strong all day. On course the feeling was different, every group though it was easier for the others but scores proved it was balanced for morning and afternoon draws. A group of 4 players are only one stroke behind the lead. England’s Jordan Gibb who signed for 70, 3 under in the morning, last week winner Jason Kelly and France’s Clément Gallois and fellow Emilien Chamaulte.

Romain Bechu shot the score of the day 69 to share 7th place with amateur Ugo Cossaud two shots back of Hill and Rota.

Andrea Rota played in the morning and felt satisfied as his second round was completed.

“I am happy, I managed to keep same behaviour as yesterday on course. It was tough and I have made some mistakes and bogeys but everybody did. The wind is strong and scoring only one over par is good. I am satisfied. I miss one or two birdies to be very happy…”

Michael Hill has been playing good for a few weeks now and he confessed that he had never felt so closed for maiden win.

“I played really solid, I only miss one shot. I know the course very well as I have played it often. It is a real weapon against the others players. I’ve been working with a mental coach, Olivier Cadeac, for 2 months now and the results are there. We found keys to help me staying focus on course and to understand when I go down or up.”

Finally, Emilien Chamaulte, who has played the French Open last week, enjoyed the course very much. Compare top the Albatross Golf National, he felt relax. Unfortunalty, he dropped 2 shots on the last hole and was angry about him despite third place tied.

“Even if I am still on the podium, I am disappointed. I really thought the leaders would be way lower and I missed the opportunity to take large advantage. I played so well on my first 9 but I did my first big mistake one the 10th. I had a mile free of danger on the left and found a way to be on the right in a ditch. I tried to play in the water. My white trousers got ruined and I stayed in the water. I finished even as bad with a double bogey on the 9th. I hit my second shot out of bounds… But still, I am in the leading pack…”

The cut is recored at +9, the highest cut on Alps Tour history. Last record was on same course with +7.

At Saint Cyr, Haut Poitou
Agathe Séron


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Passionate maiden win for Michael Hill

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France’s Michael Hill, 26 year old, wins the 9th Open International du Haut Poitou. IMAGES GALLERY HERE  The battle between Frenchman and Italy’s Andrea Rota was passionate. Until the 14th hole, Italian had a 4 shot advantage but the machine broken down on the 14th and never restarted. France’s Raphaël Eyraud shot wonderful 70, 3 under par to finish second and young Clément Gallois climbed on third place of the podium.

Italian Andrea Rota, had one hand on the trophy after first nine holes as his nearest opponent was 2 shots back. After Hill dropped a shot on the 11th and he holed for birdy. Everyone in the crowd was thinking of a Italian winner. But the Haut Poitou Golf Course is full of tricks and as Rota said on first tee “ nothing is done until the last shot to the 18th green”. Unfortunately for him, he was right. He dropped one shot on 14th par 5. Strategy was not good he said and he visited twice bunkers. Michael Hill holed for birdy, the first of the day. Then Rota misjudged his chip shot on the 15th and dropped another shot. The nightmare went on the par 3 16th. His ball landed in the water hazard and he signed for double bogey.

At this time, both players had a look on the leaderboard. France’s Raphaël Eyraud was the leader at the club house with -1 total. Both players was level par and Hill took the most dangerous option on the tee. He aimed the green and carried the ball at least 250 meters to stay 30 centimetres short of the green. He almost holed for albatross… and went to -2 total to lead by one. Andrea Rota’s bad dream did not finish and dropped another shot on the 17th. Michael Hill holed for maiden win after 6 years as professional and retained tears during interview:

“I was confident. I did believe I could win even when I drove out on the 11th. I knew the course was tough and very tricky. I just needed to stay behind Andrea waiting for his mistake. That is what happens. It was a poker shot on the 17thpar 5. I hit the driver from tee between the tree to catch the green. I almost made double eagle. I putted 20 meters in line and stay 20 centimetres short. From that putt to the last, you can not image the emotion and feeling I had on 18th fairway. I was shacking. I take such a long time to putt on 18th, I was so nervous that it could finish 6 meters long. What a feeling… This is my first win and obviously it is launching my season.”

At Saint Cyr, Haut Poitou
Agathe Séron

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