First win on target for Camargo

After the thunderstorm yesterday, it was a very hot day in Metz. Spain’s Jaime Camargo is still leading after the third round, finishing 12 under par. “I was playing perfectly before to make a bogey on the 13th hole. I went on a double bogey on the 14th hole. Then two putts missed on 15th and 16th. After this bad moment, I holed a birdie and confidence is back. I’m happy and I’m going to try to win tomorrow.”
German’s Philipp Mejow returned the day lowest score 65, 6 under par and got the second place, 2 strokes behind the leader and alone among the Spanish podium.
A young amateur Romain Langasque, member of the French Boys Team, scored 66 as Spain’s Carlos Garcia Simarro and France’s Nicolas Porteboeuf and entered in the Top Ten.
Forecast could be hot again tomorrow for the last round.

Jaime Camargo's final

Spain’s Jaime Carmago fired 65, 6 under par in electrical atmosphere in France. He is leading by one shot over France’s Julien Grillon who signed for same score. A pack of challengers are 4 strokes back of the lead. For the second of the year – with Alps de Catalunya in San Cugat – Jaime Camargo will play in last group, a final to try to win on french soil.

Mother nature has been a kind of angry today during second round of Open International de la Mirabelle d’or. At 11h39, play was suspended due to heavy rain and lightening. Amazing watersprout flooded the course and play could not resume before 13h45. Camargo teed of in the morning and has been playing for 3 hours when he was stopped. Though neither before nor after the break he dropped any shots. He made a bogey free card and with -10 total took the lead. France’s Julien Grillon is the only player of the day who challenged the 24 year old Spaniard. Grillon won the Alps Tour order of Merit in 2008. This year, hehad 2 wins and 2 runner up places.

The cut is fixed at +1 and was fatal to last week winner, Sébastien Gros and Brendan McCarroll.

Agathe Séron

Shaw goes on in France

Northern Ireland’s Gareth Shaw is celebrating his own way the week of his national Open. He took the lead in France at Open International de la Mirabelle d’or with great card of 65, minus 6. Shaw who already had 2 podiums in 2012 is 4th at the Alps Tour order of merit. On European Tour, many of his famous compatriots are battling at Royal Portrush GC. A target for Shaw for sure as an extra motivation to try to do his best to play on upper circuits.

The golf course offers to players some opportunities of easy birdie obviously upon condition that they drive straight. Shaw holed 8 birdies, the record of the round and dropped 2 shots on 14th and 16th hole.

On his toes, Challenge Tour player France’s Xavier Poncelet one stroke behind. A group of 3 Spaniards are -4, Jamie Camargo, Ignacio Sanchez-Palencia and Daniel Alonso.

9th Open de la Mirabelle d'Or

This week, the Golf de La Grange aux Ormes welcomes Alps Tour for the ninth year! Golf is located in Marly, closed to the city of Metz. Built inside a nature reserve, we meet many animals: deers, hares, squirrels… The Bois Brûlé Course improves every year. Good shape, good greens, roughs a little bit difficult… all things are there to offer a real challenge to the players.
From nine years, the Open de la Mirabelle d’Or is the unavoilable “rendez-vous” for golfers, sponsors, fans… It became one of the biggest event of the region. Thanks to the faithful partners which have been allowed the growing of the tournament.
All the Top Alps Tour players are attending the competition: Brit’s Jack Senior, Brendan McCarroll, Chris McDonnell and France’s Jerome Lando-Casanova and Sebastien Gorsohan Lopez-Lazaro. There are joined by Challenge Tour players, former Alps Tour players like Julien Grillon and Xavier Poncelet and the six Boys who will represent France in the next European Team Championship. It is going to be hard to designate the winner of the week, seing the strong field.

Brave win for Sébastien Gros

France’s Sébastien Gros claimed maiden win after thrilling day. He managed to reduce the dammages of poor swing day to 3 shots over par and he won by one over Spain’s Carlos Garcia Simarro. At third place, the hero of the day who dealed with the wind as at home, England’s Tom Sherreard. He jeered at the golf course by signing for 66, 7under par.

This was a dramatic adn stressful day for those fans supporting Frenchen in the last group. Both Sébastien Gros and Ugo Coussaud did not handle the pressure of leading the Open International du Haut-Poitou. The young amateur made only one par on first nine and he did not paint his card in birdie red as he dropped 7 shots. Sébastien Gros admitted that they were under stress.

“We tried to speak togother, saying jokes to relax but honestly it was a facade. We did not play well and this first part of the round was awful. When I saw on 10th tee that I was wtill leading despite all the mistakes I have made, it gave me hope and I felt better. It was very winddy compare to previous days and the officials had fun with pin positions. They really were on green corners so it was not easy. I knew that Carlos was ahead and I asked the marshall to update me about his scores from hole 16. I needed a birdy on the 17th and I holed a very good putt from 4 meters. I’ve seen Carlos made 2 putts on the 18th so all I need was a par. I played the last hole as I played my round, just hitting the ball ahead to make par. I managed to keep my score despite my poor golf. It was a courageous win and I am very happy to finally did it.”

With this win, Sébastien Gros enters the Alps Tour Top 5.

Agathe Séron

Big move for Sebastien Gros

France’s rookie, Sébastien Gros fired 65, 8 under par to record the best score ever played on Saint-Cyr golf course and to aggregate -11. This successful day helped him steal the leadership from fellow Ugo Coussaud with one shot narrow margin. Third Frenchman, Emilien Chamaulte completes the podium 3 strokes back.

“I really want to play aggressive to give me a chance to come back – Gros said – I hit the ball long and it was was a profitable strategy, I played – 6 on the five pars 5. For sure, my experience being in the run for winning in Morroco will help me tomorrow. I understand the course well and I know where to play so let’s see what happen.”

Amateur Ugo Coussaud had a solid day as well and only dropped one shot. He scored -3, 69 for -10 total. Overnight co-leader Jacques Guillet had a bad dream today and gave back to the course 10 shots more than during his first round. The cut is fixed at +3, the lowest in 5 years at Open international du Haut Poitou.

Agathe Séron

French duo ahead in Poitiers

France’s Jacques Guillet (right) and Ugo Coussaud made their move at Open international du Haut-Poitou. Both shot 67, 6 under par to sit on top of the leaderboard two strokes clear from group of 4 players : Spain’s Carlos Garcia SImarro, England’s Steven Borwn, Italy’s Andrea Romano and France’s Fabien Marty.

Jacques Guillet finally managed to deal with Saint Cyr golf course. Until this 2012 first round, he never shot under par and his best result here was 29th tie. His score today proved his good form and that his agressive strategy was the right choice. He holed two eagles in a row on 11th, a short par 5 dogleg right down hill and on the 12th hole a short par 4.

Co-leader, amateur Ugo Coussaud is also in a very good mood. Two weeks ago, he won the Canadian University Championship with his “Rouge et Or” team from Laval, Québec and back to France for a while he grabbed the Grand Prix of Poitiers last week. For his first appearence on the Alps Tour, he might be the surprise of the week.

Agathe Séron

Alps Tour to visit Haut-Poitou

Alps Tour players are in France this week. The first round of the 10th Open du Haut-Poitou started this morning and one of them will succeed to Michael Hill, defending champion.