29th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School at La Cala for the 2015 season
The Alps Tour is pleased to announce that La Cala Resort will be, as last two years, the host of the Qualifying School scheduled from the 11th to the 17th of December 2014.
It is with great pleasure that Alps Tour will organize its Qualifying School first stage and finale once again in this great resort. La Cala Resort offers wonderful facilities, hotel on site, great practice range and 3 championship golf courses.
This year, the Final Stage will be played on Asia & Europa courses (instead of America).
The first stage is sheduled on the 11th and 12th of December and the Finale is to be played on the 15th, 16th and 17th of December.
The Top 35 will obtain a full category to play the 2015 Alps Tour events.
Entry form available – click HERE
26th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Etchart finally!
Spain’s Borja Etchart
Spain’s Borja Etchart finally put his hands on Alps de Andalucia Trophy. He has been in contention for the last six tournaments and he eventually won thanks to brilliant 65 final round. He earns precious points to climb at second place of Order of Merit.
For weeks now, the Spaniard was playing really good golf but he was not efficient enough to win. He managed to break the curse in Real Golf Club de Guadalmina as he fired 65 with 9 birdies and 2 bogeys.
« I finally made it, after 6 times fighting for it this year I made it. It’s been a hard day but I enjoyed it very much. I was not nervous at any time, even at the beginning when Nino cought me up, I knew there were holes with birdie chance out there. Then Nino made a very important birdie on 17th to put lots of pressure towards the 18th.
I really did not realize that I holed 5 birdies in 6 holes, I was so concentrated on going shot by shot that I did not realize about it. I played more solid from the tee, did not make many mistakes which was important. Draw shots were ok but fade cost me a bit more.
It’s a great win because I get good points to get into the Challenge Tour. Now I have some holidays and get ready for a strong end of the season.
Now I am at the level of game I used to have when I was on Tour. I went to my old swing thanks to the job I am doing with Salva Luna, and I would love to go back, that time was too soon for me. I am never going to hit 300 meters but I have to be strong mentally to play the Tour, and I think now I am.
It’s been a beautiful day, I enjoyed it very much and is great to win in front of such a great player as Nino. »
Another player should be happy about his final flawless 65, France’s Clément Berardo. With this second place alone on the podium he got as well an exemption for the stage 1 of European Tour Q School. Top 6 of the Alps Tour ranking after Alps de Andalucia will avoid this battle and be fresh to end the season on Alps Tour and then do their best in Stage 2. The lucky ones are Nino Bertasio, Borja Etchart, Clément Berardo, Thomas Elissalde, Borja Virto and Brendan McCarroll.
Agathe Séron and Carmela Fernandez Piera
25th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Etchart in contention…Again!
Spain’s Borja Etchart (c) Agathe Séron
Spain’s Borja Etchart confirmed his good form and signed for second round 67 to lead by one shot in Alps de Andalucia. A group of three players is chasing him one shot behind.
Etchart has been in contention for the last four tournaments since mid June. Very solid, he had already won in 2013 in France but a title on home soil would be special.
“It’s been a great round, played pretty much the same way as yesterday, putting really well but no consistency with the long game. I am not comfortable from tee but I did not make big mistakes and my great putting saved me from difficult situations. »
« The key here is to play well the par 5’s and I birdied 3 of the 4 of them yesterday, and 2 today.
The course is great, much better than yesterday and tomorrow is going to be fun out there. I like the course very much. This is the best week on the Alps Tour, and I am enjoying it very much. I have my father today with me and the rest of the family is coming tomorrow. Is always nice to play in front of my people. »
« Tomorrow will be the 5th or 6th week I tee off on the final round with winning chances this year and haven’t done it yet. I have very good and dangerous players at only 1 shot and I know I have to do great. I will follow same strategy, and try to have fun out there. »
« Juanra, President of Golf Guadalmina is caddying for me this week. He is a good friend of mine and has caddied for me many times, he was there when I won the Peugeot Tour at Atalaya. Is good to have him with me, knows the course perfectly and alms me down if I hit a bad shot.
Last week I went to see my coach, Salva Luna and worked on the things we are working on, he is a great help ».
Etchart is right to watch out the players behind him. Italy’s Nino Bertasio shot the best score of the day 65 to be one stroke behind. Bertasio is the leader of the Alps Tour ranking and he knows how to play to catch a title as he won twice this season. France’s Clément Berardo is also neck and neck with Bertasio. He was twice in contention at the very beginning of the season and a podium or better tomorrow would confirm his status in the ranking as he is currently at 4th.
Agathe Séron and Carmela Fernandez Piera
24th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Salto felt confortable in Guadalmina
Spain’s Alvaro Salto (c) Agathe Séron
Spain’s Alvaro Salto, took lead after opening round in Alps de Andalucia thanks to a 6 under par card 66. France’s Clément Berardo had a nice first round as well with 67, one shot behind and a group of 4 players are one further stroke back.
Salto, who is now National coach, had a good week in Madrid during Open Peugeot last June when he was playing on his home course but he still managed to shoot low to day to take advantage over the competitive field in Andalucia.
“It’s been a great round. I had a slow start, birdied the 12 and bogeyed the 14th but I managed to hole 2 good putts on 17th and a great putt on 18th for birdies to finish the front 9 at 2 under. Back 9 I played fantastic, even though I left some more good putts out there. I would highlight the eagle on 7th hole, even though is played short it has a very complicated green and it is difficult to hole the putts. I holed a really good 5 meters putt on steep.
I was very excited to play Guadalmina for many reasons. I had never played here before and I was looking forward to it, I came here with the ladies for the Spanish Amateur Championship and got good feelings about it, and then is designed by the same architect as my golf course, the great Javier Arana, and his golf courses are always a challenge to play. The course has some things that remind me my golf course, Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, some shots, the way to manage some holes is the same, and I have enjoyed it very much”.
Clément Berardo is currently in Top 6 of the Alps Tour ranking meaning he is about to get an exemption for Stage 1 of European Tour Q School but he needs to confirm this ranking as four or five players are close to him.
“I played really well, just missed 3 greens. Starting with 3 putts on the 3rd hole I managed to recover well for a great round with 7 birdies and another bogey. This is not the type of course I normally feel comfortable in, I prefer wider courses but maybe I have to change my mind!
I am recovering from a bad period when I missed 3 cuts in a row. I set up some goals at that time and I think that was a mistake. I have no goals now and thing are getting better, I concentrate shot by shot, and my game is going back for good scores”.
Agathe Séron and Carmela Fernandez Piera
18th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Servizitalia Open – Day3 Report
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Servizitalia Open – Report Day3
| Alps Tour Golf
König Nemecz in Italy
Austria’s Tobias Nemecz
Tobias Nemecz from Austria won maiden title in Servizitalia Open on Asolo Golf Course. The 21 year old player signed for patient 70 during last round to grab a two shot margin victory over Italy’s Leonardo Motta who recored his best result on Alps Tour.
Overnight leader, Nemecz, was very patient during the last round. He did not drop any shot and it was his opponents’ job to try to challenge him. Despite great effort from Pitoni for example with best score of the day, 66, the two under par card was enough to seal an Austrian win.
Tobias’ brother, Lukas Nemecz, was among Alps Tour graduates last year but the elder brother did not had a win in 2013. He posted two runner up places, a third place and a fourth as well. Tobias, three years younger, managed to be in contention after 36 holes and confirmed his good form with this win.
It has been 4 years since an Austrian player lifted a trophy on Alps Tour as Uli Weinhandl won Omnium of Belgium in August 2010.
With this win, Tobias Nemecz made a jumps of more than 25 places in the Alps Tour ranking and he currently 11th. Nino Bertasio with third place confirm his leadership of 2014 Alps Tour season. He increased his advantage in the ranking with mors than 6500 points better than France’s Thomas Elissalde second. Etchart Borja is 3rd, Clément Berardo 4th and Bredan McCarroll fifth.
| Alps Tour Golf
Tobias Nemecz winner interview
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Servizi Italia Open 2014 – Tobias Nemecz Intervista Day3
| Alps Tour Golf
Tobias Nemecz aims maiden win
Austria’s Tobias Nemecz (c) Agathe Séron
Austria’s Tobias Nemecz took lead by his own after 36 holes on Servizitalia Open. He added 69 to his original 68 to take one shot advantage over Italy’s Leonardo Motta and Nino Bertasio.
Motta shot best score of the day 66 and will play tomorrow for maiden win as Nemecz whereas Bertasio will try to grab his third win of the year. Ireland’s Brian Casey and France’s Domninique Nouailhac are a further shot behind.
Nemecz, 21 year old, had a quiet front nine from 10th to 18th. He holed six pars in a row and the only birdie he holed before turn was on par 5 15th. He dropped two shots on first and second hole caming back to club house but he erased these two mistakes with birdie on hole 3, eagle on 5th and one last birdie on 8th.
The cut felt at +2 with 52 players. The last round will be completed around 14:00. (U draw from 1st and 10th)
17th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Four way tie in Italy
Nino Bertasio (left) with playing partners Brendan McCarroll and Borja Virto
A group of four players is leading in Servizitalia Open after first round with 68, four under par. Alps Tour leader, Italy’s Nino Bertasio is one of them, alongside young compatriot amateur Jacopo Guasconi, France’s Clément Berardo and Austria’s Tobias Nemecz.
All Alps Tour players had a week off last week or to be more precise, there was no tournament on the schedule but Bertasio was indeed on course, in Scotland. The Alps Tour ranking leader was on Matteo Manassero’s bag during AAM Scottish Open in Aberdeen and the team finished on fourth place in windy conditions. He could feel and live inside European Tour for a week.
Bertasio is the man to catch and this congested leaderboard offers perspective of nice battle and suspense. On Bertasio’s toes, Clément Berardo who had a brilliant beginning of season in Egypt with two podiums but ever since he has been looking to recover this moment. He ended on a brilliant last round in Belgium a fortnight ago and he seemed to still be in good form.
Nemecz is aiming to walk on his brother’s steps as the latter finished in Alps Tour top 5 last year and currently plays on Challenger Tour. Tobias’ best result this year is a fourth place in Peugeot Open beginning of June.
No less than nine players only one shot behind the leaders and the projected cut is level par.
4th July 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Hesbois sealed victory on home soil
Belgium’s amateur Kevin Hesbois with Flory van Donck daughter and granddaughter
Belgium’s Kevin Hesbois claimed his maiden win in a pro tournament. He scored one under par today, enough to grave his name on Flory Van Donck trophy with -5 total. At second place ties, one shot behind, French duo Xavier Poncelet and Clement Berardo. Berardo, who teed off early, signed for flawless 66, 5 under par to take early club house lead. Berardo had a really nice start this season in Egypt with two podium and ever since had struggled with his game. He seems to have recovered his good form.
Poncelet was also in contention two weeks ago and for sure the player from Bordeaux is in good form. It was a long distance battle with Hesbois as Poncelet did not play in same group. Rodiles, overnight co-leader had a poor day in the last group as he scored five over par and was never a threat to his playing partner.
The turn of the match was on 14th when Hesbois holed for birdie as the Frenchman have had a par a few minute earlier. This birdie was the seal of second win in a row on home soil for Hesbois as he won Trophy of Flanders last week.
With this podium, the Alps Tour ranking did not change but Kevin Hesbois, even is he did not get a check, earned the winner points, 5800 and jumped top 17th place.
