31st March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Tunisian Golf Open confirmed
Following our visit last week, we are pleased to confirm the TUNISIAN GOLF OPEN.
With the support of both Ministries of Sports and Tourism and great help of the promoter, Magreb Media and its partners, the tournament will be played from 30th April to 3rd May 2015 on El Kantaoui Golf Course in Sousse.
The Championship Course will be a composite as if was played on European Tour in 1985 and will welcome 132 participants for one of the highest prize money of € 70,000.
4th March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Cooley Pharaoh in Cairo
Andrew Cooley (c) Agathe Séron
England’s Andrew Cooley is really the Alps Tour Pharaoh. He won his fourth title in Egypt, the Dreamland Pyramids Open thanks to final 67. He already won twice in 2013 and once last year.
He teed off one shot behind the overnight leaders Marguery and De Stefani. His start was the best he could have imagined as he birdied the first three holes.
“Well, I did not play very well last week but I had some good tips of Tom Sherreard and he really helped me out to get some good feelings on the range this morning and it kind of pay off.
Starting the round with three birdies did not mean it was my day but I knew I had to keep going, 3 wasn’t to be enough but that was the start I needed.”
He dug his advantage with brilliant and kind of lucky shot. On the 9th, after amazing drive, the few spectators cheered loudly an eagle two. He went -10 when closest competitor Raphaël Marguery was -6.
“I hit a good drive but it did not finish in a easy spot, I thought it was short of the bunker but I hit it hard enough to get over. It is your day when that kind of thing happens and I holed about 40 yards for eagle two, pretty fortunate.”
Despite his victories, Cooley did not manage to get his card to play on Challenge Tour. He confessed his game has to be more regular.
“Last year I had a wrist injury when we had sort of 5 or 6 tournaments close together, that wasn’t ideal. I need to be more consistent really. I don’t really have a consistent game, it is all or nothing but if I could just try get that consistency through the year hopefully pick up another win if I do play well.”
France’s Matthieu Pavon fired the best score of the day 66 to finish at second place.
“I am happy because it has been 3 weeks that I was playing well but my putting was very poor. But on the 10th hole, I holed about 8 meters and it was like a discloser and a relief. Thereafter, I holed some other putts and I had a nice round.”
Pavon leads the Alps Order of Merit after this winter series in Egypt. His compatriot Alexandre Widemann is second, England’s Andrew Cooley and Tom Shadbolt are respectively third and fourth and Frenchman Léo Lespinasse is a fifth place.
From Cairo
Agathe Séron
3rd March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Marguery and De Stefani with narrow advantage
Corrado De Stefani (c) Agathe Séron
France’s Raphaël Marguery and Italy’s Corrado De Stefani share Dreamland Pyramids Open going into the final round. With a total of -6, they have a narrow advantage over Julien Foret and big hitter England’s Andrew Cooley.
Marguery played in the morning session in perfect conditions compare to the first round when he had to deal with the wind.
“ At the beginning of the round, my long game was not accurate but I putted really well. I hit my driver a little bit on the left or the right then my second shots were about the same but right away, good result on the greens. I holed 9 meters to start, then I did well on the following par 5. I mad a silly bogey on the 18th, my tenth of the day. I three putted it. But I holed about 10 meters on the first to come back.”
“Two weeks ago, I tried to understand what was wrong, but it did not bring some results so today, I decided not to analyse and to play with what I have. Today, the course was a bit simpler without the wind and I had good feelings on the four last holes so it is nice.”
De Stefani, who turned 22 last Sunday, had a very face when he was asked about his feelings. The young man is playing his second year on the Alps Tour and his best result so far is a 17th place.
“It has been obviously a nice day. This course suit me very well as I am playing very well from the tee and if you can hit some fairways here, lot of the work is done. And in addition my irons were ok and my putting very good so that is how it worked out.
I am looking forward for tomorrow. It is the first time for me to be in this side of the leaderboard and hopefully it will be a good experience.”
From Cairo
Agathe Séron
2nd March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Colombo back in business
Federico Colombo (c) Agathe Séron
Italy’s Federico Colombo produced great score today signing for 67, -5 at Dreamland Pyramids Open opening round.
Colombo is a former European Tour player. He managed to graduate to European Tour during Q School as he had just turned pro. After 3 years on Challenge Tour and 18 months on European Tour, the 27 year old player from Guissano is on Alps Tour to rebuild his swing and game.
“This is the beginning of the season. I have been working hard during the winter. I just wanted to see where was my game. The first two tournaments I did not play that well but I had good feelings. My putting was not the good but I liked the greens this week.”
“My game is getting better. I had good feeling today. At the beginning of the round I struggled a little but on the back nine I had a couple of good recoveries and I made a few good putts for birdies and especially at the end, I holed two birdies on the last two holes.”
Being asked about his feelings after loosing his card on Challenge Tour, the young man confessed.
“It was hard. I changed my coach and I started a completely new work middle of last year but all these things takes time to get better. The game is getting better as it was like 2 or 3 years ago. The problem was more the long game but at the end it was more psychologically.”
I did not come here with any expectation. I am still working a lot on my game and I am just trying to get my confidence back. I am not looking for good results or anything, but I know it is going to come.”
Colombo is not the only Italian players having done well today. A group of 4 players are only 2 shots back of the lead. Among them, England’s Liam Harper and Colombo’s compatriots Joon Kim, Federico Maccario and Luca Fenoglio.
From Cairo
Agathe Séron
1st March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Who's next ?
France’s Léo Lespinasse, Back to back third place in Egypt. (cà Agathe Séron
Today was the last practice round to prepare the final Egyptian event of the Alps Tour winter series. Hard-working day for the players after a day break at Pyramids Giza.
A big group of Alps tour members had a great time Friday visiting the Pyramids. But back to business today to be prepared for last event, the inaugural Dreamland Pyramids Open. Thomas Elissalde, Red Sea El Ein Bay Open, played 9 holes with friends Matthieu Pavon and Léo Lespinasse.
Alex Widemann, Red Sea Little Venice Open champion, shared his practice round with roommates, Jean-Christophe Vigneron and Sidney Wolf. Beside this French teams, Matt Wallace and Tom Shadbolt, both in contention last week, have made their last swing adjustment before trying to take their revenge.
The course has a great design with very sloppy greens and the weather forecast is sunny but windy.
