30th May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Master Maestroni back on top
Italy’s Andrea Maestroni (c) Tristan Jones
Italy’s Andrea Maestroni ended 11 years without an international win and put his hands on the trophy of Open de Saint François Région Guadeloupe with -8 as winning score. Overnight leader Scott Stewart-Cation and France’s Léo Lespinasse are tie for second place 2 shots behind.
Stewart-Cation made his first birdie of the day on the 15th hole but it was a bit too late to impress his challengers. Although he holed the only eagle of the round on the 17th, he missed his appointment with the trophy and but finished second tie thanks a birdie on the last green..
Many players on top of leaderboard shot under par to take the lead. The battle was between Andrea Maestroni, 38, and former European Tour player against Léo Lespinasse, 20, playing his second season as pro. The two men were “square” when Lespinasse teed of the 16th. But the young man from Biarritz dropped one shot on the par 3 and later,Maestroni gained one stroke on the par 5, the 17th. The experimented Italian player save a good par on the last green to secure his first win since a decade.
Maestroni’s last momentum was in 2004 and he said it meant a lot for him to hold the wooden trophy. He also admitted that being happy in his personal life -his girlfriend Ilaria is with him this week- surely helped him to be efficient with his golf.
“I only had a look on the leaderboard after 9 holes as I was playing so well. Perfect golf. I made a mistake on the 13th, a bad bunker shot with a pitching wedge and I dropped one shot but on the 14th I holed for birdie despite not such a good tee shot. And I managed to have a 2 stroke advantage teeing of the 18th thanks to an easy birdie on the 17th. Two perfect shots and 2 putts.”
“This win means a lot because of my story in golf. Many of my fellows and colleagues said -Why does he still play, the old guy – This win is my answer. My last win was in 2004 on the Alps Tour but the Alps Tour in 2015 has nothing to do with the Alps Tour 11 years ago.”
Maestroni’s goal is to go back on European Tour and this win is a huge step as far as confidence is concerned.
Lespinasse, although he did not win, recorded his third second places of the season and comes back in the top 5 of the Alps Tour ranking at 2nd position behind Josh Loughrey. Matthieu Pavon is third followed by Damien Perrier and Enrico Di Nitto.
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Stewart-Cation keeps lead
Scott Stewart-Cation
Scott Stewart-Cation holds firm the lead of Open Saint François Région Gadeloupe. He scored 70 during second round to go into last round with a 2 stroke advantage over Italy’s Andrea Maestroni.
No tropical rains for the second day here in the beautiful island of the French Indies, Guadeloupe. The temperature was over 30°C but clouds and wind helped players to deal with it. Scott Stewart-Cation from Home of golf, Fife, Scotland, signed for a 70 one under par card thanks to 3 birdies and 2 bogeys.
Only one shot back, 2004 Alps tour winner and former European Tour member, Andrea Meastroni from Italy. Maestroni, 38, played the World Cup in 2004 in Sevilla and is one of the most experimented player in the field as Far as European Tour is concerned. He will be a serious challenger for the win.
With the score of -2 total, a group of 3 Frenchmen. Amateur Martin Farfal, Léo Lespinasse and Jeff Lucquin. The latter was a member of European Tour for more than 7 seasons and won the Omega European Masters, defeated Rory McIlroy in a play-off. Lucquin is back to competition after injury and his level of game is improving week after week.
Lespinasse already recorded 3 podiums this season and will certainly battle to finally hold a trophy.
29th May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
2015 Open de St Francois – Day 2
Highlights of 2nd Round of the Open de Saint Francois Region Guadeloupe 2015
| Alps Tour Golf
Scott-Cation shines in Guadeloupe
Scotland’s Scott Stewart-Cation
Scotland’s Scott Stewart-Cation was the best player during first round of Open de Saint François Région Guadeloupe. The 27 year old player from Kirkcaldy shot 67, -4 to lead by one shot over fellow and friend John James Henry, England’s Jean-Michel Hall and France’s amateur Martin Farfal.
Stewart-Cation only made two cuts out of 7 this season but the hight temperatures seemed to suit him quite well. No less than 32°C and again, after the multiple suspensions of play in Italy the past 2 weeks, players had to go back to the club house at 15h47 due to tropical rains. The game resumed at 17h15. The Scot was very efficient on pars 5, -3 and only dropped one shot on the 7th.
John James Henry had a no mistake round with 3 birdies for a 68 card. Jean-Michel Hall did very well on greens and holed 7 birdies. Unfortunately he had a couple bad shots that show him made two bogeys and one double.
Amateur Martin Farfal is from Guadeloupe and knew obviously the course very well. He works now in mainland France with Patrick Talon in Moliets.
The projected cut is +3 after one round.
22nd May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
2015 Frassanelle Open – Day 3
[sc:GTPlayer id=”2015_05_22_frassanelle_open_report_day3″ ]
Report Day3
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Wet win for Piris
Gerard Piris won his maiden title on Alps Tour as he completed his second round yesterday and the Frassanelle Open was reduced to 36 holes due to heavy rain. Netherland’s Jurrian Van Der Vaart is second 3 shots back and France’s Damien Perrier third by his own one shot further.
The 26 years old Spaniard signed for superb 65 during opening round. And he posted 67 yesterday’s morning. It was a good draw for him as the play was suspended a first time just before 14h00 and then a second time for the day after 17h00.
Players completed their second round this morning and the officials decided to reduce the tournament to 36 holes.
“My first day was perfect, I played solid and I holed many putts. It was a bit easier than during the second round as the pins positions were tricky on Thursday. My thoughts for the second day – keep the same strategy, erase the first 18 holes and play your game – .
The greens were softer thanks to the rain but it was still tough. The strongest part of my game was the shots below 100 meters. I hit them very close and I had many birdie opportunities.
I guess I was lucky with the draw and the weather. A win is a win and It is still nice to lift a trophy even if the tournament was reduced to 36 holes.”
Thanks to this win, Gerard Piris is 14th at the Alps Tour ranking lead by England’s Josh Loughrey.
20th May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Piris and Wolf co-leaders in Italy
Gerard Piris from Spain (c) Tristan Jones
Gerard Piris from Spain and France’s Sidney Wolf both share the lead of the Frassanelle Open with 65, -6 scored during first rainy round.
Italy’s Andrea Maestroni and Cristiano Terragni and Scotland’s Scott Stewart-Cation are one shot back with -5. Then a group of 5 players signed for solid 67.
The weather has been quite unkind for the past ten days north-East of Italy. After rain and fog, in Colli Berici, the players had to deal with rain in Frassanelle golf Club. But the 6100 meters were not enough to make the field struggled and good scores were post during this first round.
The projected cut is level par.
| Alps Tour Golf
2015 Frassanelle Open – Report Day1
[sc:GTPlayer id=”2015_05_20_frassanelle_open_report_day1″ ]
Report Day1
16th May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
2015 Alps Tour Colli Berici – Report Day3
[sc:GTPlayer id=”2015_05_16_colli_berici_report_day3″ ]
Report Day3
| Alps Tour Golf
Di Nitto crowned on home soil
Enrico Di Nitto (c) Alessandro Bellicini
Italy’s Enrico Di Nitto defeated Netherland’s Darius Van Driel after first extra hole to win the Open Colli Berici. After solid 67 -4 card and two birdies holed on the 17th and the 18th, the Italian player was tie with Van Driel who led almost all the day.
Van Driel completed his second round this morning as it was twice suspended the overnight whereas Di Nitto had rest as he finished his second round during day 2. It was may be this little energy that was missing to the Dutch to hole more birdies and be safe from the Italian assault.
Di Nitto had a solid day only dropping one shot on the par 3 16th, he three putted it. But his answer to this misfortune was great as he holed 4 meters for birdie on the following par 5, the very long 17th, 539 meters and eventually holed a last birdie on the finishing par 3, surrended by the local fans.
“We were both on the green with Darius and he putted first. He holed for birdie and then I did the same. The public was numerous around the green but for the tee shot during the play-off, I was not nervous, I think I did not realise but for the putt, I was nervous and I sank almost 3 meters to win.”
“This is my first year as pro, I have been working for 5 years with Filipo Del Piano and I am part of the Italian Team run by Massimo Scarpa. My goal now is to finish in the top 5 of the ranking.”
