27th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Van Driel finally won in France

Vandriel winwebNetherlands’ Darius Van Driel finally broke the curse and won his maiden trophy thanks to level par final round. With this win, he jumps on top of the Alps Tour ranking. Ties for second place France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Damien Perrier.

Van Driel was in the overnight leader with a two stroke advantage over local hero, Alex Kaleka. The latter started the best way with a birdie on the first hole and his playing partner dropped two shots in a row on 3rd and fourth. Van Driel struggled to enter the round and Kaleka was in control. At the turn, the two men were -10 and it seemed that once again, Van Driel couldn’t lift a trophy. During the last 3 weeks, he was each time in contention and finished 3rd, 2nd, 2nd.

But this time, the bad dream was for Kaleka. He had two awful holes as he made double bogey on the 12th and triple on the 13th. His hope just blew up and Van Driel holed pars until the end to finally won his maiden win.

France’s Damien Perrier, in the last group last Sunday, did a perfect come back with flawless 65, -6 to record his second runner-up place and his seventh top 5 of the season.

Josh Loughrey lost his leadership at the Alps Tour ranking despite a nice fourth place.


26th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Van Driel finally ?

VanDriel-HP15_7150Netherlands Darius Van Driel is in contention for victory for the third week in a row. He leads the Marcilly Open with -11 by 2 shots over local playing pro France’s Alex Kaleka.

Darius Van Driel recorded four runner places this season and last Sunday,  during prize giving ceremony, he was told by the officials that his turn has now come. Solid and consistent in Marcilly, he scored 66 during first round and 65 today to lead by 2 shots over France’s Alex Kaleka.

The latter signed for flawless 65 in his own garden. The Frenchman is the local hero and he even has a course named Kaleka in Marcilly Golf Club.

Third man on the provisionnal podium is Scot John Henry with -7 total thanks to 68 second round. The cut felt at level par.


25th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Verselin fired 64 in Marcilly

26/06/2015. AlpsTour 2015. 2015 Open International De La Mirabelle D'Or, Golf de La Grange aux Ormes, Metz, France June 25-28. Jean Pierre Verselin of France during the second round. Credit: Tristan Jones

Jean Pierre Verselin of France  Credit: Tristan Jones

Jean-Pierre Verselin of France took a narrow advantage of one shot over fellow countryman Damien Perrier with first round 64, -7 in Open Marcilly. Italy’s Andrea Maestroni, who won the trophy in 2004, is two shots back of the lead alongside compatriot Joon Kim and Darius Van Driel of Netherlands.

Verselin, 25, holed 9 birdies and dropped 2 shots to sign for the best score of the day. The young player, Alps Tour winner in 2014, is struggling with his game this season and needs some good results to keep his card next year.

On his toes, Damien Perrier, one of the most consistent player this season. He recorded a flawless 65 and once again is on top of the leaderboard. He was playing in the last group last Sunday and his game is still sharp.

Another man is chasing his first win of the season and his maiden one as a pro, Darius Van Driel. Van Driel had a fourth runner place last week and keeps on riding on the momentum.

The projected cut is -1.


20th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Maiden win for Angles in France

Angles-HP15_7486

Pep Angles with Open du Haut-Poitou trophy (c) Agathe Séron

Spain’s neo pro Pep Angles won his maiden title thanks to final round 69, -4 to go to -11 total. The Open International du Haut-Poitou was his event since he turned pro last week. He finished one stroke clear of Dutch Darius Van Driel.

The final round started with a little hour delay due to dense fog over Saint Cyr Golf Course. The overnight leaders – four- had very different final round and the spectators realised that the show was on the second last group. Damien Perrier in the last group admitted it was a bit frustrating.

“At the beginning of the round, they were about hundred to follow us. Then, I always had 2 putts on greens so it was a bit boring and Clément, who is not playing anymore as he is now a teacher, had a very tough day, so, people left us and it was weird to handle. But this is golf.”

The show was clearly in the second last group. Darius Van Driel and Pep Angles were neck and neck for a while and the Dutchman even had 2 strokes advantage before the end of first nine. The 22 year old Spaniard came back to one thanks to a birdie. But the key hole of the round was the 12th. Angles holed for birdie and Van Driel dropped one shot so names swung on top of the leader board and it never changed untill the end.

“I was playing well since the beginning of the week and I did not expect to win.” said Angles, ” I had a friend on th bag and it helped me to stay relax as we talked a lot between shots, not about golf. When I made this birdie to lead, I tried not to change anything. I had a number in mind, -10 and I stuck to my game plane. On the 17th, honestly, I did not plan to go that right over the trees, I wanted to hit my driver safely but I push it a little but I hit it long, so it crossed the water by 6 or 7 yards. I do not realise how this win could change things but I am happy with this just before heading to European Tour Q school Stage 1.”

Van Driel recorded a solid 70, -3 but it was not enough, again. The Dutchman, second at the Alps Tour ranking since last week, is once again, the fourth time this year, on the second step of the podium.

France’s Raphaël Marguery fired best score of the day, 68, -5 to finished third on his own.


19th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Four way ties in France

Angles-HP15_7237

Pep Angles of Spain during second round (c) Agathe Séron

There are four players on top of the Open International du Haut-Poitou after 2 rounds, France’s Clément Gallois and Damien Perrier, Dutch Darius Van Driel and Spain’s Pep Angles (picture). The lead score is -7.

The weather conditions were perfect today and the best score even posted on St Cyr golf course was signed by France’s Clément Gallois. He recorded 65, -8 and did not dropped any shots.

“I am not playing anymore. I teach in Gold de Touraine and I had an invitation to play here. This is my best score ever as pro. I struggled a little on front nine then from the 11th I hit very close to the pins and I started to hole many putts. I had pressure because I wanted to do well but obviously I was way more relax than when I was playing for living.”

The overnight leader Damien Perrier, confirmed his good form and signed for 70 , -3.

“It was a bit different than yesterday but still, all in all, I am happy with my game. I did well on pars 5 and I keep on feeling confident about my level of game.”

Pep Angles, 22, third co-leader just turned pro. He got graduated from University of Central Arkansas in May and he is playing his first event as pro in Poitiers this week. As a kid, he was competing in motocross but after injuries he decided to start a new sport, with success.

Last but not least, Darius Van Driel will be once again in the last group on Sunday. He finished second last week in Preisch and he has been in contention many times this season. All the Alps Tour players confirm that his turn has come, same as Perrier by the way.

“Yes I really would like to finally keep my hands on a trophy. My wedging was very good and I made birdie on all the pars 5 but I only hit one in two. I think the experience of last week will help me tomorrow. I am excited and I am really looking forward to play the last round.”

The cut felt at +4 with 45 players including one amateur.


18th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Perrier sparkled in Poitiers

26/06/2015. AlpsTour 2015. 2015 Open International De La Mirabelle D'Or, Golf de La Grange aux Ormes, Metz, France June 25-28. Damien Perrier of France during the second round. Credit: Tristan Jones

Damien Perrier of France Credit: Tristan Jones

France’s Damien Perrier took the lead after opening round of Open International du Haut-Poitou with 69, -4. Fellow countryman Alex Kaleka and Spain’s Daniel Osorio are one shot back.

Poitiers is west of France and fall has arrived early this year, with rain, wind and low temperatures. Heavy rain flooded the course of Saint Cyr on Monday and Wednesday. The weather conditions during this first round was tough. Fair for one hour, then windy in the morning and a few showers of heavy rain all afternoon. Play had to be suspended for 45 minutes at 13h40 and 4 groups could not complete their round.

During morning session, Spain’s Daniel Osorio signed for best provisional score 70. He equalized his best score, -3, in fourth appearance in Saint-Cyr.

“It was a tough day because it was very windy. On my front nine, I played really bad, poor iron game, but it was weird because I chipped in on the second for birdie and I holed a bunker shot for birdie as well for birdie. Eventually, on the back nine, I started to play better. I made two good birdies so I recorded 70, -3.
The golf course is very demanding. It looks easy but you have to hit straight from the tee otherwise you have no shot to the green. And with this new tee on the 17th, which used to be an easy birdie hole, it is now a tough challenging par 5.”

France’s Alex Kaleka joined Osorio at the very end of the day and his playing partner, Damien Perrier signed for the best score, 69, -4.

“You know, last week when I missed the cut it was the fist time since march 2014!!! I am very consistent, my statistics before last week were excellent and I was second at the ranking without a win.

I fell confident and I started to hole some good putts for birdies, on second I holed 6 meters, about 5 meters on the third. I never had to save a par. It was a good day. I had 32 putts and the score is there.”

Alps Tour leader Josh Loughrey scored 74, +1 and projected cut is +2.


17th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Who's the best putter ?

30/04/2015 30/04/2015. AlpsTour 2015. Tunisian Golf Open, El Kantaoui Golf Club, Hammam Sousse, Tunisia. April 30-May 3. Matt Wallace of England during the first round. Credit: Tristan Jones

Matt Wallace of England Credit: Tristan Jones

The Open International du Haut Poitou starts on Friday his week. This is the second event in France out of three weeks in a row in Levy and Dubuisson’s country.

England’s Josh Loughrey won last Sunday in Preisch golf club and thanks to this victory, he took the Alps Tour leadership. Loughrey finished 6th tie last year in Haut Poitou, 4 shots back of Austria’s Lukas Nemecz who recorded -11 after final third round.

Huge amount of rain felt on Wednesday in Poitiers area and it has rained this morning as well. The forecast for the tournament is fair from the second day. Players will have to deal with very soft greens all week.

The focus before tournament is maid on players who lead the statistic of birdies average in a round. At first place, England’s Matt Wallace, with an average of 4,37 birdies per round. A player to watch this week. He finished third last week. At second place Italy’s Enrico Di Nitto with 4,24. The Italian player needs to avoid the mistake in his round but he skill on greens is brilliant. Eventually, Damien Perrier and Toni Ferrer with respectively, 4,15 and 4,14 birdies per round, are solid challengers for low scores.


13th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Loughrey for second win

Loughrey_7930-2webEngland’s Josh Loughrey won his second title of the season thanks to final round 69 in 2015 Cidatelle International Trophy. He finished the 72 hole event with -13 total, 3 ahead of Darius Van Driel.

Loughrey can be satisfied and proud with this win. Leader after 2 rounds he managed to stay very consistent and his playing partner during last round could not catch up with him. Loughrey holed for birdie on the first and put pressure on Van Driel. The latter answered right away with a birdie on the second, the match was on.

The Englishman turned first nine with 34 whereas the Dutch was level par. Par not not enough to threat the Tunisian Open winner who signed for best score tie 69 of the day.

Matt Wallace who finished third on his own – his best result tie this season – could have done better if he did not shoot himself with opening double bogey on the first. He never succeeded to come back, he only erased this mistake with 2 birdies for a level par card.

Loughrey won a check of 6250 € and these points make him jump on the top of the Alps Tour ranking. Van Driel made the biggest move as he enters the famous top 5 for the first time this season directly to the second place. Harry Casey is the only one not to move staying on the third step. Matt Pavon slides from the top to the 4th place and Damien Perrier is fifth.


| Alps Tour Golf

Citadelle Trophy International-Preisch 2015 – Final Day

Final Round highlights of the 2015 Citadelle Trophy International at Golf de Preisch.
England’s Josh Loughrey won for the second time this season. Darius Van Driel from Netherlands finished 2nd and Matt Wallace (Eng) third.

 


12th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf

Van Driel neck and neck with Loughrey

27/06/2015. AlpsTour 2015. 2015 Open International De La Mirabelle D'Or, Golf de La Grange aux Ormes, Metz, France June 25-28. Darius Van Driel of the Netherlands during the third round. Credit: Tristan Jones

 Darius Van Driel of the Netherlands  Credit: Tristan Jones

Netherlands’ Darius Van Driel and England’s Josh Loughrey share the lead of 2015 Citadelle Trophy International. With -10 total, they have a short advantage over Matt Wallace going into final round with -9.

Overnight leader Loughrey managed to keep a foot on the first step of the podium. He scored 70, -2, with 3 birdies and one eagle. Van Driel improve his position to climb on the same step thanks to 68-4-under-par-card. Van Driel holed 8 birdies and his skill on greens is a real asset if he managed to avoid mistakes.

Matt Wallace, third on his own, has been many time in contention this season and this experience makes him a true challenger for a maiden win on the Alps Tour.

Third round is called moving day and it deserved this name for one player, France’s Dominique Nouailhac who signed for the best score of the day, 66, -6. The 45 year old player from Paris proved that despite the course length, a good sense of game is the key on Preisch golf course. The former Challenge player holed 6 birdies and only dropped a shot on the last hole. He moved to the 4th place alongside three other players, his fellow countryman Simon Fernoux, Tom Shadbolt of England and young Spanish amateur, Scott Fernandez who recorded six birdies in a row from the 4th hole today.

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