26th October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Israel Masters – Final Day
Report of the final day of the Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters, the Alps Tour Grand Final. The Netherland’s Jurrian Van der Vaart wins the inaugural tournament and his compatriot Darius Van Driel is the winner of the Alps Tour Order of Merit.
25th October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Best scenario for Van Der Vaart
Jurrian Van Der Vaart of the Netherlands with his trophy. Credit: Tristan Jones
Netherlands’ Jurrian Van Der Vaart won the inaugural Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters with -4 total after tournament has been reduced to 36 holes due to lightening threat.
Sports and golf especially are full of great stories, but this week, this story could be titled one man’s joy is another one’s sorrow. Van Der Vaart, 25th at the beginning of the week finished 5th at the ranking and France’s Matt Pavon lost his right to play as he slept from the precious 5th position to the 6th.
« Well this is not a way you want a tournament to finish – said Van Der Vaart – but the position I am in and the fact that I finished 5th on the order of merit now is a perfect senario for me. Althought I would have liked to play one extra round, I got qualifying school next week and that is big for me. I can move on to the main Tour which is the future. The more rounds I get in terrible circontances, like today with the wind and the rain, it would have been a really good test. But just for this week, I am happy.
I know that many Dutch people are watching results on the Alps Tour but that has nothing to do with me, all the credit goes to Darius. Darius Van Driel finished first, he had an amazing season, I don’t think people realise how hard it is to consistenly play in the top 10 and he played consistenly in the top 2 ; he had 5 times second I believe and he won, nobody has ever done that on the Alps Tour or any other Satellite Tours. I think he is the best player in Europe not playing on the Challenge Tour. »
Darius Van Driel is the first player from Holland to win the Alps Tour order of merit ever. He recorded multiple runner up places before finally won in France end of September.
« After the break, I finally got my brain together and that really helped get a lot of top 3 finishes and one win and i must the last 2 tournaments was a bit of a struggle for me but in the end you don’t want to finish like a tournament and a seasonlike this but my goal coming to Isreal was to remain first on the order of merit and that happened and on to Stage 2 and maybe I can help some guys out who are in the 6th or 7th position of the ranking to get their card for Challenge Tour as well.
We have spent the all season together and I have to say I feel sorry for Matt Pavon who a really nice guy. »
The point is that if one of the top 5 players makes the cut in the European Tour Q School Final Stage, he allows the next player in the ranking to take his spot.
The five players graduated to play the Challenge Tour next year are Dutch Darius Van Driel, England’s Josh Loughrey, France’s Damien Perrier, England’s Harry Casey and Netherlands’ Jurrian Van Der Vaart.
From Isreal
Agathe Séron
| Alps Tour Golf
Play suspended in Israel
Play has been suspended at Caesarea Golf Club due to strong wind and storm at 9.03am…
Next decision at 10h30
| Alps Tour Golf
Israel Masters 2015 – Day 2
Highlights of the second round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters, the Alps Tour Grand Final, at Caesarea Golf Club. Dutch Jurrian Van Der Vaart shot one under to lead with -4 the inaugural Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters. Italy’s Gregory Molteni and England’s Tom Shadbolt are one shot back.
24th October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Van Der Vaart gone with the wind
Jurrian Van Der Vaart of the Netherlands during the second round. Credit: Tristan Jones
Very tough conditions today in Caesarea Golf Club. Dutch Jurrian Van Der Vaart shot one under to lead with -4 the inaugural Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters. Italy’s Gregory Molteni and England’s Tom Shadbolt are one shot back.
Strong winds blew all day long and the second round story was totally different from the opening round. Despite shortening the course to allow for the weather conditions, players had many 3 and 4 irons to greens and sharp short game was needed to save pars.
Overnight co-leader,Verselin confirmed his recent good form and keep on hand on the trophy before teeing of the amen corner of the course and unfortunaly dropped 4 shots to let Netherlands’ Van Der Vaart leading on his own.
« I knew that anything under par would be great today and I was absolutely loving the course. I did not think about my ranking and what I need to be in the top. If you think about your order of merit, the putts get twice as long and the tee shots became extremely hard. The fortune is that I haven’t missed one tee shot in two days which is always crutial on a golf course this hard.
Playing with amateurs is longer than usual but in the other hand we are more relax on course as we are chating and giving them some advises. This week has been going well. I had a great partner from Paris, Philippe. He started playing better and better as he got more comfortable playing with us because they are obviously more nervous than we are. I am happy with the all concept, I think it is very good for the tournament, it is really good for raising money, getting more people involved and I hope more tournaments would be like this. »
Tom Shadbolt has a great opportunity to enter the final Alps Tour Top 5 to play on Challenge Tour next year. In case of a win, the 12 000 points will make him jump around third place.
« I struggled on the range this morning cause I don’t really like the wind of the left. At the end of my practice session I had quite a good feel. I hit a really good drive on the first and that was sort of the time for the day. I hit close there but missed and then hit it about 5 feet on the second and I missed that and I did not feel very confident on the greens until I hit a 6 foot putt on the third and I took my chances and I just played pretty smart. »
Smart will be the leit motiv tomorrow for those targetting a win, wind is forcasted as strong as today.
A very special day for one player whatever he scores, Ireland’s Bredan McCarroll will play his last round on Alps Tour as he decided to write a new chapter of his life.
From Israel
Agathe Séron
23rd October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Israel Masters 2015 – Day 1
Highlights of the first round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters, the Alps Tour Grand Final, at Caesarea Golf Club. Four players tie the lead at -5 under par: Italy’s Leonardo Motta, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga, France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Xavier Poncelet.
| Alps Tour Golf
Four way tie in Israel
Leonardo Motta during first round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters (c) Tristan Jones
A group of 4 players shot -5 on great Caesarea Golf Course. France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Xavier Poncelet, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga and Italy’s Leonardo Motta took lead after first round of inaugural Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters.
It was a pretty hot and wet day on the banks of the Mediterranean sea. The golf course build in the early 60’s and redesigned by Pete Dye in 2006 keeps its promises, to be a very interesting challenge for the best Alps Tour players, the top 50 of the ranking.
The first of this young talent to shot the leading score was France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin, Alps tour winner in 2014.
“I really played well on pars 5. I shot -5 on them. I have been playing well for weeks now and I will try just to stick to my game plan. I did not manage to win the previous tournament because I was thinking too much about the result. So I really have to focus to stay in present.”
Another winner of last weason had a very good day, the Spaniard Larranaga. He admitted his friend and playing pro Jesus Legarrea helped him in a crucial part of his game.
“My putting was not very good but yesterday, Jesus Legarrea, my friend, gave me some tips and I had 25 putts. It is a very good golf course, probably the best of the year, long with small greens. You have to be smart and have a good strategy and I like that very much. It is good for my game because you have to hit the drive to take fairways. My game was in good shape when I arrive here but today, my putting was excellent.
Playing in an alliance format is new to me but it is good. It is more funny and more relaxing and my partner is a very nice guy.”
Even in case of a win, the third co-leader Poncelet won’t enter the top 5 to play Challenge Tour next season but his targets are bigger. The player from Bordeaux who already played on Challenge Tour, is aiming a great result in the European Tour Q School.
“The course is amazing, a true test of golf. I did not hit very my drive the past days so I decided not to use it. It was a bit long with my 3 wood. My goal is to be in the top 30. The course is prefect as well to work and prepare the Q School stage 2.”
The last leading player did not win any trophy on Alps Tour but his goal are very clear – I want to win – said the Italian player after his brilliant opening round.
“I am really happy about my game today. This course is marvellous. Obviously I find it nicer of how it is probably but no, it is definitely a great course. It gives you birdies if you play well, it is very competitive so it is very pleasant.
This event with not cut probably helps you to clear your mind. You are right, I had so many cuts missed on Challenge Tour by one or 2 shots. Your mind focuses on wrong things where there is a threat.
Reference to the format, I am not really a pro am player, I prefer to play by my own but I had the chance to play with a great amateur today, a nice guy, we were really relax on the course, it helps.”
Last but not least a battle is taking place inside the tournament. Dutch Darius Van Driel is the Alps Tour current leader and if he keeps this leadership on Sunday evening, he will use for the first time the exemption of Alps Tour winner not otherwise in the Stage 2 field. His closest competitor is England’s Josh Loughrey 3200 points behind.
22nd October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Israel Masters 2015 – Preview
Introduction of the first Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters, the Alps Tour Grand Final 2015 at Caesarea Golf Club. Discover the city and enjoy the first images of the golf club and pro-am days.
21st October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Marc Harari wrote Israel Golf History
Alps Tour is pleased to help to write a chapter of Israeli Golf. Golf club Caesarea is the proud host of the first ever international pro event thanks to the will of one man, France’s Marc Harari. With his team, he managed to create an amazing tournament to promote golf in Israel.
Caesarea Golf Club is the only 18 holes in Israel and Marc Harari had a dream, he wanted to create a pro event there. Despite a delay of one year, the dream came true and it is already a big success.
“I would like to thank sponsors and friends. I had a dream 18 months ago and here we are. I would like as well to say thank you to the pros who came here. I will be proud to present the Blue Jacket to the Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters winner on Sunday.”
For the first time, 3 pros from Israel will play an Alps Tour event. Today and tomorrow are pro-ams day, 26 teams every day and from Thursday, the last show of Alps Tour season will be launched. Another maiden story, the players will be associated to a amateur in an alliance format for the first two rounds before competing on their own during final day.
With a prize fund of 80 000 €, the Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters is the biggest event of the international Alps Tour Schedule. The final Alps Top 5 will be announced on Sunday and we will know the 2015 graduates names.
18th October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Abruzzo Open 2015 – Day3
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Video Report
