30th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School-La Cala Resort: Join us in 2017
The Alps Tour is pleased to announce that La Cala Resort will be, for the 5th time, the host of the Qualifying School scheduled from the 11th to the 17th of December 2016.
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.
As last year, the Final Stage will be played on Asia & Europa courses.
The first stage is scheduled 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 2017 Alps Tour events.
Entry form available – click HERE
Accommodation: La Cala Resort is glad to welcome all participants in the La Cala Hotel on site with special offers, including a shuttle service between Malaga airport and La Cala Resort. All details and booking forms included in the tournament entry form.
For any enquiries, please contact us by email to: [email protected]
22nd October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Wallace to enter Alps Tour Hall of Fame
Matt Wallace wrote the most amazing story in the 15 year Alps Tour history. The 26 year old Englishman won the Grand Final by AXA by one shot in front of Richard Jouven, thanks to closing 68, his sixth title this season and won the Order of Merit with almost twice as many points as the second Federico Maccario.
Some people could say, the circuit is too easy for him. What a lack of knowledge… Wallace is strong, very strong but he had played 3 full seasons on the Alps Tour before he became the genius on course in 2016. Whatever the circuit, 6 wins is an outrageous record.
He entered 9 events this season and his worst result was a 4th place. He won 6 times and 5 titles in a raw. His family were there for the Grand Final, he really wanted to win in front of them, for sure he learned to play with some pressure.
“It has been hard because I knew everybody will attack from all guys looking for the Challenge Tour card. And my objective was to win the tournament indeed. This was the most difficult victory of the year.”
Many players explained, once they leave the Alps Tour that they will never forget its atmosphere. Wallace has the same feeling, the Alps Tour is special.
“The Alps Tour will remain in my memory forever. For the friends I met, for the countries I visited. I played on the European Tour, on the Challenge Tour but I never experienced such an atmosphere.”
He will play at least on Challenge Tour next year, as the 4 players who secured their card today, Italy’s Enrico Di Nitto and Federico Maccario, England’s Tom Shadbolt and France’s Victor Perez.
A sixth man, Franck Daux, is on the wrong side of the cut by less than 25 points/€ but reference to the level of game of the five men in front of him, he can really hope than one of them will make the cut at the Final Q School of European Tour to get his card. Matthieu Pavon was in the same position last year and is about to finish top 15 on Challenge Tour.
Time to let the curtain falls on a enthralling year, catch up with you for the Q School in December.
21st October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Wallace in the hunt for a sixth title
Matt Wallace, Alps Tour multiple winner, is heading to Grand Final by AXA final round with a 2 shot advantage over Italy’s Federico Maccario. The Englishman shot 66, -5 thanks to 3 strokes earned on the last two holes, birdie-eagle.
Wallace already wrote a chapter of the Alps Tour history book. The record is amazing and almost unbeatable. The 26 year old player won his maiden title in Egypt in February and it was the launch of an incredible series. From this win, he won four other titles in four events. The previous record was three victories in a season, France’s Julien Quesne in 2007 or Italy’s Matteo Del Podio in 2010 for example.
Thanks to these results, Wallace got some invitations to play on Challenge Tour and main Tour where he made cuts.
Tomorrow, the story could be even better if he manage to lift a sixth trophy.
« I battled hard off and I got a really good start and I was disappointed if I did not finished 4 under or better. On the 17th, I hit a great shot to make birdie and on the last, it was just the two best swings of the day that sets me up for an eagle chance and I rolled in.
You just have to play the better golf you can. Tomorrow, I am looking forward to going out there and playing my hardest again and hopefully be in this position tomorrow.
My family is her with me and it is a bit special because they haven’t seen me winning this year. It is nice to have them, I told them to come if they could because I will won the order of merit anyway, but to play well is nice in front of them. »
On his toes, for a second win this season, Federico Maccario, winner last month in France, then France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Richard Jouven are one shot further.
20th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Morago takes half way lead in Miglianico
Spain’s David Morago took half way lead of the Grand Final presented by Axa. The 23 year old player added a 67 to his opening 65 to have one shot advantage at -10 over a pack of five players including overnight leader, Matt Wallace.
The latter had a shy day compare to his first round, he only signed for 70 although many players shot under 70.
Morago’s best results this season is a second place in Open de Saint François Guadeloupe and a podium in Frassanelle Open, both in June.
France’s rookies Richard Jouven and Alex Daydou, 66 and 65, admitted they could count on their putting.
« I tried to be aggressive when I could but what makes a difference between and solid day and a very good day is the putting », said Daydou.
« I had a slow start as I turn first nine level par but from the 10th to the 13th, I made three birdies and a good par on 11th so it kind of launched me. » Jouven explained.
England’s big hitter Andrew Cooley and Spain’s David Borda are among the group tie for second place. Cooley fired score of the day 63 and came back to the club house in 29.
19th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Matt Wallace set the pace… again!
England’s Matt Wallace fired 63 during opening round of Alps Tour Grand Final presented by AXA. Despite a dropped shot on first hole he managed to hole 9 birdies for a eight under par card. He set the pace for a sixth trophy.
This season is his. Matt Wallace won maiden pro title in Egypt during Dreamland Pyramids Open last February. Then from April to June he played 4 events on the circuit and he won all of them. This amazing results offers him a place to play on Challenge Tour in 2017 at least and he just signed up with famous golfers manager Chubby Chandler and his company ISM to take care of his career.
Players play at Miglianico Golf Club for the second week in a raw but The Englishman was not there during Abruzzo Open.
France’s Fabien Marty is second on his own, he had flawless round 64 and a pack of four players is one shot back, France’s Simon Fernoux, Spain’s David Berna and David Morago and Italy’s Federico Maccario. The latter is 7th at the Alps Tour ranking and he will fore sure play to take his chance to earn a precious spot.
As a reminder, the winning score last week on same course was -15, the target seems to be lower for this last event of the schedule.
16th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Pitoni sealed third win back on home soil
Italy’s Stefano Pitoni won his third victory this season thanks to final round 64, -15 total, in Abruzzo Open. After his maiden win in La Pinetina last June, then a second trophy in Saint Malo Open in July, the 26 year old player grabbed a third title back on home soil.
He gained three shots on his last two holes, birdie-eagle, to take the club house lead and eventually, none of the players behind could catch up with him.
Fellow countrymen Federico Maccario and Enrico Di Nitto are ties for second place one shot further. They both signed for 69.
France’s Raphaël Marguery had solid round, 67, to finish at 4th place on his own a shot back.
Overnight leader, Tom Shadbolt, could not beat the par today and finished 5th tie with Robin Goger, Uli Weinhandl and Thomas Elissalde.
Time to have a look at the Alps Tour ranking. Despite 3 wins in 2016, Pitoni is at 6th place and needs to confirm next week. Victor Perez who missed the cut in Abruzzo Open slept from 2nd to third place. Enrico Di Nitto took his place. Tom Shadbolt is now at 4th position and Franck Daux 5th. Federico Maccario is 7th.
The Final next week is to be played on same course as the Abruzzo Open. The winner will earn 9750 €, the second biggest check of the season and many players could still be part of the graduates.
15th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Shadbolt in the race for back to back win
England’s Tom Shadbolt shot best score of the day to take a one shot lead going into last round of Abruzzo Open. He has an opportunity to win a second title back to back after his victory in Spain in Alps Costa del Sol last month.
The 28 year old player was the first round leader but he struggled to hole birdies during second round. Today, after third round eventually started after 30 minutes delay due to threat of lightening, he recovered his feeling on greens with his putter. He had an amazing series of 6 birdies in a raw from the 4th hole. He turned first nine with score of 29 as he had birdie as well on the first hole.
He only dropped one shot on the 13th and signed for 63, 8 under, tie for best score of the week.
Italian duo Enrico Di Nitto and Federico Maccario is only one shot back. The latter won this season in France but Di Nitto still in the hunt for a maiden title.
A pack of 4 players is 2 shots back of the lead and if one of them shot low tomorrow, the winner might be an outsider such as Daniel Young, Julien Forêt, Kevin Hesbois or Daniel Berna.
| Alps Tour Golf
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14th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Maccario takes half way lead in Abruzzo Open
Federico Maccario shot brilliant 63, 8 under par, best score of the day to take half way lead with -11 in Abruzzo Open. The 22 year old player had flawless card with one eagle and 6 birdies. The overnight leader, France’s Raphaël Marguery, signed for a 69 two-under-par card to be second on his own heading to the week end, two shots back of the lead.
Players managed to tame the great course of Miglianico and many figures in red today. The cut felt at one under par and Victor Perez, currently 2nd at the Alps Tour ranking won’t play this week end and the risk is important for him to slide as all his challengers made the cut. Among them, Enrico Di Nitto shares third place with David Berna, both at -8 total.
Di Nitto is still fighting for a win this season. He finished second twice, in Tunisia and Italy, third attempt might be the one but his fellow countryman Maccario enjoys 4 round event as he won the Citadelle Trophy International last month. A win this week would give him a huge chance to play on Challenge Tour next year.
13th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Marguery in command in Abruzzo Open
France’s Raphaël Marguery shot 64, -7 during first round of Abruzzo Open. He tamed the Miglianico golf course holing eight birdies and only dropping one shot on the 6th hole. England’s Tom Shadbolt and Julien Foret from France are one shot back.
Marguery who managed to qualify for European Tour S School stage 2 is more than motivated to finish in final Top 5 of Alps Tour Order of Merit. The 29 year old player from Versailles needs a win and a podium at least during these last two events to pretend to accomplish his goal but his level of game seems to suit his target.
Tom Shadbolt is closer in the ranking as his victory last month made him enter the top 5 but he needs to confirm his position with good results. The Englishman succeeded in passing the Stage 1 marathon.
David Berna and Stefano Pitoni are a shot further. The latter, 8th at the ranking, has a real chance to make his move. Franck Daux and Enrico Di Nitto, both in Top 5 are in good position to increase their earnings this week whereas Victor Perez, 88th, is in trouble to add some points to his current ranking at the Order of Merit.
The projected cut is level par.
