22nd July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Habeler sealed maiden win after extra hole
Austria’s Markus Habeler sealed maiden win defeating three opponents during play-off at 2017 Lignano Open. The 24 year old player shot 68 for final round and -16 total.
They were three more players to reach the same score, overnight leader Xavier Poncelet with 69 last round, HP Bacher from Austria and France’s Robin Roussel. The latter got into a play-off in Saint Malo Open, a fortnight ago.
This event was the last counting for Top 6 players getting an exemption for European Tour Stage 1 and play directly Stage 2 in November. Ugo Coussaud, Adria Arnaus, Robin Roussel, Lars Van Meijel, JB Gonnet and Lukas Nemecz will avoid the first stage battle.
21st July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Poncelet took the lead heading to final day
France’s Xavier Poncelet shot second round 68 for -13 total after his opening day with 63 at Lignano Open. A group of 3 players is one shot behind, Austria’s Markus Habeler and Frenchmen Raphaël Marguery and Fabien Marty.
Overnight leader Italian amateur Giacomo Fortini could not keep the pace after his amazing score, 62. He shot 73 today. The course struggled to defend itself against high level of game. The cut felt at -4.
Maxime Radureau, currently at 6th place in the ranking missed the cut and Julien Brun, 7th, is playing on Challenge Tour in France so the opportunity for Thomas Elissalde and Lukas Nemecz is real to enter the top 6 after this event and get an exemption for European Tour Q School and go directly to Stage 2.
20th July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Amateur Fortini set course record 62
Young Italian amateur, Giacomo Fortini, born in 1996, fired 62 during first day of Lignano Open near Venice. France’s Xavier Poncelet signed for 63 and Swiss Marc Dobias is one shot further on his own.
Amateurs have been doing well on Alps Tour in 2017, two of them already won beating the pros and Fortini could confirm that things always come in threes.
« Everything went very well today, from the tee to the green and my putting was very good as well. It would have been difficult to play better than the way I played today. None of the holes seemed difficult. »
Lignano Open is the last event counting for top 6 of the ranking qualifying for European Tour Q School Stage 2. The lucky six players will then avoid the battle of first stage. If Ugo Coussaud, Adria Arnaus and Lars Van Driel seem to be safe, from 4th to 11th place, the difference is less than 2000 points. A podium versus a missed cut could change the ranking on Saturday evening.
The projected cut is -2 and one man in the top 6 is in danger, Maxime Radureau who shot 75.
10th July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Amateur Boulanger bakes Roussel during play-off
French amateur Thomas Boulanger defeated his fellow countryman Robin Roussel after first extra hole at Saint Malo Golf Open.
The 17 year old player from Cannes holed a 5 meter putt to grab maiden win and engrave his name on the trophy. He signed for 68 final round, -18 and Roussel recorded a card of -2. The latter admitted his putting was less efficient today and the he missed a couple 2 meter putts to hope better results.
Boulanger was the leader after round one and explained it was a dream as he only hoped to make the cut. Way more than the cut, the talented young gun kept the pace and with no fear challenged the pros on their soil.
It has been the second amateur who won this season on the Alps Tour after Spain’s Adria Arnaus.
With this second place, Robin Roussel enters Alps Tour top 5 at 4th place. Ugo Coussaud remains leader ahead of Adria Arnaus and Lars Van Meijel. Jean Baptiste Gonnet, former European Tour is currently at 5th place.
8th July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Robin Roussel surged one clear in Brittany
Robin Roussel took a flying start during moving day in this afternoon in Saint Malo Golf Open. The 26 year old player signed for 64, and -17 total to surge one shot clear ahead of David Borda and one further of a group of 3 players.
Roussel could not have a better start. The player from Paris recorded back to back eagle and back to back birdies to be -6 after 4 holes.
« Obviously I never had this kind of record before. I had a nap on the terrace before I teed off, it might be the reason! »
He turned first nine -8. On way home, he had two bogeys and two birdies for final score 64.
« When you starts so well and shot really low the first nine, obviously you started to thing about a really good score but I never thought about a 59 but I had to admit I would have loved a -10, I already had a few -9, this is my personal record but not -10. »
Roussel is only playing for the second season as pro and is still looking for maiden win.
David Borda from Spain will be his main competitor as he fired 68 for -15 total. Italy’s Michele Ortolani and Frenchmen Fabien Marty and amateur Victor Boulanger are one shot further. Boulanger, 17, is playing his second pro event and his goal at the beginning of the week was to make the cut. The teenager will play on Sunday in second last group and potentially is in contention for a title.
7th July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Half-way lead for Borda and Marty
Spain’s David Borda and France’s Fabien Marty took the lead half-way tournament in Brittany in Saint Malo Golf Open. Both players signed for course record 64 for a two stroke advantage over a group of 4 players. Marty, who had a great week on Challenge Tour in Saint Omer, confirmed his golf has been solid for a moment.
« I have been playing for a while, today I could start better as I had birdie-eagle-birdie. Obvioulsy it gives you a good pace. Everything went together so yes I can say I am in good form.
We always play to win, if a player says he doesn’t want to win when he enters a tournament, he’d better stay at home. It’s been 12 years I turned pro and I only won once and I finished first pro last year in France so not all of us got the chances to lift a trophy each year.
I really think my experience can help knowing what not to do. But it is never easy to do what you have to do to win. »
David Borda, 30, had the perfect round, 6 birdies, one eagle and no dropped shot.
«To be honnest, it was the greatest day of golf of my all pro career. I think it’s the course record so it is really good. We all want to win but it’s only half-way tournament. There are plenty of goood players chasing me so I have to keep the same rythm. I won’t change my strategy ; I will keep being aggressive as I was during first two rounds. »
Chasing the leaders, French young amateur, Thomas Boulanger, 17, who confessed he was leaving a dream to play so well, fellow countryman, Alex Daydou, Spain’s Jesus Legarrea and Belgium Kevin Hesbois.
The cut felt at -3, 45 players.
6th July 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Neumayer stormed clear in Brittany
Autria’s Bernard Neumayer signed for opening round 66, -6 in Saint Malo Golf Open. The 26 year old player holed 8 birdies including hat trick from the 13th. The golf course, designed by Hubert Chesneau, also designer of Golf National, has pleased the players and more than 50 players shot under par today. The weather was perfect and warm in Brittany.
« It was a solid round, said Neumayer, I had no big mistakes. I was playing on Pro Golf Tour and I decided to play on Alps tour and I like it. »
On his toes, a pack of 5 players is one shot behind, Spain’s Jesus Legarrea, Italy’s Andrea Saracino, Austria’s Uli Weinhandl and France’s Victor Veyret and Leo Lespinasse, 2016 Alps Tour winner, was very happy with his game today.
« It’s a really good 67. It was cool. I had a safe day, I hit lots of fairways and also plenty of greens. When I missed my chipping was solid. I was solid on the pars 5 as well. »
The projected cut is -2.
