26th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Golf Nazionale Open cancelled due to snow
Due to heavy snowfalls last night in Roma area, the Golf Nazionale is covered by a white coat of 20 cm.
Actually, the roads to the golf club are closed for the next hours and are no safe.
According the updated weather forecast for the next days, we have decided with the Italian Golf Federation to cancel the tournament.
21st February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Jack Singh Brar won maiden victory in Egypt
England’s Jack Singh Brar won the Red Sea Little Venice Open at the Sokhna Golf Club (Egypt) today with -15.
Entering the final round as the leader at -10, Singh Brar shot 6 birdies and one bogey to win his first professional tournament.
« It’s awesome to get my first professional win here in Egypt » 21-year-old Singh Brar said. « I turned pro in September so it’s good to get a win quite early on in my professional career » he added. « The main thing for me today was to get through the front nine because that’s where I struggled in the past few days. I was sort of cruising along when Zucchetti did well on the front nine, I could not get really anything going » he explained. « And then, on the way back, I got a couple of birdies in, got a few putts in and that seemed to seal the deal » he said.
« The best for me on the golf course is to chill out and have some fun » Singh Brar said.
Bernard Neumayer (Aut) finished in 2nd place overall (-10) and turned in the best card of the day (-6). « I had a great day, no bogeys, it was a fantastic day for me. At the beginning, I played solid golf, missed no greens really, with just a few more putts in, I could have gotten a better result » Neumayer said.
Italy’s Federico Zucchetti, who became leader at some point during the day, finished the tournament in 3rd place (-9). « I am a little bit disappointed, I was playing really well the whole round until I made silly mistakes on holes 14 (bogey) and 15 (double bogey) » Zucchetti said. « I’m usually a very good putter and struggling with my long game so that was a little bit surprising this week to hit many greens but I missed too many putts. I’m happy with my long game but I’m sure that my short game will come around pretty quickly, I’m positive moving forward » he said.
« The 2 tournaments in Egypt were very well run » Zucchetti added « The resort is amazing. It was nice to get the season started in a warm place with good weather and I’m sure all the players enjoyed playing these two courses ».
« The people here are so friendly, we feel welcome » Neumayer said. « The courses and the weather are always good, I like to play here, it is my second year and the second time I finish in second place, I just love it to play here ».
Weather was overcast for most of the day. Temperatures were in the mid 20s degrees Celsius.
Jack Singh Brar is the new leader of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking.
Players of the Alps Tour will now head back to Europe for the Golf Nazionale Open in Rome on February 28th.
20th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Jack Singh Brar took the lead of the Red Sea Little Venice Open
With the best score of the day, 65 (-7), England’s Jack Singh Brar took the lead of the Red Sea Little Venice Open at Sokhna Golf Club (Egypt) to enter the final round of the tournament on Wednesday, 10 under the par.
Singh Brar is 4 shots ahead of a group of 3 players : Piers Berrington (Eng), Benjamin Wheeler (Eng) and Paul Elissalde (Fra).
« Obviously the start was pretty good again, I started off with 4 birdies in a row » Singh Brar said. « And then I made a couple of mistakes in the back and then obviously, the hole-in-one at the top of the back 9 » he added. « I’m 4 ahead but I’m still going to have to play some good golf because some of these boys are going to go for it I think. A lot can happen tomorrow, I just need to keep my head and hopefully, I will come up on top ».
Today was a record day at the Sokhna Golf Club. Three players shot each a hole-in-one : Jack Singh Brar, Adrien Pinguet and Ben Wheeler.
« I made a hole-in-one on the 9th hole » Ben Wheeler said. « I was pretty annoyed after the 8th hole, I did not birdie an easy par 5 so I was quite angry going on to the tee. It was a 190 yards in length which normally would be a 6 iron for me. But I was feeling a bit angry so I just thought I’d just smash a 7. So I smashed a 7 and it went in ! » Wheeler said. « We did not see it going in, we thought ‘oh that looks pretty good’ and we got down there and it was in the hole, it was very nice» he concluded.
Weather conditions were very good all day with warm temperatures and no wind.
A young talented Egyptian amateur from Alexandria Sporting Club, Issa Abou El Ela, made the cut (+1) and will tee off tomorrow for the final round of the tournament with 43 other players.
19th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Moreau and Dobias lead the pack in Red Sea Little Venice Open
Round 1 of the Red Sea Little Venice Open at Sokhna Golf Club, saw two players ending their day at -5, Antoine Moreau (amateur, France) and Marc Dobias (Switzerland).
« I hit the ball pretty well, caught quite a few greens and made a few putts, nothing extraordinary but I had a strong day. I started from hole 11 and when I reached hole 1, I made 4 birdies in a row. I put myself in a good phase and I stayed there until the end » Antoine Moreau said. « I’m happy to be the co-leader, I don’t know how to take it for the second round, we will see how things go and I hope it will ».
Moreau, an amateur, started playing golf full time three years ago. He is the leader of a professional tournament for the first time in his career.
Marc Dobias: « It was a good day, I started pretty poorly actually with a 3 putt on the first. I stayed calm and made a few ups and downs and then I made 4 birdies in a row on the front 9 and from there, I just kept going so it was good. I will try to do the same tomorrow, stick to the routine, do what I do » he added. « It was a long day, now it’s time for some stretching, eat and go to bed » he concluded.
Another amateur made headlines today. France’s Martin Farfal made a hole in one on hole 4 (par 3, 178 meters). Using a 6-iron, his ball pitched at 50 centimeters from the pin and rolled to the hole.
Weather conditions over Ain Sokhna were overcast with pretty warm temperatures.
The Red Sea Little Venice Open is the second tournament of the Alps Tour’s Winter Series at the Sokhna Golf Club, Egypt. Michele Cea (Italy) won last Thursday the Ein Bay Open 2018.
15th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
First pro victory for Italy’s Michele Cea in Sokhna
Italy’s Michele Cea won the Ein Bay Open at Sokhna Golf Club (Egypt) today with a total of -12, two shot ahead his compatriot Michele Ortolani.
It was Cea’s first professional win. Entering the final round as the leader at -10, Ireland’s David Carey shot a double bogey on hole 16th dampening his hopes of winning the tournament. Carey dropped down to 3rd place at -9. Italy’s Michele Ortolani finished in 2nd place at -10.
« I still can’t believe it » Cea said after his victory. « I feel amazing, it was a very tight match with a friend of mine (Ortolani) until the last hole. I could not get a better victory than this, I could not ask for a better finish » he continued. « The last putt was tough, I had a lot of pressure, I just kept my head down and it went in » Cea explained. « The day was quite long because I had lots of thoughts going through my mind. 18 holes are long, you don’t know what’s going to happen so I just focused on what I had to do hole by hole and it paid off. My hands were shaking when I knew I had won the tournament. I just let go all the stress of the day, it was an amazing feeling » he concluded.
« It’s a very disappointing being 12 under through the 8th hole and then dropping all the way back. But overall, there is a lot of positives from the week and I will take those positives and continue to play well again next week » Carey said.
David Carey shot the most birdies on this tournament at 17 birdies. Cea had 16 birdies.
Best card of the day was Spain’s Ivan Cantero Gutierrez who shot -6 under par, finishing in 4th position at -8.
Michele Cea is the leader of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking.
Weather was overcast for most of the day over Ain Sokhna. Temperatures were in the 20s degrees Celsius.
Alps Tour Players will now take a little break before tackling the second tournament of the Winter Series, the Red Sea Little Venice Open at Sokhna Golf Club starting on Monday.
Many thanks to the Sokhna Golf Club , Hassan Allam Properties, Ein Bay and Jaz Little Venice for their support in these Winter Series.
14th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Ireland’s David Carey Sole Leader
Ireland’s David CAREY took the lead of the Ein Bay Open at the Sokhna Golf Club (Egypt) to enter the final round of the tournament on Thursday at -10.
Carey is closely followed by Alavaro Arizabaleta (Col, -9) and Michele Cea (Ita, -8) in the Alps Tour’s first tournament of the 2018 season.
« I did not start as well as I wished to, I made a sloppy bogey on my first hole, I made 4 birdies in 5 holes, around the turn and that kind of got me back on track and then I played very nicely the whole way in » Carey said. « Tomorrow, I just need to go out and play the way I’ve been playing. I actually haven’t really held any putts, hopefully a few more putts go in, I will keep playing the way I’ve been playing and it should be a good day » he added.
Best performer of the day was Ireland’s Conor O’Rourke who shot 7 under par. He enters the final day of the tournament in 6th place at -6.
« I played nicely, I just had to stay really patient. Because the last few days I felt I played quite well but it did not really come through » O’Rourke said. « I expect David (Carey) to play quite well tomorrow so anybody behind is going to have to make a lot of birdies and not many mistakes » he added.
The 26-year-old native of Naas turned in today his best card since turning pro last year.
« It’s a great privilege to access the Alps Tour here in Egypt where I’m from, it gives me maybe some kind of advantage over so many good golfers of the Alps Tour so it’s an enjoyable experience for myself. It’s definitely a very unique experience, mixing up all the rising golf star » said Abdelmonem El Shafei, one of the two Egyptian players invited along with Maged Abdel Tawab.
Weather conditions were particularly good for most of the day despite winds picking up in the afternoon. Temperatures were in the 20s degrees celcius.
The Top 40 players and ties who made the cut today (+1) will tee off tomorrow morning for the final day of the Ein Bay Open.
13th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
2018 Alps Tour season is well underway in Sokhna, Egypt
Round 1 of the Ein Bay Open ended on a 3-way tie at -6 today at Sokhna Golf Club, Egypt.
Michele ORTOLANI (ITA), Filippo BERGAMASCHI (ITA) and David CAREY (IRL) led a pack of 102 rising golf stars to finish the day at -6 under par.
Overnight heavy rain showers did not prevent players from hitting the first strokes of the 2018 season. Weather conditions were particularly good throughout the day despite wind picking up in the afternoon. Temperatures reached 20 degrees Celsius.
« It was a nice day today. I was 2 over after 3 holes, I needed to get rid of the winter dust » co-leader Michele ORTOLANI said at the clubhouse. « I was a little under pressure but I managed to fix up my game. Fortunately, my putting was very strong during the day I had a few key puts. I was lucky to have a great shot on the 10th which gave me 2 under. It was great boost. I’m very happy with the round I had today » he added.
« We’re glad to host the Alps Tour for the 6th year in a row » Ali Mohamed Ali, Golf Director at the Sokhna Golf Club said earlier. « This is the best place for Alps Tour players to play right now » he concluded.
The Ein Bay Open continues tomorrow with round 2. First tee time at 7.15 am (all leaders in the morning).
8th February 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Next week: Ein Bay Open at Sokhna GC
Rising golf stars of the Alps Tour will travel next week to Egypt for the first event of the 2018 season.
France’s Julien Brun returns to the Ein Bay Open at Sokhna Golf Club, near Suez and by the Red Sea, to defend his title.
Five tournament winners of the 2017 Alps Tour season as well as the 2015 Ein Bay Open champion, Frenchman Thomas Elissalde, will also take part in the 3-day competition starting February 13th. South Africa’s Albert Venter, winner of Qualifying School in Spain last December, as well as two Egyptian amateurs will make their debuts at the Ein Bay Open.
The € 40,000 prize money tournament is played over 54 holes of traditional stroke. Following a cut after 36 holes, the top 40 and ties will qualify for the final title day of the tournament. The top 4 finishers will obtain points for World Ranking.
The Sokhna Golf Club is located in Ain Sokhna on the border of the Red Sea. It features a 27 holes Championship Golf Course designed by renowned gold course designers John Sanford and Tim Lobb. The resort is a joint venture between two of Ain Sokhna’s leading golf resorts the Little Venice Golf Resort, part of Hassan Allam Properties (HAP) portfolio and El Ein Bay, owned by Galalah Touristic Investments Company. These two well-known developments have joined forces to create a fantastic new golfing haven in Ain Sokhna.
