12th November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – Final Stage – Martin Couvra Wins in Rome
November 11th, Rome, 2021 – The French amateur, Martin Couvra, maintained his lead from yesterday to claim victory at the Golf Nazionale in the 2021 Alps Tour Qualifying School with a -10 (206) and gain his full category card for the 2022 season.
He started with a birdie on the 1st, faltered on the 4th with a double bogey but came back with three birdies in a row. Two bogeys on the 8th and 9th saw him turning for home at par 36. Two birdies and pars up to the 17th and another bogey on the 18th gave him a 35 (-1) and an overall 71 (-1) for the day.
« Honestly, it’s amazing. I haven’t won any tournaments this year except with my club team which was huge but here it’s as an individual which is different. It’s my first victory this year and at this tournament and on these two courses; I’m just really pleased. I played well over the last three days. I’ve played two other pro events previously in France where I also played well but made a lot of mistakes. Then this week it was really a lot better in terms of my game and my strategy and I made very few errors. My drives were good, but the strongest point was my irons game which allowed me to get close to the pin and then I putted well with a new putter. I’d like to thank all my entourage who have helped me to get where I am to have this victory.”
And his long-term plans? “I plan to stay an amateur and play a full season of all the tournaments on the Alps Tour and try to finish in the top ten to then try to join the Challenge Tour. A bit like my friend Paul Margolis who was an amateur and managed to move up. I’ll just adapt my objectives depending on how the season goes.”
In joint second place on -8 (208) were two players. Couvra’s compatriot Julien Sale and Ben Schmidt from England. And another Frenchman came in fourth on -7 (209), Benjamin Kedochim.
In all, 37 players earned a full Category 6 for the Alps Tour 2022 season with 34 players on par (216) or under and three players tied at +1 (217).
The remaining 33 players of today’s final round all earned a Category 8 whilst the remaining 74 QSchool players gained a Category 9.
The QSchool draws the 2021 twentieth anniversary season to a close and the players now have the winter break to get geared up for next year. The 2022 Alps Tour season tees off with the Egyptian Series of tournaments in mid-February for more great golf from the rising stars of tomorrow.
Results Final Round: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
11th November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – Final Stage Round 2 – Martin Couvra Moves into the Lead
November 11th, Rome, 2021 – Heavy rain overnight left the courses a little water-logged this morning, so tee-off was pushed back an hour to 9:30 am. This did not rattle the French amateur player, Martin Couvra, who after finishing joint second yesterday, kept his cool to win the second round of the 2021 Alps Tour Qualifying School with a total of -9 (135) for the two rounds. Starting from the 10th he carded a 68 (-4) for the day with six birdies and two bogeys on the Terre dei Consoli Golf Club course.
“I played pretty well on the outward nine. I made some good pars and had three birdies. I had a bit of a difficult patch from the 1st to the 5th where I played well but my putting was off, and I made a mistake on the 5th which cost me a bogey. After that I started putting better and was a bit more opportunistic. I really enjoyed playing today but I love both courses, each very different styles but both great.”
As yesterday, the amateurs made a strong showing with two more, Andrea Romano from Italy and Clement Poletti from France, in a three-way tie for second position on -6 (138). Making up the trio was Lars Keunen from the Netherlands, an experienced Alps Tour player and winner of the 2020 Ein Bay Open.
All three players were out on the on the Golf Nazionale. Playing off tee number 1, first into the clubhouse was Andrea Romano who carded a 67 (-5) today with just one bogey and six birdies. « I’m really happy today because my long game was pretty solid as was my putting. I just want to stay focussed for tomorrow and win this qualification.”
Next in was Lars Keunen who signed a 68 (-4). Off the 10th, he had three birdies and a double bogey out, then two more birdies, a single bogey and an eagle to save his spot.
Clement Poletti had an error-free front nine off the 1st with three birdies to which he added two more and a bogey coming in.
Results were much more balanced on the two courses today as of the 25 players coming in under par, 14 were on the Golf Nazionale and 11 on Terre dei Consoli Golf Club
The cut came at +3 (147) meaning that 70 players move forward to the Final Round. A total of 49 pros and 21 amateurs successfully made the cut and will tee off at 8:00 am on the Golf Nazionale tees one and ten. All of them will be vying for one of the full category cards for the Alps Tour 2022 season but with only 35 available, the competition will be fierce.
Results Round 2: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
10th November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – Final Stage Round 1- Oihan Guillamoundeguy Leader
November 10th, Rome, 2021 – At the end of play today, the amateurs took the honours. Leader on -6 (66) is the French amateur, Oihan Guillamoundeguy, 16, who had six birdies and zero bogeys at the Terre dei Consoli Golf Club.
“I’m very pleased. I played really well. I didn’t do any bogeys which helped a lot. My irons’ game was great, so I managed to do a few birdies. The course was good and not as wet as the Golf Nazionale.”
Two more amateurs are among the three players in second place on -5 (67). Alongside the Italian pro, Alessandro Notaro, is Jose Manuel Pardo Benitez from Spain and Martin Couvra from France.
Notaro, like the leader, played at Terre dei Consoli Golf Club and started in style with an eagle on the 10th. Straight pars to finish the outward nine and then three birdies coming in.
“I started from hole 10 at Terre and holed the second shot for an eagle so that was a good start, then I had 3 birdies and played regular. I played very well from tee to green”.
The two other amateurs in third place were out on the Golf Nazionale where conditions were complicated by the wind. Jose Manuel Pardo Benitez had six birdies and just one bogey in his round. He intends to turn pro in January and hopes to gain a full Alps Tour card here:
“My day was perfect. I did good drives, great putts. I had seventeen greens in regulation which I think is really important here. I had the wind on the last five holes but managed to keep my concentration”.
Martin Couvra, the 18-year-old amateur from Terre Blanche Golf Club, also had six birdies and a bogey in this, his third Alps Tour tournament:
“I played pretty well all day. I was quite far from the pin but tried to stay patient and holed some good putts for birdie. It’s not an easy course and you have to put your drives on the fairway as many of them are tight and then different sized greens, so you need complete game skills. I’m happy to have done well on it today. I’ve already played two Alps Tour events by invitation in France, the Mirabelle d’Or, where I made the cut one out of two times but here it’s different as we’re playing for a whole season slot, so the pressure is higher.”
Only five players broke par at the Golf Nazionale today, and the remaining three were all French amateurs: Guillaume Chevalier -3 (69), Maxence Giboudot and Nicolas Calvet -1 (71). Whereas, over on Terre dei Consoli Golf Club, twenty players came in at one under or less.
The playing field will be levelled tomorrow as the players switch courses for the second round and windy conditions expected again on the Golf Nazionale. Both courses can expect light showers in the morning. Tee off begins at 8:00 am from the 1st and 10th at each club.
Results Round 1: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
8th November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – Final Stage for the Rising Stars of Tomorrow
November 8th, Rome, 2021 – In just under 48 hours the Final Stage of the Alps Tour 2021 Qualifying School will get under way. The 54 holes of stroke play will take place at two courses: the Italian Golf Federation owned Golf Nazionale and the neighbouring Terre dei Consoli Golf Club.
144 players from 22 different home countries are lined up to tee off on Wednesday. The excitement was palpable among the 69 qualifiers from last week’s First Stage. They will join the 75 other eligible players who automatically qualified for the Final Stage and play alternate 18 holes on each course over the first two days. After 36 holes at the end of play on Thursday, the field will be cut to the leading 65 players and those players tied on the final qualifying place score. The final round will be held at the Golf Nazionale.
The top scoring 35 players at the end of the final round will obtain a full Category 6 for the Alps Tour 2022 season.
Players making the cut of the Final Stage and finishing between the 36th and the 65th position will be eligible for membership in Category 8 of the Alps Tour for the 2022 season.
Players between the 66th and the 144th position will be eligible for membership in Category 9 of the Alps Tour for the 2022 season.
The two courses offer quite different challenges for the players. Terre dei Consoli Golf Club was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr who described his course philosophy thus: “All my courses are symphonies with dominant themes. They have crescendos and lulls. There are different rhythms, you can feel the changes.” Terre dei Consoli Golf Club open parkland layout gently follows the natural contours of the undulating terrain of the location. The perfectly integrated obstacles raise the technical level with signature hole 9, an island green par 3, an absolute delight.
The Golf Nazionale, a Jim and George Fazio design is recognized as one of the best courses in continental Europe. It follows the natural contours of the hilly terrain of the area, with some marvellous panoramas, featuring elevation changes, forced carries, deep rough, undulating greens, numerous strategically placed bunkers, and several water hazards.
Weatherwise, the first day could be a case of dejà-vu for many of the players from last week’s First Stage as strong wind gusts are forecast. Things should settle down on Thursday and Friday promises to be near perfect for golf.
Entries: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
5th November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – First Stage Round 2 Results – Donnelly, De Haas & Ferchaud Victors
November 5th, 2021 – And the winners are: Luke Donnelly from Ireland, Floris De Haas from the Netherlands and Hermes Ferchaud from France on each of the respective courses. The additional winners are the 22 other players at each venue who have qualified for the 2021 Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage next week.
At the Miglianico Golf and Country Club, yesterday’s joint leader, Luke Donnelly, maintained his dominant position, carding a -7 (133) for the two rounds. Starting from the 1st tee, he had a birdie and a bogey for par on the front nine and then four birdies and two bogeys to finish on 68 (-2) for the day.
“Two very enjoyable days. The golf course was very good. I loved it from the first day I played it on Tuesday. Course was set up brilliantly by the Alps team. Greens were fantastic. Even after all the rain today they held up lovely.”
In second place was the Belgian, Giovanni Tadiotto, on -6 (134) after today’s round of 65 (-5) and in third place was yesterday’s joint leader, Joel Ramirez Martin the amateur player from Spain, on -3 (137) with a 72 (+2).
The cut for the 23 available slots at Miglianico Golf and Country Club, came at +4 (144) and there was a seven-way play-off for the five spots remaining. The two non-qualifiers take reserve positions for the Final Stage in the event of withdrawals.
Another leader from yesterday, Floris De Haas, held good at the Golf Club Le Fonti to win with -4 (138). The Dutch player had five birdies and four bogeys for a 70 (-1) today.
“The course was very playable, and conditions were good but there was only one thing that we wanted to do which was to reach the Final Stage and go to Rome and we did that. I hope the course in Rome as good as this one as it was very enjoyable to play here at Le Fonti.”
Joint runners-up were two English players, Russell Chrystie, yesterday’s other joint leader and Adam Sagar on -2 (140). Chrystie shot a 71 (+1) today and Sagar a 68 (-3). At Golf Club Le Fonti the cut was at +8 (150).
Winner at the Acaya Golf Club was the French player Hermes Ferchaud at level par 142. One eagle, four birdies and a single birdie gave him a 66 (-5) for the round.
“It went pretty well over the two days. Overall, my game was good. I had a strong long game, and my putting was decent. But I was really helped by my best friend who came to caddy for me here and who will be with me in Rome now. He’s a great putter and was a great help with reading the lines. The first round was really difficult as, honestly, I’ve never played such a difficult course with so much wind, but I’m really happy.”
Yesterday’s joint leaders, Ben Schmidt from England and the Swedish player, Filip Lundell were just behind him on +1 (143) with the cut at +11 (154).
The players now head to Rome for the Final Stage which takes place at two adjacent course, the Golf Nazionale and Terre dei Consoli from November 10th to 12th where the ultimate battle for the precious cards for the 2022 Alps Tour season are at stake.
Results Round 2 Acaya Golf Club: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Results Round 2 Golf Club Le Fonti: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Results Round 2 Miglianico Golf and Country Club: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
4th November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – First Stage Round One Results – Joint Leaders on the Three Courses
November 4th, 2021 – At the end of day one of the First Stage of the Alps Tour Qualfiying School, there are joint leaders at each of the three venues. Wind proved to factor into the difficulties the players faced at all the courses.
First into the clubhouse were the players at the Miglianico Golf and Country Club. The twenty-three flights started at 7:30 am from the 1st and 10th tees. Sharing the lead on 65 (-5) are the Spanish amateur, Joel Ramirez Martin and Luke Donnelly from Ireland. The Spaniard started with a bogey on the first but finished the front nine on -4 (31) after four birdies and an eagle on the par five 9th. Two more bogeys to open the back nine but three birdies saw him finish -1 (34) on the 18th. Donnelly started from the 10th, two bogeys, two birdies and an eagle on the ninth hole saw him turn for home at -2 (33). An error-free inward nine with birdies on the last three holes saw him at -3 (32). In third place on 68 (-3) is Ben Davies from England.
Over at Golf Club Le Fonti the leading scores were 68 (-3) from the Dutch player, Floris De Haas and Russell Chrystie from England who played together in the same flight off the 1st. Three strokes behind them on 71 (par) is the French amateur, Gregoire Luck.
De Haas particularly enjoyed the course: “This was a very nice day; the course is absolutely great for a professional golf event. It’s tough but fair, really good greens and we had a good fight out on the course”. He carded eagle, birdie, bogey out -2 (33), two birdies and a bogey in for -1 (36).
Chrystie commented on the windy conditions: “It was my first event on the Alps Tour and so far, so good. It was a blustery round out there today, but I played some solid golf and hope I can continue”. He shot par (35) out with two birdies and two bogeys then eagle, two birdies and bogey in for a -3 (33).
Conditions at the Acaya Golf Club were extremely challenging with wind gusts up to 63km an hour which were reflected by the scores with the leaders sitting at 74 (+3). Ben Schmidt from England teed off from the 10th and had two birdies, a bogey and a double bogey for +1 (36) after nine holes. The inward nine, he started with a birdie but a bogey and double bogey saw him finish at +2 (38). Co-leader is the Swedish player, Filip Lundell:
“I had a good warm-up session on the range and got off to a good start and finished the front nine with a birdie to be two under. The final nine were more difficult, especially due to the wind and direction changes but everybody had problems today. You just had to keep your cool and stick to your decisions”.
Five birdies and three bogeys on the front nine followed by three bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine underscore his comments. The English player, Lucas Stewart, is one stroke behind the leaders on 75 (+4).
The wind will still be present tomorrow but less so than today as the players tee off for the 23 places available at each course for the QSchool Grand Final in Rome next week.
Results Round One Acaya Golf Club: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Results Round One Golf Club Le Fonti: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Results Round One Miglianico Golf and Country Club: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
2nd November 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Qualifying School 2021 – First Stage Round One at a Trio of Venues in Italy
November 2nd, 2021 – With the continuing support of the Italian Golf Federation, the First Stage of the Alps Tour Qualifying School for the 2022 season takes place this week over two days and two rounds of 18 holes at three different venues in Italy.
There is a record number of entries in this 20th anniversary year, with aspiring golfers from all over the world seeking to join the ‘Raising Stars’ Alps Tour. They will play 36 holes of stroke play to try and be among the 144 Final Stage entrants of the QSchool next week, the top 35 of whom receive a full category on the tour for 2022. However, only about a third of them on each course will make it to the Final.
In the South of Italy, 70 players are lined up to play at the Acaya Golf Club near Lecce. The course hosted the two opening tournaments of the 2021 season, the MIRA Golf Experience Acaya Open and the MIRA Live the Soul Open. The par 71, 6192 m/6772 yd open parkland layout can be challenging with its numerous bunkers, water coming into play on half the holes and an added difficulty: the wind.
Further up the coast, wind can also be a factor at the second venue where 71 players will head out on the Miglianico Golf and Country Club, regular host site of the Abruzzo Open. The par 71, 6015 m/6578 yd course has fairways that are quite narrow whilst the bunkers and water hazards are carefully distributed to make some holes tricky.
For the third venue, we move to the North of Italy and the Golf Club Le Fonti in Castel San Pietro Terme near Bologna. A welcome return to the course which last hosted the Alps Tour in 2010 for the Le Fonti Open. The 71 players on this, the longest of the three First Stage Round One courses, par 71, 6411 m/7010 yd , face multiple water hazards making many holes a real technical challenge.
The weather looks promising with pleasant temperatures in Acaya, slightly cooler in Miglianico and a possibility of showers in Castel San Pietro Terme.
The Alps Tour Qualifying School is open to male professionals belonging to a PGA or a recognised golf federation, and male amateurs with a maximum handicap of 2,0.
Entries Acaya Golf Club: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Entries Golf Club Le Fonti: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Entries Miglianico Golf and Country Club: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
