3rd May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Breathless Loughrey won in Tunisia
England’s Jos Loughrey (c) Tristan Jones
The 24 year old Josh Loughrey won his maiden tournament, the inaugural Tunisian Golf Open, thanks to brilliant 66 last round for -16 total. France’s Léo Lespinasse fired amazing flawless 64 to climb on second place tie with England’s Liam Harper.
Loughrey admitted yesterday that he was very nervous to lead and that he could feel all the pressure on his shoulders. He was happy that 2 other players tied leading position with him. He was playing in the second last group and that was the winning one. He confessed to his friend Jean-Michel Hall on the 16th that I was looking forward for the day to finish.
“I happy it is finished. I played really, really well to start with, but it was a shaky start. I didn’t actually played well on the range when I was warming up. I was hitting a little left. I hit on the left for first, made scrappy par but I knocked id really close on second, tapped in. An then my putter just seemed to get on fire. I one putted for six greens straight, some for par, I did miss a small one on sixth but then I birdied from eighth to the eleventh, so four on the bounce.
Then I just pared in, coming to club house. I didn’t make a bogey so that was good. But I was so shaky on the last green. I kept leaving myself less than a meter so I am just glad it is over.
I have been in part on the England squad and the psychologist said “What is your goal ?” and I said, “To win a 4 day tournament” which I never achieved than as amateur. And on my first 4 days professional event, as big as it is here… I am so happy.”
His playing partner played solid but his putting was not as good as expected. He managed to hole a really nice one, 6 meters, on the last green to earn a precious place and share second position with France’s Léo Lespinasse who signed for the best score of the day. Sylvain Debiais was on his bag and the two young men enjoyed birdie after birdie.
“Life is nice after a 64. First of all, it was really nice to have a friend caddying me and to have a good playing partner. It was very stimulating as we were both playing well, so it was kind of a match.”
Lespinasse said yesterday that he had the feeling someone could come from behind with low score.
“I did not want to be vain but I felt I was playing really well, my long game was great but that my putting was not that efficient. I knew I could do way better. I was doing this forecast for me and most of all to bother my friends. I had in mind to shoot low.”
Italy’s Gregory Molteni made the shot of the day acing the par 3 8th, a 5 iron shot for 191 meters and won a wonderful car, a Jaguar XF.
“This is my 7th hole in once in my life and the 4th in a Alps Tour event. I already won a motorcycle on CHallenge Tour as well, I should play for the hole in one!”
Loughrey is now leading the Alps Tour ranking, Lespinasse is at second place, fellow countryman Matt Pavon is third, Liam Harper 4th and Damien Perrier 5th.
From El Kantaoui
Agathe Séron
