France's leadership on both courses

France’s Dominique Nouailhac (picture) and Anthony Pailler lead after first round of Alps Tour Stage 1. This first day proved that some kind of pressure is in the air. On both courses, only 4 players succeeded in signing for an under par score.

Anthony Pailler, nearly 27 year old, turned pro in 2009. He scored 70, minus today on the 6168 meters par 72 of Punta Ala Golf Club. Pailler’s card is very colourful. No less than 7 birdies today among some mistakes as well.

On the other course, experience has done the job. It is not surprising seeing Nouailhac, 41 year old, on the top of the leaderboard. Parisian was a full member of Challenge for more than 10 years. He won on this circuit in 2001 and had 3 wins in 2008 on the Alps Tour. Nouailhac had decided to stop playing in 2005 but after some years away from big tournaments, he changed his mind just a few months ago, the love of the game was too strong and he decided to play golf full time again. He fired 67, -4 today, without any drop shot and took a 2 stroke lead over Scotland’s Zack Saltman.

Numbers of qualifiers in Toscana GC will be 48 and in Punta Ala GC, 45.

Agathe Séron