9th October 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Jacopo Vecchi Fossa Wins Golf Nazionale Alps Open
October 9th, 2021, Rome – The Italian player Jacopo Vecchi Fossa held off the other contenders to win the Golf Nazionale Alps Open by one stroke on -9 (207). A repeat performance of last year when he also won here at the Golf Nazionale course and his second win this season after the Abruzzo Alps Open in April.
His result not only puts him at the top of the Order of Merit heading into the Grand Final next week but makes him this year’s winner. The second and third place players, Ryan Lumsden and Angel Hidalgo Portillo will not play the Grand Final and no other player can overtake him even if they win next week in Modena. Thus, Jacopo Vecchi Fossa is guaranteed one of the five full category places on the Challenge Tour next year. Bravo!
It was an exciting final round today as Jacopo Vecchi Fossa teeing off from the 1st, four strokes behind the leader, Mathias Eggenberger, carded four birdies and zero bogeys to be sitting -8 at the turn. In the flight behind him, Eggenberger was on -9.
The Italian continued to play solidly until the 13th when a bogey put him back a stroke to -7, rapidly recovered by birdie on the 14th to sit -8 with four holes to go. At the rear of him, Eggenberger double bogeyed the 14th to see a reversal of roles with the Swiss player now lagging behind the leader by a stroke.
A masterful birdie on the 18th saw Jacopo Vecchi Fossa enter the clubhouse with a two-stroke lead which could only be threatened by an eagle from Eggenberger on the last hole. Birdie it was and victory for Jacopo Vecchi Fossa:
“I started the round very well with a birdie and then I said to myself, “Don’t look at the leader board until the 15th hole”, just to concentrate on my round and stay focussed. Then I had a look at the leader board and saw I was leading by one. I played some good shots after that and then a birdie on the 18th to win. It’s not always easy being the defending champion but I’m very happy that next week we will play on my home course so I can celebrate with all the members and people I know there”.
Runner-up was Mathias Eggenberger on -8 (208) and in third place was one of his playing partners today, Alessandro Tadini from Italy on -6 (210). The highest ranked amateur for the tournament, Julien Sale from France came in on -4 (212). He scored par today as did David Carey from Ireland to share joint fourth position.
There was some other movement on the OofM after today’s results besides Jacopo Vecchi Fossa taking the top position and winning for 2021 . Mathias Eggenberger’s second place saw him jump twenty places to number 14, and David Carey moves up six to number 15 whilst Paul Elissalde’s joint seventh place pushes him up two slots to number 4.
It is going to make for an exciting Emilia Romagna Alps Tour Grand Final at the Modena Golf & Country Club next week from 14th-16th October especially as the points distributed are 30% higher than in the other competitions which can have a major impact on the OofM positions and the remaining Challenge Tour cards at stake.
Results Final Round: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
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8th October 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Eggenberger Edges Ahead Day 2
October 8th, 2021, Rome – After sharing the lead yesterday, Mathias Eggenberger moved ahead of the rest of the field by four shots with a -8 (136) to top the leader board at the Golf Nazionale Alps Open.
Teeing off from the 10th this morning the Swiss player opened with a birdie followed by four pars in a row, and finished birdie, bogey, par. An error-free incoming nine and three more birdies saw him card a 68 (-4), as the day before:
“My game was solid again today, like yesterday. I just kept it in play. It was quite windy out there, so I just gave myself enough chances and holed a few putts, so it was good. The wind makes the tough holes on the course easier, like holes 4 and 5, because you’re playing downwind. But wind always makes a course more difficult. For tomorrow, I’ll just go out there and play my best and see where we end up. One day after another”.
A pack of five players on -4 (140) are chasing the leader including two of yesterday’s co-leaders, the Irishman, David Carey and Nicola Maestroni from Italy. Carey had a fairly nightmarish front nine with five bogeys which he countered to some extent with three birdies but settled down for a bogey-free back nine and two more birdies to finish par for the day. Maestroni’s two opening birdies were cancelled out by two bogeys going out, leaving him at par for the front nine and ditto on the back nine to leave him also at par for the day.
Two other Italians are in the -4 posse, Alessandro Tadini who played one under today and Jacopo Vecchi Fossa, number three on the Order of Merit, who carded a three under. The final member is the top amateur of the day, Julien Sale from France. He had a great front nine with four birdies and just one bogey. Two additional bogeys on the back nine looked like putting a dampener on his score, but he finished with panache, holing an eagle.
His compatriot and fellow-amateur, Paul Margolis, one of yesterday’s leaders, played to par going out with two bogeys and two birdies. An opening birdie looked promising followed by straight pars, but a double bogey on the 6th left him at one over for the day on -3 (141). He is joined by Carlo Casalegno from Italy who carded a one under for the round.
The cut came at +5 (149) leaving a total of 46 pros and 8 amateurs teeing off for the final round tomorrow. Play begins at 8:00 am from tees 1 and 10.
The temperature continues to rise tomorrow, and the wind should drop but strong gusts can still be expected.
Results Round 2: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
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7th October 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Four Way Tie End of Day One at the Golf Nazionale Alps Open
October 7th, 2021, Rome – Three professionals and one amateur are tied at -4 (68) in the Golf Nazionale Alps Open after Round 1: David Carey from Ireland, Mathias Eggenberger from Switzerland, Nicola Maestroni from Italy and Paul Margolis from France.
The weather forecast was accurate making conditions tough with strong winds and showers proving a real test for the players.
First into the clubhouse was the French amateur, Paul Margolis, starting from tee 1, he shot three birdies and two bogeys out but had a bogey-free inward nine with three more birdies:
“I played really good golf. It was very windy plus we had some rain, so I knew it would be tough, but I stuck to my plan all day. It’s a great course in great shape, I really like it so let’s just see what happens in the next two days.”.
When asked about his future plans for becoming professional his plans were clear: “I’ve got one more year as an amateur as I want to play the World Cup as an amateur next year, so I’ll be turning pro in August 2022.”.
Next in was the experienced Italian player, Nicola Maestroni. Starting from the 10th he carded a birdie and a bogey going out and came in with four birdies:
“The course was very tough this morning with wind, a bit of rain, cold. So, you had to really stay focussed to have a good score but eventually I did it so I’m happy. I drove well, I had good chances on the green and hopefully I’ll do the same thing tomorrow. On a course like this you have to be patient, have a good strategy, not be bold and stay low, like on a links course. That’s the key in the end”.
Also playing off the 10th, David Carey, winner of the 2019 Cervino Open, had a run of eight pars and a birdie and came in with four more birdies and a sole bogey:
“It was a difficult day, really windy and a bit wet as well. I hit it really well tee to green, so I’m happy today. I have good memories of this course as the last time I played it was in 2019 and I did a 7 under, so, yes, good memories”.
Departing at the same time but off the 1st, Mathias Eggenberger had a blip-free front nine with two birdies and came home with three more birdies and just the one bogey.
“I played really solid today. It was quite windy, so it wasn’t always too easy. I was solid off the tee, hit a lot of greens and holed a few putts, so that all helped today. I didn’t make many mistakes, so it was a solid round”.
The field behind is tight with ten players under par with just behind the leaders Alessandro Tadini and Jack Floydd on -3 (69) and including Gregorio De Leo on -2 (70), Paul Elissalde and Jacopo Vecchi Fossa on -1 (71) and seven more at par, including Stefano Mazzoli.
Weather conditions will continue to be challenging tomorrow with strong winds forecast again but no rain and higher temperatures. Play begins at 7:40 am from tees 1 and 10.
Results Round 1: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
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4th October 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Golf Nazionale Alps Open Last Tournament before the Grand Final
October 4th, 2021, Rome – The penultimate tournament of the 2021 Alps Tour season tees of this Thursday at the Golf Nazionale outside Rome. This round will determine the top fifty pros on the Order of Merit and leading amateurs in the top fifty who will qualify for the Grand Final in Modena next week.
Points are precious at this stage of the season with several players vying for one of the coveted three places on the Challenge Tour for the top ones on the OofM after the Grand Final.
Eight of this year’s ten winners are present this week. The French victors: Franck Medale, the amateur, Paul Margolis, Paul Elissalde and Edgar Catherine sitting four through seven on the OofM alongwith Xavier Poncelet at nineteen. The Italians: Luca Ciancetti and Stefano Mazzoli in twelfth and eighth position and their compatriot Jacopo Vecchi Fossa who is currently third on the OofM and winner of last year’s Golf Nazionale Open.
The OofM leader, Ryan Lumsden from Scotland and the number two Angel Hidalgo Portillo from Spain are absent. The Spanish player, flush from his September victory on the Challenge Tour is continuing on their circuit this season whilst Lumsden is currently in the USA for Stage 2 of the Korn Ferry QSchool, the developmental tour for the US PGA.
Of the 15 nationalities making up the 120 strong field, the Italian contingent is the largest with 51 players. Among them Edoardo Lipparelli, previous Alps Tour OofM winner in 2019 and Federico Maccario who won the Grand Finale on this very course the same year.
The George and Jim Fazio and David Mezzacane designed course is hosting the tournament for the third year. Considered by many to be one of the toughest and most challenging golf courses in Italy, the Golf Nazionale is also recognized as one of the best courses in continental Europe.
The players will certainly have their work cut out for them as the weather forecast predicts strong, northerly wind gusts on Thursday and Friday up to 55 km/h plus the possibility of showers. Temperatures will be cool in the morning, but things should warm up during the course of the day to around 20°C.
Entries: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
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