23rd October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Israel Masters 2015 – Day 1
Highlights of the first round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters, the Alps Tour Grand Final, at Caesarea Golf Club. Four players tie the lead at -5 under par: Italy’s Leonardo Motta, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga, France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Xavier Poncelet.
| Alps Tour Golf
Four way tie in Israel
Leonardo Motta during first round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters (c) Tristan Jones
A group of 4 players shot -5 on great Caesarea Golf Course. France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Xavier Poncelet, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga and Italy’s Leonardo Motta took lead after first round of inaugural Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters.
It was a pretty hot and wet day on the banks of the Mediterranean sea. The golf course build in the early 60’s and redesigned by Pete Dye in 2006 keeps its promises, to be a very interesting challenge for the best Alps Tour players, the top 50 of the ranking.
The first of this young talent to shot the leading score was France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin, Alps tour winner in 2014.
“I really played well on pars 5. I shot -5 on them. I have been playing well for weeks now and I will try just to stick to my game plan. I did not manage to win the previous tournament because I was thinking too much about the result. So I really have to focus to stay in present.”
Another winner of last weason had a very good day, the Spaniard Larranaga. He admitted his friend and playing pro Jesus Legarrea helped him in a crucial part of his game.
“My putting was not very good but yesterday, Jesus Legarrea, my friend, gave me some tips and I had 25 putts. It is a very good golf course, probably the best of the year, long with small greens. You have to be smart and have a good strategy and I like that very much. It is good for my game because you have to hit the drive to take fairways. My game was in good shape when I arrive here but today, my putting was excellent.
Playing in an alliance format is new to me but it is good. It is more funny and more relaxing and my partner is a very nice guy.”
Even in case of a win, the third co-leader Poncelet won’t enter the top 5 to play Challenge Tour next season but his targets are bigger. The player from Bordeaux who already played on Challenge Tour, is aiming a great result in the European Tour Q School.
“The course is amazing, a true test of golf. I did not hit very my drive the past days so I decided not to use it. It was a bit long with my 3 wood. My goal is to be in the top 30. The course is prefect as well to work and prepare the Q School stage 2.”
The last leading player did not win any trophy on Alps Tour but his goal are very clear – I want to win – said the Italian player after his brilliant opening round.
“I am really happy about my game today. This course is marvellous. Obviously I find it nicer of how it is probably but no, it is definitely a great course. It gives you birdies if you play well, it is very competitive so it is very pleasant.
This event with not cut probably helps you to clear your mind. You are right, I had so many cuts missed on Challenge Tour by one or 2 shots. Your mind focuses on wrong things where there is a threat.
Reference to the format, I am not really a pro am player, I prefer to play by my own but I had the chance to play with a great amateur today, a nice guy, we were really relax on the course, it helps.”
Last but not least a battle is taking place inside the tournament. Dutch Darius Van Driel is the Alps Tour current leader and if he keeps this leadership on Sunday evening, he will use for the first time the exemption of Alps Tour winner not otherwise in the Stage 2 field. His closest competitor is England’s Josh Loughrey 3200 points behind.
16th October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Great Gressier in Italy
Julien Gressier of France Credit: Tristan Jones
France’s Julien Gressier surged one clear in 2015 Abruzzi Open AXA. He fired 66, -5 to lead over fellow Jean-Pierre Verselin and Italy’s amateur Rafaelle Benatti.
Gressier, 28, took advantage of better conditions in the morning as the wind really picked up in the afternoon.
“I am very happy with my game. My driving was very accurate but most of all, I putted very well compare to last week and it makes a big difference. The course is quite easy, open so even if you miss your shots, there are no real danger. But it wa very windy today, so if you had to hole putts to sign for a decent score. I will keep on being aggressive tomorrow. The only holes you have to be cautious are par 3s.”
Verselin has been in good form for a couple of weeks now and he confirmed once again he is a true challenger for a second win on Alps Tour. This week is the last one for players to qualify for Grand Final in Israël next week. Top 50 of the ranking will have the privilege to enter the last event of the season.
The projected cut is +1 after 18 holes.
8th October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Hall, Lopez-Lazaro and Verselin set the pace
French duet, Jean-Pierre Verselin and Johan Lopez-Lazaro joined early leader, England’s Jean-Michel Hall with -4 total in 2015 Alps de Extremadura.
Perfect condition today but a true test of golf with almost 6500 meters for the Talayuela golf course. Jean-Michel Hall was the first to tame the long course thanks to an ace on the 8th.
“I was in between 7/8 but I went with a smooth 7, I hit a very good shot, starting the ball a few yards right of the pin, and I actually said ‘be the right distance’ and luckily it was! We heard it hit the flag and everyone behind the pin cheered but because we couldn’t see, I wasn’t sure if the ball had gone in! But when we got down there, we saw it had, so I could celebrate a bit. Luckily not many people wanted a drink in the end so the bar bill wasn’t too high haha!!”
The 27 year old player scored 3 birdies and one bogey beside his hole in one.
“I played very steadily, I hit a lot of quality shots and although I probably left 2 or 3 more birdies out there, I made some good saves too, so -4 is a fair reflection of how I played. The greens were very good for us in the morning, so you knew when a putt was going in. It was a fun morning .”
A butch of 5 players are one shot back including, France’s Damien Perrier, best player this season without a win. Alps Tour leader, Dutch Darius Van Driel, is 2 shots back of the lead alongside 9 other players.
25th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Verselin fired 64 in Marcilly
Jean Pierre Verselin of France Credit: Tristan Jones
Jean-Pierre Verselin of France took a narrow advantage of one shot over fellow countryman Damien Perrier with first round 64, -7 in Open Marcilly. Italy’s Andrea Maestroni, who won the trophy in 2004, is two shots back of the lead alongside compatriot Joon Kim and Darius Van Driel of Netherlands.
Verselin, 25, holed 9 birdies and dropped 2 shots to sign for the best score of the day. The young player, Alps Tour winner in 2014, is struggling with his game this season and needs some good results to keep his card next year.
On his toes, Damien Perrier, one of the most consistent player this season. He recorded a flawless 65 and once again is on top of the leaderboard. He was playing in the last group last Sunday and his game is still sharp.
Another man is chasing his first win of the season and his maiden one as a pro, Darius Van Driel. Van Driel had a fourth runner place last week and keeps on riding on the momentum.
The projected cut is -1.
25th June 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Larranaga surged clear in France
Eduardo Larranaga (c) Tristan Jones
Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga really enjoyed to play on La grange aux Ormes golf course, he fired 64, -7. Slovenia’s Tim Gornik and Defending Champion France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin are one shot back.
Great weather and good playing conditions for the first round of Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or. Many players managed to beat the par and a huge amount of birdies were holed from 10th to 12th as pars 5 are reachable in two and 11th green can be driven in one.
Larranaga won his first title on the Alps Tour last October in France when he grabbed the Masters 13 trophy. Verselin won his maiden victory on home soil last year with -9 total on the same course as this week but with different conditions of play. And last but not least, Tim Gornik won the Alps Tour Q School Final and had so far a pretty decent season.
Top 5 players of the Alps Tour are very close from each other in the ranking and every single point counts. Alps Tour leader, England’s Josh Loughrey had a tough day and signed for 76. Second at the ranking, France’s Léo Lespinasse scored 68 and fellow countryman Patthieu Pavon, third at the ranking, less than 300 € from the pole position, shot 67.
The projected cut is -1 after 18 holes including two amateurs, Jules Coupade and Victor Veyret.
2nd April 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Verselin stormed clear
France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin (c) Agathe Séron
France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin took advantage of great playing condition to post 64 and leads the opening round of Alps de Las Castillas by 2 shots.
After winter series in Egypt in February, Alps Tour is back on Europe soil and Spain welcomes the first regular event of the 2015 season. The Valdeluz golf club is 45 minutes north east from Madrid. Players showed their good form today as no less than 75 out of 123 shot under par. The 5700 meter course troubled in defending itself against young guns from all over Europe.
Verselin was the sharpest with 8 birdies posted during the morning session including five in the row from the 11th. The 2015 Open de la Mirabelle d’Or winner placed the line quite high and no one was able to catch him.
A group of four players from Spain will challenge the French leader tomorrow as they are only 2 shots back. Javier Ballesteros, Seve’s son shot 5 under with a pack of 6 players including former Challenge Tour members Baptiste Chapellan and Jesus Legarrea.
