Antonio Hortal Leads after the Opening Round at the Alps de Las Castillas.
Albacete, July 9th, 2025- After the opening round of the 2025 Alps de Las Castillas, Spain’s Antonio Hortal leads the field with a superb 7-under-par 65. Italy’s Filippo Bergamaschi sits one shot back in solo second after posting a 6-under-par 66. Tied for third place at 5-under-par 67 are Spain’s Mario Galiano Aguilar and Marc Sabria, alongside Italy’s Mattia Comotti.
The first round of the 13th event of the season commenced this morning at Club de Golf Las Pinaillas in Spain. This is the second time the tournament has visited this specific province, following its previous edition in 2021. Competitors faced sunny skies and warm temperatures as the tournament officially got underway, setting the stage for an exciting tournament.
Round 1 Player Quotes
Spain’s Antonio Hortal, 36, holds the outright lead after the opening round of the 2025 Alps de Las Castillas, carding a bogey-free 7 under-par, 65. Hortal began his round on the 10th hole and quickly found his rhythm with birdies at the 11th and 14th holes. After making the turn to the front nine, he built strong momentum, adding a birdie on the 1st hole, an eagle on the par-5 4th, and another birdie on the 5th hole. He capped off his impressive round with a final birdie on the 9th hole to finish atop the leaderboard. “Today was a perfect day tee to green and some chip-ins helped me too,” Hortal said. “Maybe my putting wasn’t excellent, but it was good enough for a good round. My driving was probably the best part of the day; I was very solid and happy about it.” He highlighted a key moment at the 6th hole, saying, “The par on hole 6 was the highlight of my round as it came at a good time and allowed me to keep my momentum going.” With high temperatures throughout the day, Hortal also noted the physical demands of the round: “Today, it was sunny, windy, and very hot here. Maintaining my body temperature was a challenge, but it was very important for me to be able to do it as it allowed me to perform at my best.” Looking ahead, he remains focused: “Tomorrow is another day, and to have a good tournament, you need to play three good rounds of golf. I’m obviously far from the cut line, so it’s an advantage heading into tomorrow, where I’m able to compete without worrying about the rest. I will continue with the same strategy as I had today, the same club selections from the tees, and hopefully put together two more good days of golf.”
Filippo Bergamaschi, 33, from Italy, whose best finish so far this season is a runner-up at the 2025 La Cigale Golf Open in Tunisia, is in second place after the first round of the tournament. He has recorded several top-5 finishes and currently sits 16th in the Order of Merit rankings. Bergamaschi opened with a bogey-free 6 under-par, 66 to firmly place himself in contention, carding birdies on holes 2, 7, 9, 10, 12, and 14. “It was a really good round, overall, quite solid, and it’s always a nice feeling to go end the day with a bogey-free score,” he said. Despite the strong performance, he admitted that his driving was the biggest challenge.“The main struggle today was my driving. I hit a lot of shots from the rough, but I managed to keep it in play.” He relied on sharp iron play and steady putting to keep the round on track. “My irons were really solid today. I gave myself a few chances and was able to convert a few of them, on top of my putting being pretty sharp as well.” The standout moment came at the par-3, 7th, where he hit a controlled punch shot into the wind with a 7-iron to just four feet. Looking ahead, Bergamaschi remains focused. “It’s important to stay close to the top of the leaderboard, but 54 holes is a lot of golf to be played, and this is just the first part of it,” he said. “I’ll be trying to do the same things tomorrow, focus on the strategy, and hoping to be in a better position off the tees to make my life easier.”
In a three-way tie for third place after the first round, each with a 5-under-par 67, are Spain’s Mario Galiano Aguilar andMarc Sabria, along with Italy’s Mattia Comotti. Both Galiano Aguilar and Comotti carded bogey-free rounds, while Sabria’s score included five birdies, one eagle, and two bogeys. All three players credited their strong performances to solid driving and precise tee shot placement, combined with solid putting, which allowed them to sink several clutch putts.
Players at this week’s event are competing not only for the tournament title, but also for valuable points in the season-long Order of Merit standings. The top five players at the conclusion of the 2025 Alps Tour season will earn one of the coveted cards granting access to the 2026 HotelPlanner Tour. In addition, the top six players, including amateurs, from the Alps Tour Order of Merit standings after the 2025 Biarritz Cup by C&S Partners, up to 10, not otherwise exempt, will get an exemption for the Stage 1 of the 2025 DP World Tour Qualifying School.
Round 2
The second round of the tournament will commence tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. local time, with groups teeing off from both the 1st and 10th holes.
Once Round 2 is completed, a cut will be made to the top 40 professional players and ties, plus any amateurs who fall within the cut line. In case of a tie after 54 holes, a sudden-death play-off will determine the winner.
The players are competing for a prize fund of €42,500 and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The 2025 Alps de las Castillas winner will walk away with €6,200.00 and 6,525 Order of Merit points.
Tournament Promoter
The 2025 Alps de las Castillas is promoted and organized by JGolf.
The tournament can count on the support of: the Real Federación Española de Golf, Federación Castilla La Mancha, Federacion Castilla y León, Loterías, Club de Golf Las Pinaillas, Albacete Townhall, Albacete Council, Kyocera, Mahou Solan de Cabras, Turismo Costa del Sol, Bodegas Juan Gil, Automahor, Panaderías Alejo, Api Mancha, Arte Nikel, JBK, and Miguelitos Ruiz.
Alps Tour Media Contact- Alice Barbieri: [email protected]
For further information, please visit the official Alps Tour website at www.alpstourgolf.com or download the official Alps Tour Golf mobile application, available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). Stay updated by following the Alps Tour on social media via Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
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