15th December 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Angel Hidalgo wins Q School’s final stage
Spain’s Angel Hidalgo won today the final stage of the Alps Tour’s Q School with a total score of -14 at La Cala Resort , Spain.
Hidalgo and Andorra’s Kevin Esteve turned in the best cards of the day (-7).
Maximiliano Godoy (ARG) came in 2nd place (-9 total) while Enrico Di Nitto completed the podium (-8 total).
« I’m very happy with this win. I played very well all week » Hidalgo said.
20-year-old Angel Hidalgo made good use of his knowledge of the beautiful and hilly La Cala courses: he is from Marbella, just a few kilometers from the Q School venue, and turned pro just one month ago.
The young Spaniard started to play golf at the age of 2. At the age of 5, he started group lessons for kids in Guadalmina located half-hour by from La Cala. Hidalgo represented Spain in the Spanish Amateur team at the European and World Championships in 2018, won two Spanish Men’s Championships both Match play and Stroke play.
« In 5 days, I will be traveling to Asia to play the Asian Tour final » Hidalgo continued. « Depending on the outcome, I will play both in Asia and on the Alps Tour next season » he concluded.
Following today’s final qualifying stage, 38 players have obtained a category 6 on the Alps Tour which means they are guaranteed a spot in all the tournaments of the Alps Tour next season. 32 players are eligible for membership in category 8 of the Alps Tour and 75 others for category 9.
The 2019 season of the Alps Tour is scheduled to start in February with a series of tournaments in Egypt. The full 2019 tournament schedule is due to be released at the beginning of the year.
14th December 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Familiar face Enrico Di Nitto sole leader of Q School
Enrico Di Nitto (ITA) is the sole leader of the Q School’s Final Stage with a total of -9 after round 2 at La Cala Resort, Spain.
Di Nitto made an eagle, 6 birdies and 2 bogeys on Asia course to finish the day at -6, two strokes clear of Spaniard Angel Hidalgo – who shot a 67 (-5) on the same course today – and Argentinian Maxi Godoy, who posted a 66 (-5) on America course with 6 birdies and one single bogey.
Mathias Eggenberger (SUI) turned in the best card of the day, a 65 (-7) on Asia course, after making an eagle, 7 birdies and a bogey.
Enrico Di Nitto is a familiar face on the Alps Tour as he played on the circuit during the 2016 season. At the end of that season, the 25-year-old Italian finished in 2nd place on the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking. He played two seasons on the Challenge Tour with some mixed results. Having obtained a category 17 for next season on the Challenge Tour, Di Nitto will play on both Tours, to try to give a new boost to his career.
70 players made the cut today set at +6 and will progress to the third and final round which will be played tomorrow on Asia course. Today’s weather conditions were good.
After tomorrow’s final round set to tee off at 09h15 local time, 35 players will obtain a category 6 which means for them a guaranteed spot in all the tournaments of the Alps Tour during the 2019 season.
13th December 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Hauchard leads Q School Final Stage after round 1
With 5 birdies and a bogey on America course, Frenchman Clément Hauchard turned in the best card of the day (67, -4) today to take the lead of the Final Stage of the Alps Tour Q School at La Cala Resort, Spain. Juan Carlos Osorio (ESP), Enrico Di Nitto (ITA) and Jack Clarkson (ENG), all on America course, are one stroke behind Hauchard.
On Asia course, where the other half of the field has played the first round, three players are sharing the top spot at 70 (-2): Javier Ballesteros, 28, son of legendary Severiano; Argentinian Maxi Godoy, 30, who plans to try his career in Europe after some good experience in the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica, where he has collected 10 top ten places in 2018; and Canadian Callum Davison, who has recently decided to turn pro after a good amateur career.
At the end of the Q School’s final stage, 35 players will obtain a category 6 which means for them a guaranteed spot in all the tournaments of the Alps Tour during the 2019 season.
Weather conditions deteriorated today compared to the last few days. Rain, gusty winds and clouds prevailed in the morning before the sun came out in the afternoon with some wind still present. Temperatures reached about 15 degrees.
Round 2 will tee off tomorrow at 09h30 local time, with players swapping courses: those who played America today will play Asia tomorrow. At the end of the day, the cut will have the best 65 players and ties finish the tournament on Saturday, on Asia course, trying to get a “category 6” or “8”, while all the others will have a “category 9” for 2019.
12th December 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
16th November 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
In their own words: Adria Arnaus and Victor Perez
Adria Arnaus (ESP) and Victor Perez (FRA) both had a tremendous season ending on the Challenge Tour. The Alps Tour alumni will play on the European Tour next season. They took a few minutes to talk to us about their season and more.
You both had a great season on the Challenge Tour! Tell us about it.
Adria Arnaus: “It’s been an amazing season, I’m really happy with what we’ve been able to achieve. At the beginning of the season, my main goal was to get my European Tour card and as the season went on, I realized we could aim a little bit higher. My plan was to try to be as high as I could in the rankings. My win last week (Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final) was amazing, to be able to finish the year like that is unbelievable. I’m really happy I could move in 2nd place overall in the Challenge Tour in the rankings, that was so cool”.
Victor Perez: “My season ended very well with a victory in China (Foshan Open) and a second place in the Challenge Tour Grand Final to finish 3rd overall in the season ranking. It’s great after a first season that had already gone well. Last year, I missed the European Tour category by not much finishing in 18th position overall. I’m happy to confirm this season and move up to the ET. I’m just very happy at what is happening to me”.
How do you apprehend next season on the European Tour?
AA: ” I’m just going to try to do the same things I’ve been doing, focusing on things I can control as best as I can. My goal is to aim high again in the rankings and have my chances to win. This is all I can say at this point, I still need to seat down with my team to determine what my objectives will be next year. But I’m definitely aiming high.”
VP: ” I have to be really focused on my game. I proved with my results that my game was good, I must not try to change anything or think too much, I think that the recipe I have today works pretty well, I must try to keep the momentum going and continue on the same path.”
What can you tell us about your year on the Alps Tour ?
AA: “The Alps Tour was really a good learning experience for me. It’s on the Alps Tour I started getting into the mix with professional golfers and it was great to see I was able to compete with them even as an amateur. At the end, being able to win the Order of Merit as an amateur was so special. To play very good and to finish that way was something I could not even imagine at the beginning of the year. It was a great stepping stone for this year and being able to do what I’ve done on the Challenge Tour. It gave me a lot of confidence. At the end, for me, it’s really important to stay on the process, to stay focused on working well and giving myself time for things to come and they will come! It’s just been a process of going through Alps Tour, through the Challenge Tour and hopefully, next year, things will be very good and we will be talking about bigger things then.”
VP: “Upon my return from the US, I played the PQ1 but did not make it and therefore, I had to start at the lowest level with the first stage of the Alps Tour’s Qualifying School in Spain. I got to play on the Alps Tour and after quite a few tournaments, I had the chance to win a tournament (Alps de Las Castillas 2016) which allowed me to finish in the top 5 of the Order of Merit. It’s true that it was somehow a pivotal year for me. The Alps Tour is challenging because at the end of the season, there are only 5 players who move up and every year, there are more than 5 players who have the level to move up so you have to play your cards right. You need to have a little bit of success and, as I often say, it is important to stay focused on your game level and to try to improve your game without too much watching the scores and the results even if we’re interested in knowing what position we are in, if we are performing well, if we will move up, etc, etc … Beyond that, we must be able to focus on what we can do, on what we control, on our game level, and from there, to see where it takes us. My season of Alps Tour ended well but if I had finished one spot behind, I do not know exactly where I would be. I may had done a second year on the Alps Tour with possibly some doubts settling in.”
Do you have any advice for players who will compete on the Alps Tour next season?
AA: “I want to encourage everyone to play on the Alps Tour. It’s really great because I think if you’re able to compete on the Alps Tour, at the highest level, then you’re ready to do more. There is a good level on the Alps Tour and definitely, being able to finish consistently in the top 5 on the Alps Tour tells you that you’re ready for more. People coming into this year’s Alps Tour should see it this way. They should try to compete their best and be able to give them chances to improve and to learn because it’s a great tour. Also, you learn the basics on travelling, on sharing stuff with other people, and also, you’re supported by a great group of people in the organization. You definitely make really good memories. I do have many of them. Alps Tour is definitely something I will always remember.”
VP: “If I have any advice for a newcomer on the Alps Tour, it would be to really focus on his own game level, to really look at what he needs to perform well during the week, to work the shots that he will need during that week. It is really important to stay focused on his own performance rather than looking at last year’s score even though it may give an indication. The Alps Tour rookie must be aware of this but not be obsessed by the scores, by the results, by looking at what others are doing. The player must really focus on him, on what he knows to do and how he can improve his game because in the end, in golfing, we control really just that.”
Thank you Adria and Victor and good luck on the European Tour next season!
21st October 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Spain’s Borda wins Grand Final; Tarrio ends 2018 season in first place overall
David Borda (ESP) won today the Alps Tour Grand Final with a total score of -19. It is Borda’s second victory on the Alps Tour this season.
Hugues Jr Joannes (BEL) finished in 2nd place (-17 total) while Ivan Cantero Gutierrez (ESP) and Leo Lespinasse (FRA) tied for 3rd place with a total score of -13. Lespinasse turned in the best card of the day (64, -7) making an eagle, 6 birdies and a bogey.
« I’m feeling really really good, I could not be happier, I think it was my best week ever. I’m so happy » Borda said. « For sure, I felt the pressure, everybody was feeling the pressure this week, but I managed it and I played very very good during the last 4 days. I’m looking forward to next year on the Challenge Tour ». Last year, David Borda failed obtaining a Challenge Tour card by a few points.
Santiago Tarrio (ESP), who played this week at the European Tour’s Valderamma Masters in Spain and thus did not take part in the Grand Final, finishes the 2018 season first in the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking, with 26,702.45 points. With today’s win, David Borda moves up to second place in the Oom. Alexandre Daydou (FRA), Louis Cohen Boyer (FRA) and Marcus Mohr (ENG) complete the top 5 of the Oom and will all be playing on the Challenge Tour next season. Marcus Mohr, who had a very disappointing Grand Final finishing tied for 33rd place (+3 total), makes the top 5 by less than 700 points. « I feel very lucky to finish 5th in the Order of Merit. I did not play very well at all this week » Mohr said.
« First, I would like to congratulate my friend David Borda for his second victory of the season » Tarrio said. « I was disappointed not to be able to play the Final because it is a course that I love and I feel welcome at the Golf Des Iles Borromées » he continued. « Finishing first in the Order of Merit is very important for me because there were many very good players this year on the Alps Tour and to beat them means that I can reach the European Tour as I think they will also do » he added. « Finally, it’s great to follow the footsteps of Adriá Arnaus who won last year’s Alps Tour season ranking. This shows that I am on the right track » Tarrio said.
As an amateur, Adria Arnaus won the 2017 Grand Final and finished first in the Order of Merit. Arnaus is currently ranked 9th on the Challenge Tour and will play on the European Tour next season.
« I would like to dedicate this season to my whole team. Without them, I would not be at the top. I’d like to thank my friends and my sponsors, my whole family, Joaquín Dosil for making me improve and for supporting me from the first day in many aspects and of course, my caddie and girlfriend, Noelia Garcia. Much of the successes are because of her » Tarrio concluded.
The Alps Tour would like to thank the Golf Club Des Iles Borromées for their wonderful hospitality and all the sponsors of the tournament for their strong support.
The next Alps Tour event will be the Qualifying School at La Cala Resort in Malaga, Spain, December 9th through December 15th, 2018.
20th October 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Borda retakes the lead before decisive final round
19th October 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Joannes takes control of Grand Final
Belgium’s Hugues Jr Joannes took the lead of the Alps Tour Grand Final today with a total of -11. Joannes made 8 birdies turning in the best card of the day (63, -8).
The overnight leader David Borda (ESP) is one stroke behind (-10) while another Spaniard, Ivan Cantero Gutierrez, completes the podium (-9).
« Today was just a day where everything fell into places I guess » Joannes said. « I did not start very well, I made 4 pars to start. Then, I made birdies on holes 5, 6 and 9 so I was 3 under through hole 9. And then I made birdies on holes 10, 11, 13, 14 and on 17 where I nearly made an eagle » Joannes explained. « It was actually a really good day, I’m very pleased with it. The course is very nice, it can be tricky at times but it’s a really fun course to play. You have to hit good tee shots and obviously you have to putt well which I did today so it was a lot of fun » he continued. « We’ll see what happens in the next few days, the tournament is still long, there are still 2 more rounds to play, I’ll try to keep doing what I’m doing and if I do what I did in the last 2 days, it should be good » 29-year-old Joannes concluded.
« I did not play very well the front 9 as I made 9 pars, I missed a lot of putts » Borda said. « It was a tough day, I struggled all day. I made a good birdie on hole 11 and then I got my good game back and made 2 birdies at the end. I’m pretty happy about the result today » he explained. « I think I had a good round to head into the weekend and stay in contention » the Spaniard concluded.
The top 50 players of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking, are competing against each other through Sunday to determine the overall winner of the season. The winner of the Grand Final will get 11,000 points while the runner up will grab 7,000 points. Following this week’s Grand Final, the top 5 of the ranking will take a full category on the Challenge Tour next year.
Weather conditions were again sunny today at the Golf Club Des Iles Borromées with warm temperatures in the afternoon and practically no wind.
Tomorrow’s round 3 tee off is at 08h30 local time.
18th October 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Spain’s David Borda leads Grand Final
David Borda (ESP) turned in the best card of the day today at -7 to take leadership of the Alps Tour Grand Final at the Golf Club Des Iles Borromées in Italy.
Borda finished round 1 of the tournament with 1 eagle, 6 birdies and a bogey.
He is followed by Frenchman Victor Marchiset who finished his round one stroke behind (-6) and by a group of 3 players all at -5: Leo Lespinasse (FRA), Timon Baltl (AUT) and Tom Shadbolt (ENG).
« It was a really good round, I started really good with 2 birdies on the first 2 holes. I finished the front 9 with 5 under so I’m pretty happy » Borda said. « We know the course well because we’ve played it several times already. It’s a good course, you need to be all the time with the ball in play to be able to make birdies. If you putt well, I think you can have a good round » he explained. « This is the most important tournament of the year, it’s the Final, it’s a long tournament so I’ll try to keep myself in contention to be there at the end of the week. I’m in 6th position in the Order of Merit but there are more points to take in the Final and everybody can get in the top 5. I want to win, that’s the objective for this week, to try to get into the Challenge Tour » Borda, who missed the top 5 last year by a few points, concluded.
« I’m very satisfied with my day » Frenchman Victor Marchiset said. « I’m not used to play that low on the first day. I played well in all compartments of my game. I used the same game plan than when we played here in July. I like this course, there is no stress at the start of each hole » he explained. « It’s a bonus for me to be here as I was not sure I would make the top 50 at the end of the regular season. It was a pleasure to play here today » Marchiset concluded.
The Alps Tour Grand Final is the culmination of the 2018 season. The top 50 players of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking, are competing against each other through Sunday to determine the overall winner of the season. Following the Grand Final, the top 5 of the ranking will take a full category on the Challenge Tour next year.
The €45,000 prize money tournament is played over 72 holes of traditional stroke. But because it is the Grand Final, 70 000 points will be distributed to give the opportunity to players not in the top positions of the Order of Merit to jump in the top 5 with this last tournament. The winner of the Grand Final will get 11,000 points while the runner up will grab 7,000 points.
Weather conditions on the shores of Lake Maggiore were sunny with warm temperatures in the afternoon and some wind gusts throughout the day.
Tomorrow’s first round 2 tee off is at 08h30 local time.
16th October 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
Alps Tour Grand Final concludes 2018 season
Rising golf stars of the Alps Tour are heading this week to Lake Maggiore (Italy) for the culmination of the 2018 season, the Alps Tour Grand Final.
The top 50 players of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking, will compete against each other starting this Thursday to determine the overall winner of the 2018 season.
On top of being in the top 50 following the last tournament of the regular season (the Abruzzo Open), players must also have played in at least 6 tournaments in 3 different countries this season to be able to take part in the Grand Final.
At the end of this week’s Grand Final, the top 5 of the ranking will take a full category on the Challenge Tour next year. As an amateur, Adria Arnaus won the 2017 Grand Final and finished first in the Order of Merit. Arnaus is currently ranked 9th overall on the Challenge Tour and will play on the European Tour next season.
Santiago Tarrio, the leader of the Order of Merit with 26,702.45 points, will not participate in this week’s Grand Final as he’s been invited to play in the European Tour’s Valderrama Masters in Spain. « I’m sad not to be able to play in the Grand Final. I like the course very much and I feel very welcomed there. But there are tournaments I can’t turn down » Tarrio said.
« I can’t wait to start playing on a course where I have played well there twice finishing tied for 6th (Des Iles Borromées Open 2018) and tied for 9th place (Grand Final 2017) » England’s Marcus Mohr, who is ranked in 4th place in the Order of Merit, said. « I said at the start of the year that I wanted to give myself a chance and I have » he continued. « I will be nervous and excited when the Grand Final starts on Thursday but I know that if I play my game, I will come out where I deserve to be at the end of the week » Mohr concluded.
« I just want to end the season with the same state of mind I’ve had all year long, that is determined and at the same time serene » Frenchman Xavier Poncelet said. Poncelet is ranked 5th in the Order of Merit but is closely followed by David Borda (ESP) who is 133,44 points behind him.
The €45,000 prize money tournament will be played over 72 holes of traditional stroke. But because it is the Grand Final, 70 000 points will be distributed to give the opportunity to players not in the top positions of the Order of Merit to jump in the top 5 with this last tournament. The winner of the Grand Final will get 11,000 points while the runner up will grab 7,000 points.
This is the second year in a row the Golf Des Iles Borromées is hosting the Grand Final. It is also the second time this season the Alps Tour makes a stop at the Golf Des Iles Borromées after a tournament played there at the end of July.
The Golf Des Iles Borromées, a 18-hole par 71 golf course located 500 meters above sea level, is surrounded by beautiful nature and an exceptional flora. The course has spectacular views of the Swiss Alps and of the Ticino Plain. From the 18th tee, one can see the skyline of Milan and four lakes: Lake Maggiore, Lake Varese, Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio. The Golf club is also the home of a very dynamic junior school managed by a former player of the Alps Tour, Federico Colombo.
