Javier Barcos triumphs in playoff at New Giza Open, claims first Alps Tour title

At the start of the final round, the leaderboard quickly took on a Spanish flair. Javier Barcos got off to a scorching start with four consecutive birdies, surging to -16 and establishing a three-shot lead over the field. Fellow Spaniard Juan Salama Monsalve opened with a bogey but quickly bounced back with three straight birdies on holes 2, 3, and 4, reaching -13. He added another birdie on the 7th to climb to -14, but a bogey on the 8th saw him finish the front nine at -13, placing him in third.

Frenchman Quentin Debove also made a strong start, opening with a birdie and adding two more on the 6th and 9th holes, reaching -15 at the turn and securing second place.

The back nine turned into a fierce battle between Barcos and Debove. A birdie on the 10th extended Barcos’ lead, but Debove responded with back-to-back birdies on the 11th and 12th. The Spaniard immediately countered with birdies on the 13th and 15th, regaining a two-shot lead with three holes to play. Then came a dramatic twist on the 16th, where Barcos carded a double bogey, bringing the score level.

On the 18th, Barcos found the rough off the tee, his second shot landed on the edge of the green, and he finished with a two-putt par. Meanwhile, Debove, after a long drive down the center of the fairway, placed his approach just a meter from the hole but missed the putt for the win, forcing an immediate playoff.

The Spaniard Javier Barcos, 23, turned professional at the end of 2024 and has started his season on the Alps Tour. Before turning professional, Barcos made a significant mark in European amateur golf. He finished second at 2022 European Individual Championship at the Parador de El Saler in Spain, one stroke behind winner Filippo Celli of Italy. His experience in Egypt began with a 20th-place finish at the Ein Bay Open and a 4th-place finish this week at the Red Sea Little Venice Open, and today marks his first victory. Here are his statements after today’s round:

“This victory isn’t just about me, but about all the people who have helped me over the years, and that’s why I feel so grateful. What happened on the 16th was that my mental process was a bit too rushed on the first shot, which led to a bad swing. After that, I couldn’t calm myself down and made two terrible shots in a row. I was kind of angry at myself for the way I played the last three holes. So, when I was hitting that shot in the playoff, I told myself to be brave and trust it. When I saw it, I was pumped that I was able to pull it off. I’m thrilled about this win and still can’t believe it. My game has been great in recent weeks, which is exactly what I was aiming for before coming to Egypt. I’d like to dedicate this victory to someone, but there’s no one in particular because so many people have supported and helped me, so I’m just grateful to each and every one of them.”

Quentin Debove, 23, from France, turned professional late last year. Now in his rookie season on the Alps Tour, he is showcasing his talent in Egypt. After securing 15th place at the Ein Bay Open and claiming runner-up honors earlier this week at the Red Sea Little Venice Open, he once again finished in second place in Cairo. Here’s what he had to say after wrapping up the final round:

“I’m disappointed but still pretty happy. I’ve played great golf over the last two weeks. It’s tough losing like that, but I’m proud of my performance. Today was a bogey-free round, and I didn’t miss a single green in the last two rounds, which gave me 36 birdie putts. I missed some short putts today, but my driver is going far and straight at the moment, so that’s a big positive. On 18th, the line was fairly straight, so I aimed for the left edge, but I pushed it a little bit and didn’t even sniff the hole. As for the playoff, Javier hit a great approach near the hole. There wasn’t much I could do about that. Congrats to him. I’m excited to play in Tunisia and hopefully get a win there. Now, I’m just going to go home, recharge, practice, and get ready to compete again.”

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