Maiden win for Angles in France
Spain’s neo pro Pep Angles won his maiden title thanks to final round 69, -4 to go to -11 total. The Open International du Haut-Poitou was his event since he turned pro last week. He finished one stroke clear of Dutch Darius Van Driel.
The final round started with a little hour delay due to dense fog over Saint Cyr Golf Course. The overnight leaders – four- had very different final round and the spectators realised that the show was on the second last group. Damien Perrier in the last group admitted it was a bit frustrating.
“At the beginning of the round, they were about hundred to follow us. Then, I always had 2 putts on greens so it was a bit boring and Clément, who is not playing anymore as he is now a teacher, had a very tough day, so, people left us and it was weird to handle. But this is golf.”
The show was clearly in the second last group. Darius Van Driel and Pep Angles were neck and neck for a while and the Dutchman even had 2 strokes advantage before the end of first nine. The 22 year old Spaniard came back to one thanks to a birdie. But the key hole of the round was the 12th. Angles holed for birdie and Van Driel dropped one shot so names swung on top of the leader board and it never changed untill the end.
“I was playing well since the beginning of the week and I did not expect to win.” said Angles, ” I had a friend on th bag and it helped me to stay relax as we talked a lot between shots, not about golf. When I made this birdie to lead, I tried not to change anything. I had a number in mind, -10 and I stuck to my game plane. On the 17th, honestly, I did not plan to go that right over the trees, I wanted to hit my driver safely but I push it a little but I hit it long, so it crossed the water by 6 or 7 yards. I do not realise how this win could change things but I am happy with this just before heading to European Tour Q school Stage 1.”
Van Driel recorded a solid 70, -3 but it was not enough, again. The Dutchman, second at the Alps Tour ranking since last week, is once again, the fourth time this year, on the second step of the podium.
France’s Raphaël Marguery fired best score of the day, 68, -5 to finished third on his own.
