10th July 2025 | Alps Tour Golf
Matteo Cristoni Moves into the Lead Following Round 2 at the Alps de Las Castillas.
Albacete, July 10th 2025- Italy’s Matteo Cristoni leads the field with a two-day total of 12 under-par after Round 2 of the 2025 Alps de Las Castillas. Just one stroke behind, in solo second place, Antonio Hortal from Spain with a score of 11 under-par. Ireland’s Ronan Mullarney is in solo third place at 10 under-par and will keep the pressure on the leaders heading into the final round.
Round 2 of the 2025 Alps de Las Castillas continued today at Club de Golf Las Pinaillas, with warm temperatures and sunny skies providing a picturesque backdrop as players competed to secure a strong position heading into the final round.
Players at this week’s event are competing not only for the tournament title, but also for crucial Order of Merit points, with the top five at the end of the 2025 Alps Tour season earning coveted 2026 HotelPlanner Tour cards, and the top six players, including amateurs, not otherwise exempt after the 2025 Biarritz Cup by C&S Partners securing a Stage 1 exemption for the 2025 DP World Tour Qualifying School, up to a maximum of 10.
Round 2 Player Quotes
Italy’s Matteo Cristoni, 23, who was tied for 15th place after yesterday’s opening round, surged into the lead on day two with a stunning 9-under-par 63, bringing his two-day total to 12-under. Cristoni got off to a blistering start, recording seven birdies on the front nine (holes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9) to go out in 29. On the back nine, he dropped a shot on the 10th hole but quickly bounced back with a birdie on 11. A bogey followed on hole 12, but he ended his round strongly with birdies on 13, 14, and 16. Reflecting on his round, Cristoni said, “It went well, I played really solid from tee to green, leaving myself with a lot of opportunities to make birdies.” He credited his driving accuracy as a key factor on this course, adding, “I think you need to hit the driver well to be able to score here. The strategy is essential to avoid easy mistakes.” Looking ahead to the final round, he shared his approach: “I’m going to stick to my strategy and try to enjoy the round as much as possible.” Cristoni also noted a difference in playing conditions: “I feel like in the morning the ball rolls really well on the greens compared to the afternoon, so I would say that playing in the morning definitely helps.” He concluded by praising the course setup: “It’s a good layout where you can have fun playing it.”
Spain’s Antonio Hortal, 36, who led after the opening round, carded a 4-under-par 68 in today’s second round to move into 2nd place with a two-day total of 11-under-par. He made three birdies on the front nine and added an eagle on the par-5 14th hole, before closing with a bogey on the 18th hole. Reflecting on the day, Hortal said,“It was the same game tee to green, but today the putter didn’t work. I was pretty solid with the driver and the irons.” Despite the late bogey, he remained positive: “It was pretty nice overall, only one bogey on 18, and that came after a flyer from the rough and a bad chip. Someone sent me that bogey to remain focused for tomorrow.” Hortal emphasized the role of course strategy and physical condition in the heat: “I’ve been hitting almost every hole with the driver, which gives me an advantage from the tee. The strategy is working, now I just need to repeat the same and make sure I keep my body temperature under control to perform well.”
Ireland’s Ronan Mullarney, 29, a two-time winner during the 2023 season, which propelled him to win the Order of Merit and secure his promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour (formerly known as the Challenge Tour) for the 2024 season, currently sits in third place after the second round of the tournament. After opening with a 2-under-par 70, Mullarney surged up the leaderboard with a bogey-free 8-under-par 64 in the second round, bringing his two-day total to 10-under. His round included birdies on holes 5, 6, 8, and 9 on the front nine, followed by four more on the back nine on holes 11, 13, 14, and 16. Reflecting on his performance, Mullarney admitted, “Up until today, I didn’t think the course really suited me. I played Q-School here last year, and it didn’t go great, but I played nicely today. The same again tomorrow would be nice.” He was particularly pleased with the clean scorecard, adding, “Overall, a good day of golf today, but what stands out the most to me is the bogey-free bit, which I like.” Known for his calm demeanor, Mullarney said, “There weren’t many highs and lows today, really, which is how I like it, to be honest.” Looking ahead to the final round, he emphasized the importance of recovery: “The main thing I’ll be focusing on is resting up for tomorrow. It’s really hot, so I’m going to get myself ready.” He also credited his early tee time as an advantage, saying, “Playing in the morning definitely helped. The front nine was really nice, and then it got really hot after that, but everyone has to deal with it.” On the course itself, Mullarney added, “It’s in excellent condition. All the courses we’ve played this year have been in great shape, which is always a bonus.”
The highlights of the day came from France’s Robin Roussel and Jersey’s Josef Hacker, who both recorded remarkable Holes-In-One during today’s second round of competition. Roussel aced the 118-meter 3rd hole using a 48° wedge, while Hacker achieved his ace on the 152-meter 7th hole using a 9-iron.
Final Round
A total of 44 players (40 professionals and 4 amateurs) made the cut, which was set at 140 (-4).
The Final Round will begin at 8:00 a.m. local time from the 1st and 10th hole. The Final Pairing will tee off at 9:17 a.m. local time from the 1st hole.
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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#risinggolfstars
9th July 2025 | Alps Tour Golf
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.
#2025AlpsTourSeason
#raisinggolfstars
#risinggolfstars
