13th May 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Winners of the Alps Tour Ranking 2017-2020, In their words: The Last Chapter – So Far!
20 years of life and 20 different winners of the Alps Tour Order of Merit. For the 5th and final chapter of our story “In their Words”, we have asked the last four, from 2017 to 2020 – Adria Arnaus, Santi Tarrio, Edoardo Lipparelli and Jordi Garcia del Moral – to share their memories with us. Here’s what they recalled, with some really nice words from each one of them.
Who’s going to follow in their steps by winning the 2021 Order of Merit? Just wait until October and see… In the meantime, enjoy these interviews.
Class of 2017
Adria Arnaus (Spain)
“I’m really proud to be part of the history of the first 20 years of the Alps Tour. I feel like it definitely made me the player I am today. Alps Tour got me in a position to kick off my career and made me realize I was good enough to compete with the bigger guys.
I have so many great memories of the events I’ve played on the Alps Tour. You know, it is just different when you play in the bigger tours… it gets a bit lonelier; while playing the Alps, I’ve made so many great friendships travelling, sharing houses and moments with other players – not not only Spanish guys!, friends I still have today. On the Challenge and European Tour we are a bunch of players coming from the Alps and we all support each other and remember those times.
I guess one of the most special moments I had, it was when I won the first Alps Tour event – The Villaverde Open in Udine, Italy – it was my third tournament and third playoff of the season, and I felt like I needed some help, so I went to see one of my friend (another Alps Tour player) David Morago, and he caddied for me that playoff and we were able to pull it through. This shows what the Alps Tour is, it is about competing but at the same time having the support of those you are travelling with, and that was great.
Along the same line, I feel like the courses were a lot of fun for me, they gave me the opportunity to be aggressive or to be cautious when I had to, they weren’t too long so that just made it very enjoyable for me, those “go and attack” kind of courses which reminded me of my home course in Catalonia, Moià, where you can get close to the greens in the par 4s and this would remind me of my roots back home.
It was a great year overall and I will always cherish those moments and I will remember all of the people I was with that year, and I hope that everything continues going forward in the situation we are in nowadays and I am sure we will hear more about Alps Tour graduates in the future”.
Class of 2018
SANTIAGO TARRIO (Spain)
“The time I’ve spent playing on the Alps Tour is some of the happiest golfing memories I have, it is where I’ve learnt more, where I’ve forged my game in hundreds of battles, where we were all helping one another, no matter the nationalities, as if we were a family.
I cherish all those memories very much, and I’m grateful for the good friends I made: this is not always the case in some other tours. I think the Alps Tour is absolutely necessary to forge and toughen up any player facing a professional career; of course the economic side is difficult, but let me use a soccer metaphor: let’s say you learn the ropes in the Alcoyano (in third division), and therefore you’re used to a hard-working but humble team, to a certain level of stadium, stairs, changing rooms; and when you arrive at the Bernabeu in Madrid or at Camp Nou in Barcelona, then you’ll be able to play your best game more easily.
I remember the Alps Tour as a hard stage but with no doubt, immensely gratifying. I have been incredibly happy to win two tournaments and the Order of Merit in 2018. I think I’ve learned a lot in those years and so did my caddie, we strengthened up together: I am a better player now, and she’s a better caddie. We hope we can keep on progressing, never forgetting where we come from”.
Class of 2019
Edoardo Lipparelli (Italy)
“The Alps Tour is an important start for the approach to professionalism, it is where you begin to understand everything you need to do and how to manage yourself to work in golf. It sets a great foundation for what you will find later in the bigger Tours. I really liked the organization of the tournaments and the information and assistance we were given for the trips. I’ve never felt lost.
As for the experiences worth remembering, there are many. I really like the atmosphere after a lot of tournaments together with the different players and the team of the staff. I even dare saying that you become for us as a big family!
It has always been a pleasure to travel to be able to compete in the Alps Tour”.
Class of 2020
Jordi Garcia del Moral (Spain)
“2020 was a very important year for me. It has helped me to gain confidence because the standard level on the Alps Tour is becoming higher and higher every year.
I would even say that 2020 was more important than 2012 and 2013 when I played on the European Tour. Now I feel I am more prepared than I was at that time and I’m going to work very hard to get back and enjoy it there.
The best moment of the year was probably the -12 round I made at Gosser Open, in Austria; even though I didn’t win the tournament, it really meant a lot to me mentally, for my confidence.
I am very grateful for the effort made by the entire Alps Tour organization in 2020 as it was very difficult to get the tour going out with all the Covid restrictions!”.
The Alps Tour in numbers since 2001:
€ 15.400.000 prize money distributed;
369 tournaments;
14 countries visited;
153 different venues;
219 different tournament winners
Please click:
here for the full list of Schedules and Winners 2001-2020
here for the alpha list of winners 2001-2020
here for the Top 5 OoM 2001-2020
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!
22nd October 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Arnaus Does the Double!
Credit: Tristan Jones.
Adria Arnaus ended the season in sparkling form coming from five shots behind to take the Grand Final title and create history as the first amateur to win Alps Tour Order of Merit at Golf Des Iles Borromees.
He shot his best round of the week, 65, to move to -14 for the tournament, then has a nervous wait while the last two groups finished their rounds. As it was, no one was able to match him over the final stretch and he was delighted to take his second win of the season.
“The Grand Final has been a really special event for me, coming here as number on in the Order of Merit, I just wanted to enjoy it and I definitely did that. The course condition was fantastic and I fell in love with the greens, I felt like the ball had a true roll of the time.”
Credit: Tristan Jones.
Arnaus, ranked 25th on the world amateur rankings, played 9 events on the Alps Tour this year, has managed four top ten finishes as well as his two victories and has now added a Challenge Tour card to his achievements this season.
“I started in the first event in Madrid, with no expectations came to have fun and compete, I ended up in a playoff and that gave me the chance to take part in the rest of the season and it has been amazing.”
Joint runner up, Christophe Koerbler of Austria, -12, recorded his highest ever finish on the Alps Tour, finishing his season with a faultless 65, which included four birdies and an eagle. His performance means he jumps nine places up the Order of Merit to be inside the top 30 giving him category 4 on the Alps Tour for next season. Leo Lespinasse also on -12 shot his second consecutive 69 to share second place with Koerbler and also record his highest finish of the year.
The top five players on the Order of Merit after the Grand Final all receive their Challenge Tour cards, and as it was today, the Order of Merit remained unchanged.
Congratulations to Adria Arnaus of Spain, Ugo Coussaud and Antoine Rozner of France, Lars Van Meijel of the Netherlands and Robin Roussel of France who will all be playing on the Challenge Tour next season.
Thanks a lot to the Golf des Iles Borromées for their wonderful hospitality. A special thank to the Federazione Italiana Golf and Italian Pro Tour for their strong support all year long and all the sponsors of the tournament.
10th June 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Arnaus to grab maiden win, finally!
Spanish amateur Adria Arnaus finally sealed his maiden as pro defeating France’s Grégoire Schoeb after extra hole in a play-off. He signed for 67, a 3 under par card during last round for -13 total.
It took just 3 tournaments to talented Spanish amateur to grab his first victory as pro on the Alps Tour. He had played only 2 events before Villaverde Open and twice, finished second including a play-off lost on home soil.
The 22 year old player took the lead after first round and played in last group this Saturday close to the Alps Tour leader this morning, France’s Ugo Coussaud. But the threat did not came from his playing partner but from another Frenchman Grégoire Schoeb. The latter fired 65 to settle the winning score at -13.
Arnaus holed for birdie on the last hole to get into the play-off but this time, he did not fail to put pressure on French rookie and eventually, finally won the trophy. Thanks to this win, he is now the new leader of the Alps Tour ranking. He did not get the money of the 1st rank, Schoeb did, but he got the points for the ranking. His stats results are amazing, 3 events played = 2nd, 2nd, 1st.
Coussaud lost one place, Nemecz is third, Lars Van Meijel and Last week winner, Thomas Elissalde are respectively 4th and 5th.
9th June 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Arnaus once again in contention for maiden win
Spain’s Adria Arnaus is on his way for third attempt to grab maiden win on Alps Tour. The young player, still amateur ranked 50th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is playing his third tournament on the rising stars golf circuit and finished twice second.
After brilliant second round of 64, -6 he led the Villaverde Open by one single shot, with -10 total, over Alps Tour leader France’s Ugo Coussaud. The latter signed for same score.
Should Arnaus have learn from his previous runner-up places, the third time would be the right one to lift a trophy. He is currently second at the ranking with only 2 events played.
Other men in form should be watched as a group of 4 players are only 2 shots back of the lead, Frenchmen Grégoire Schoeb and Xavier Poncelet, Italy’s Jacopo Vecchi Fossa and Kiwi Shaun Jones.
27th May 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Coussaud wins battle of nerves in Paris
France’s Ugo Coussaud defeated Spain’s amateur Adri Arnaus after 5th extra hole and grabbed his maiden win as a pro. He started the day 9 shots back of the lead, produced the best score of the day 66 and eventually after more than an hour of play-off, lifted the trophy of inaugural Golf Open Clément Ader.
It was a tough day for the overnight leader. Young amateur from Spain could not do better today than 74 and holed for a birdie to gt into a play-off. On the other hand, Ugo Coussaud kept on surfing on his good form – he finished second last week- and signed for stunning 66.
« I did not expect this win this morning. I was 9 shots back. But I started well but I knew I had to go low if I wanted to get closer to the podium. During the play-off it was really difficult as the 8th is a short par 4 but not so easy to make a birdie and on the 18th Adria made a mistake ending in the water so I took advantage of it. My golf now is to win the Alps Tour Ranking. »
The third player on the podium is last week winner, Austria’s Lukas Nemecz. Thanks to back to back good results, he enters Alps Tour ranking top 3. Coussaud is the new leader is second. Former leader Lars Van Meijel slept the fourth place and Julien Brun is 5th.
26th May 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Arnaus on a highway to maiden win in France
Spain’s Adria Arnaus dug his advantage thanks to 69 second card for -9 total. He will have a huge margin of 6 shots heading to final day and trying to get his maiden win. His challengers are two former Alps Tour winners, Belgium’s Kevin Hesbois and last week winner, Austria’s Lukas Nemecz, former European Tour player.
The young amateur from Spain kept the rhythm during second round in Paris. He managed to tame the tricky course of Clément Ader Golf Club. Only three players in the total field shot under par back to back, the leader 66-69, Lukas Nemecz 70-71 and Thomas Grava from France 71-71.
The cut is fixed at +5, five shots higher than the average on the Alps Tour.
Arnaus said he kept the same strategy to play the course.
“Same as yesterday, I did my best to keep the ball in play. On this course, it is really important to hit the fairways, then the greens to have chance to roll some putts. I managed to hit 9 greens on the front which gave me a lot of opportunities. And then on the back, I missed a couple greens but I had some good ups and downs.
Obviously, I took some experience 3 weeks back in Madrid when I was in the group behind the leading group and that was a really cool experience. What I will take is just to play my game. Basically my game plan won’t change for tomorrow.”
25th May 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Spanish Amateur Adria Arnaus storms clear in Paris
Spain’s amateur Adria Arnaus, 60th at World Amateur Golf Ranking, signed for opening 66, 6 under par card during first round of inaugural Open Golf Clément Ader Paris. France’s Ugo Coussaud, is one shot back and David Morago of Spain is two shots further.
The 22 year old just won last week the Spanish Amateur Championship and his good form followed him in France. He was -8 until the last too holes, the 8th and 9th but unfortunately he dropped back to back shots heading to the club house. The young man, recently graduated in finance by Mays Business School TEXAS A&M University, won his first big title as amateur in France in 2009, the Evian Masters Junior Cup.
On his toes, Frenchman Ugo Coussaud who finished second last week in Austria.
« The course is pretty tough. There is no hole to relax. A missed shot is almost a big price to pay so I am really happy with my day. »
6th May 2017 | Alps Tour Golf
Maiden win for Garcia Rodriguez on home soil
Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez sealed maiden victory on Alps Tour defeating his fellow countryman young amateur Adria Arnaus after first extra hole.
The 28 year old player from Madrid only needed one extra hole to win Alps de Las Catillas trophy. This tournament shown a different face every day. The first round was in Dutch hands with Van Meijel leading, the second round was blue-white and red thanks to Jérôme Lando-Casanova but the ultimate round, the one that matters offered a 100% Spanish podium.
The overnight leader did not manage to keep same pace while Spaniards dug their advantage birdie after birdie. David Borda finished third thanks to final 68, -10. Adria Arnaus signed for the best score of the day tie, 65 to go to -13 total and Sebastian Garcia recorded 66 for same total as he holed birdie on the last regular hole.
Experience helped Garcia to keep nerves of steel during the play-off. He earns the second biggest check of his career, 6960 €.
The Alps Tour ranking after Alps De Las Castillas, 1st, Lars Van Meijel, then Julien Brun, Jérôme Lando-Casanova, Jacopo Vecchi Fossa and David Borda.
