5th November 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Perrier and Pavon to play on European Tour in 2017
27th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Van Driel finally won in France
Netherlands’ Darius Van Driel finally broke the curse and won his maiden trophy thanks to level par final round. With this win, he jumps on top of the Alps Tour ranking. Ties for second place France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Damien Perrier.
Van Driel was in the overnight leader with a two stroke advantage over local hero, Alex Kaleka. The latter started the best way with a birdie on the first hole and his playing partner dropped two shots in a row on 3rd and fourth. Van Driel struggled to enter the round and Kaleka was in control. At the turn, the two men were -10 and it seemed that once again, Van Driel couldn’t lift a trophy. During the last 3 weeks, he was each time in contention and finished 3rd, 2nd, 2nd.
But this time, the bad dream was for Kaleka. He had two awful holes as he made double bogey on the 12th and triple on the 13th. His hope just blew up and Van Driel holed pars until the end to finally won his maiden win.
France’s Damien Perrier, in the last group last Sunday, did a perfect come back with flawless 65, -6 to record his second runner-up place and his seventh top 5 of the season.
Josh Loughrey lost his leadership at the Alps Tour ranking despite a nice fourth place.
25th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Verselin fired 64 in Marcilly
Jean Pierre Verselin of France Credit: Tristan Jones
Jean-Pierre Verselin of France took a narrow advantage of one shot over fellow countryman Damien Perrier with first round 64, -7 in Open Marcilly. Italy’s Andrea Maestroni, who won the trophy in 2004, is two shots back of the lead alongside compatriot Joon Kim and Darius Van Driel of Netherlands.
Verselin, 25, holed 9 birdies and dropped 2 shots to sign for the best score of the day. The young player, Alps Tour winner in 2014, is struggling with his game this season and needs some good results to keep his card next year.
On his toes, Damien Perrier, one of the most consistent player this season. He recorded a flawless 65 and once again is on top of the leaderboard. He was playing in the last group last Sunday and his game is still sharp.
Another man is chasing his first win of the season and his maiden one as a pro, Darius Van Driel. Van Driel had a fourth runner place last week and keeps on riding on the momentum.
The projected cut is -1.
19th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Four way ties in France
Pep Angles of Spain during second round (c) Agathe Séron
There are four players on top of the Open International du Haut-Poitou after 2 rounds, France’s Clément Gallois and Damien Perrier, Dutch Darius Van Driel and Spain’s Pep Angles (picture). The lead score is -7.
The weather conditions were perfect today and the best score even posted on St Cyr golf course was signed by France’s Clément Gallois. He recorded 65, -8 and did not dropped any shots.
“I am not playing anymore. I teach in Gold de Touraine and I had an invitation to play here. This is my best score ever as pro. I struggled a little on front nine then from the 11th I hit very close to the pins and I started to hole many putts. I had pressure because I wanted to do well but obviously I was way more relax than when I was playing for living.”
The overnight leader Damien Perrier, confirmed his good form and signed for 70 , -3.
“It was a bit different than yesterday but still, all in all, I am happy with my game. I did well on pars 5 and I keep on feeling confident about my level of game.”
Pep Angles, 22, third co-leader just turned pro. He got graduated from University of Central Arkansas in May and he is playing his first event as pro in Poitiers this week. As a kid, he was competing in motocross but after injuries he decided to start a new sport, with success.
Last but not least, Darius Van Driel will be once again in the last group on Sunday. He finished second last week in Preisch and he has been in contention many times this season. All the Alps Tour players confirm that his turn has come, same as Perrier by the way.
“Yes I really would like to finally keep my hands on a trophy. My wedging was very good and I made birdie on all the pars 5 but I only hit one in two. I think the experience of last week will help me tomorrow. I am excited and I am really looking forward to play the last round.”
The cut felt at +4 with 45 players including one amateur.
18th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Perrier sparkled in Poitiers
Damien Perrier of France Credit: Tristan Jones
France’s Damien Perrier took the lead after opening round of Open International du Haut-Poitou with 69, -4. Fellow countryman Alex Kaleka and Spain’s Daniel Osorio are one shot back.
Poitiers is west of France and fall has arrived early this year, with rain, wind and low temperatures. Heavy rain flooded the course of Saint Cyr on Monday and Wednesday. The weather conditions during this first round was tough. Fair for one hour, then windy in the morning and a few showers of heavy rain all afternoon. Play had to be suspended for 45 minutes at 13h40 and 4 groups could not complete their round.
During morning session, Spain’s Daniel Osorio signed for best provisional score 70. He equalized his best score, -3, in fourth appearance in Saint-Cyr.
“It was a tough day because it was very windy. On my front nine, I played really bad, poor iron game, but it was weird because I chipped in on the second for birdie and I holed a bunker shot for birdie as well for birdie. Eventually, on the back nine, I started to play better. I made two good birdies so I recorded 70, -3.
The golf course is very demanding. It looks easy but you have to hit straight from the tee otherwise you have no shot to the green. And with this new tee on the 17th, which used to be an easy birdie hole, it is now a tough challenging par 5.”
France’s Alex Kaleka joined Osorio at the very end of the day and his playing partner, Damien Perrier signed for the best score, 69, -4.
“You know, last week when I missed the cut it was the fist time since march 2014!!! I am very consistent, my statistics before last week were excellent and I was second at the ranking without a win.
I fell confident and I started to hole some good putts for birdies, on second I holed 6 meters, about 5 meters on the third. I never had to save a par. It was a good day. I had 32 putts and the score is there.”
Alps Tour leader Josh Loughrey scored 74, +1 and projected cut is +2.
17th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Who's the best putter ?
Matt Wallace of England Credit: Tristan Jones
The Open International du Haut Poitou starts on Friday his week. This is the second event in France out of three weeks in a row in Levy and Dubuisson’s country.
England’s Josh Loughrey won last Sunday in Preisch golf club and thanks to this victory, he took the Alps Tour leadership. Loughrey finished 6th tie last year in Haut Poitou, 4 shots back of Austria’s Lukas Nemecz who recorded -11 after final third round.
Huge amount of rain felt on Wednesday in Poitiers area and it has rained this morning as well. The forecast for the tournament is fair from the second day. Players will have to deal with very soft greens all week.
The focus before tournament is maid on players who lead the statistic of birdies average in a round. At first place, England’s Matt Wallace, with an average of 4,37 birdies per round. A player to watch this week. He finished third last week. At second place Italy’s Enrico Di Nitto with 4,24. The Italian player needs to avoid the mistake in his round but he skill on greens is brilliant. Eventually, Damien Perrier and Toni Ferrer with respectively, 4,15 and 4,14 birdies per round, are solid challengers for low scores.
9th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
The Top 3 to watch in Preisch
Matthieu Pavon of France. Credit: Tristan Jones
This is the third edition of Citadelle Trophy International this week. Long, in very good shape, the players know that the course is a true test of golf. Let’s have a look on Top 3 to watch this week.
Matthieu Pavon, France
The young Frenchman is leading the Alps Tour ranking. He said he feels great and that his golf is sharp. Most of all, he finished second tie last year after Tom Wilde defeated him and Alfonso Gutierrez in a play-off. The winning score last year was -11.
Darius Van Driel, Netherlands
Van Driel is one of the most contistent player of the Alps Tour this season. He recorded two runner-up places in a row last spring. Then he finished 5th and had two top 10. He was on the podium last week in Spain and seemed to be ready for the next step.
Damien Perrier, France
Perrier is known to be a big hitter, but his statistics speak for him, 81,77 % Greens in regulation, second and he has the best average score 69,47 of the season. The 26 year old from brittany only miss a win this season and This week could be his.
14th July 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Last Chance for Q School exemption
Servizitalia Open 2015 is the last tournament to get an exemption to play directly the European Tour Q School Stage 2 for the Top 6 – six. All tournaments matter in the ranking but this week in Italy, near Venice, is something special for Alps Tour members.
The Top 6 of the Alps Tour Order of Merit will earn a precious season pass for the Stage 2 of the European Tour Q School. Currently, the lucky ones are Harry Casey, Damien Perrier, Josh Loughrey, Léo Lespinasse, Matthieu Pavon and Andrea Meastroni.
The latter won the order of merit in 2004 and managed to enter the top 30 in the Q School final to play an full season on European Tour. None of the other players ever played on main Tour but the statistics are in favour of those who avoid the stage 1. All the Alps Tour members who managed to obtain their card the past three years, did not have to play stage 1.
Hot weather is expected in Venice area this week and the famous ranking is to be announced after last round on Friday afternoon.
28th June 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Second win for Casey
28/06/2015. AlpsTour 2015. 2015 Open International De La Mirabelle D’Or, Golf de La Grange aux Ormes, Metz, France June 25-28. Harry Casey of England with his trophy. Credit: Tristan Jones
Harry Casey shown nerves of steel by winning his second title of the season in France thanks to final round 67 and -15 total. France’s Damien Perrier caught second place with flawless 64 and England’s James Sharp finished third on his own.
“I have to admit I did not sleep well last night, I was nervous. Even coming with the leading shotS at the end of the round I did not feel that comfortable. On the last hole, I missed the fairway and I had a bad lie so I had to lay up because of the water, I could not hit the green. But Now I feel excited and happy.”
His playing partner, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga was his closest opponent as they teed off but unfortunately for the Spaniard, his game was not as accurate as during the previous days. He dropped 4 shots in three holes from the 12th and lost all hope to come back in contention.
The best score of the day came from Damien Perrier. The player from Britanny confirmed his good form. He had qualified to play the Alstom Open de France on main Tour last Monday after 36 holes and he signed for stunning 64 to finish second by his own.
With this win, Harry Casey took the pole position on Alps Tour ranking. Damien Perrier is second followed by Léo Lespinasse, then comes Matthieu Pavon and Josh Loughrey.
8th May 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Perrier and Gallegos neck and neck
Damien Perrier from France (c) Tristan Jones
Damien Perrier from France and Javier Gallegos shot best score 66, -6, in Maria Lankowitz GC in Austria to lead by one stroke the Gösser Open.
Perrier, 25 years old, used not to be an Austrian fan. During the first seasons of his career he had said that Austria did not like him as he always played very badly there. It seemed that the Frenchman managed to break the curse. He holed seven birdies and one eagle which really look like a beginning of a love story with Austria.
Spain’s Javier Gallegos, 22 years old, played this Friday, his first round on Alps Tour schedule. He recorded seven birdies and only one dropped shot on the 4th to join Perrier on top. Multiple Alps Tour winner, England’s Andrew Cooley and Italy’s Aron Zemmer are one shot back. Austria’s Leo Astl signed for -4 and is 5th tie with a group of 5 other players.
Former Gösser Open champions are in position to challenge the top of the leaderboard. Austria’s Martin Wiegele shot 68, Spain’s Juan Antonio Bragulat and Ireland’s Brendan McCarrol scored 70.
