23rd October 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Israel Masters 2015 – Day 1
Highlights of the first round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters, the Alps Tour Grand Final, at Caesarea Golf Club. Four players tie the lead at -5 under par: Italy’s Leonardo Motta, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga, France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Xavier Poncelet.
| Alps Tour Golf
Four way tie in Israel
Leonardo Motta during first round of Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters (c) Tristan Jones
A group of 4 players shot -5 on great Caesarea Golf Course. France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and Xavier Poncelet, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga and Italy’s Leonardo Motta took lead after first round of inaugural Edmond de Rothschild Israel Masters.
It was a pretty hot and wet day on the banks of the Mediterranean sea. The golf course build in the early 60’s and redesigned by Pete Dye in 2006 keeps its promises, to be a very interesting challenge for the best Alps Tour players, the top 50 of the ranking.
The first of this young talent to shot the leading score was France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin, Alps tour winner in 2014.
“I really played well on pars 5. I shot -5 on them. I have been playing well for weeks now and I will try just to stick to my game plan. I did not manage to win the previous tournament because I was thinking too much about the result. So I really have to focus to stay in present.”
Another winner of last weason had a very good day, the Spaniard Larranaga. He admitted his friend and playing pro Jesus Legarrea helped him in a crucial part of his game.
“My putting was not very good but yesterday, Jesus Legarrea, my friend, gave me some tips and I had 25 putts. It is a very good golf course, probably the best of the year, long with small greens. You have to be smart and have a good strategy and I like that very much. It is good for my game because you have to hit the drive to take fairways. My game was in good shape when I arrive here but today, my putting was excellent.
Playing in an alliance format is new to me but it is good. It is more funny and more relaxing and my partner is a very nice guy.”
Even in case of a win, the third co-leader Poncelet won’t enter the top 5 to play Challenge Tour next season but his targets are bigger. The player from Bordeaux who already played on Challenge Tour, is aiming a great result in the European Tour Q School.
“The course is amazing, a true test of golf. I did not hit very my drive the past days so I decided not to use it. It was a bit long with my 3 wood. My goal is to be in the top 30. The course is prefect as well to work and prepare the Q School stage 2.”
The last leading player did not win any trophy on Alps Tour but his goal are very clear – I want to win – said the Italian player after his brilliant opening round.
“I am really happy about my game today. This course is marvellous. Obviously I find it nicer of how it is probably but no, it is definitely a great course. It gives you birdies if you play well, it is very competitive so it is very pleasant.
This event with not cut probably helps you to clear your mind. You are right, I had so many cuts missed on Challenge Tour by one or 2 shots. Your mind focuses on wrong things where there is a threat.
Reference to the format, I am not really a pro am player, I prefer to play by my own but I had the chance to play with a great amateur today, a nice guy, we were really relax on the course, it helps.”
Last but not least a battle is taking place inside the tournament. Dutch Darius Van Driel is the Alps Tour current leader and if he keeps this leadership on Sunday evening, he will use for the first time the exemption of Alps Tour winner not otherwise in the Stage 2 field. His closest competitor is England’s Josh Loughrey 3200 points behind.
27th June 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Casey and Larranaga neck and neck
Harry Casey Credit: Tristan Jones
England’s Harry Casey will play again with Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga for last round in Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or. After moving day, Casey has a one shot advantage with -12 total.
The tournament this week is a 4 day event which is not so common on the Alps Tour. Harry Casey teed off with -10 and it took him 4 holes to hole his first birdie. His playing partner, Eduardo Larranaga started the round with -9 and did his first birdie on the same hole. But the latter managed for the first time to come back square as he holed a birdie on the fifth hole.
The answer came really quick on the next hole. Casey earned a shot and Larranaga dropped one on the 8th.
Meanwhile, Open de Saint François winner, Italy’s Andrea Maestroni started the day with burning putter. He holed on birdie the third, then for eagle on the fourth and another birdie came on the eighth. He had another eagle on his back nine and eventually signed for the best score of the day, 64 to go to -10 alongside Spain’s Daniel Osorio.
On the way to the club house, the last group were square a second time on the 13th as the Spaniard holed for birdie there he dropped two shots in a row from 15th and despite a bogey for Casey on the last green, he took the final lead by his own.
26th June 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Harry Casey half way leader
Harry Casey of England Credit: Tristan Jones
England’s Harry Casey fired 65, 6 under par to take a one shot lead at -10 in Open International de la Mirabelle d’or over overnight leader Eduardo Larranaga. A duo are 2 shots back, defending champion France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin and England’s Jean-Michel Hall.
Casey won his maiden title in Austria last May and he only dropped one shot on the 18th hole, his ninth of the day. But he did very well going back home in 31 with 4 birdies. Larranaga had a quieter day than during first round. No eagle today – he had 2 during first round – , but 3 birdies and one bogey to sign for 69, -2.
Another Englishman had a solid round, James Sharp recorded 66 to aggregate -8 total tie with France’s Léo Lespinasse who scored 67. Alps Tour Josh Loughrey missed the cut fixed at -2 and there will be for sure a new Alps Tour leader on Sunday evening.
25th June 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Larranaga surged clear in France
Eduardo Larranaga (c) Tristan Jones
Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga really enjoyed to play on La grange aux Ormes golf course, he fired 64, -7. Slovenia’s Tim Gornik and Defending Champion France’s Jean-Pierre Verselin are one shot back.
Great weather and good playing conditions for the first round of Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or. Many players managed to beat the par and a huge amount of birdies were holed from 10th to 12th as pars 5 are reachable in two and 11th green can be driven in one.
Larranaga won his first title on the Alps Tour last October in France when he grabbed the Masters 13 trophy. Verselin won his maiden victory on home soil last year with -9 total on the same course as this week but with different conditions of play. And last but not least, Tim Gornik won the Alps Tour Q School Final and had so far a pretty decent season.
Top 5 players of the Alps Tour are very close from each other in the ranking and every single point counts. Alps Tour leader, England’s Josh Loughrey had a tough day and signed for 76. Second at the ranking, France’s Léo Lespinasse scored 68 and fellow countryman Patthieu Pavon, third at the ranking, less than 300 € from the pole position, shot 67.
The projected cut is -1 after 18 holes including two amateurs, Jules Coupade and Victor Veyret.
18th October 2014 | Alps Tour Golf
Larranaga aims back-to-back win
Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga (c) Matthieu Vitré
Last week winner, Spain’s Eduardo Larranaga confirmed his good form and shot 66 today for -9 total. He leads the 2014 Abruzzo Open by one shot over France’s Dominique Nouailhac and Italy’s Alessio Bruschi.
With a total of -7, two Alps Tour winner, Spain’s Juan Antonion Bragulat and France’s Matthieu Pavon. The Spaniard shot the best score of the day with a 64 seven under par card.
The Alps Tour final ranking will be announced when the winner lift the trophy tomorrow. All players on the edge of the lucky top 5 will have an eye on what happens in the groups behind the leaders.
Larranaga will try to win a back-to-back title after his maiden trophy in France last week but France’s Thomas Elissalde, who missed the cut this week, will be very interested in who is going to earn the winning 5800 euros.
Elissalde, currently at 5th place, will loose his precious ranking in two cases, one, if his friend Matthieu Pavon wins and also if Jean-Pierre Verselin wins. This calcution is not very elegant but it matters when your season depends on it.
Borja Virto, Borja Etchart and Tobias Nemecz made the cut this week so they will gain more point to confirm their place in final Top 5.
