27th April 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Tunisia ready for National Open
Port El Kantoui golf course is ready to welcome the Alps Tour for the second edition of the Tunisian Open. Englishman Josh Loughrey (picture-left) won the inaugural Open in 2015 and it was his good luck charm as he sealed a second place at final ranking to earn the right to play on Challenge Tour this season.
The course is in great shape and players are looking forward to testing themselves as the weather forecast is said to be windy. The golf is on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea and it became very challenging. With 70 000 € prize money, Tunisian Open is the richest regular event of the schedule. The winner will received more than 10 000 €.
France’s Franck Daux, current leader of the Alps Tour, already recorded two wins this season. He won back to back events in Egypt last February to secure a 1000 point advantage over England’s Matt Wallace. The latter, thanks to his win during third event in Egypt, played on Challenge Tour last week and finished at 26th place. He arrived in Tunisia full of confidence about his game.
13th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Loughrey for second win
England’s Josh Loughrey won his second title of the season thanks to final round 69 in 2015 Cidatelle International Trophy. He finished the 72 hole event with -13 total, 3 ahead of Darius Van Driel.
Loughrey can be satisfied and proud with this win. Leader after 2 rounds he managed to stay very consistent and his playing partner during last round could not catch up with him. Loughrey holed for birdie on the first and put pressure on Van Driel. The latter answered right away with a birdie on the second, the match was on.
The Englishman turned first nine with 34 whereas the Dutch was level par. Par not not enough to threat the Tunisian Open winner who signed for best score tie 69 of the day.
Matt Wallace who finished third on his own – his best result tie this season – could have done better if he did not shoot himself with opening double bogey on the first. He never succeeded to come back, he only erased this mistake with 2 birdies for a level par card.
Loughrey won a check of 6250 € and these points make him jump on the top of the Alps Tour ranking. Van Driel made the biggest move as he enters the famous top 5 for the first time this season directly to the second place. Harry Casey is the only one not to move staying on the third step. Matt Pavon slides from the top to the 4th place and Damien Perrier is fifth.
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Citadelle Trophy International-Preisch 2015 – Final Day
Final Round highlights of the 2015 Citadelle Trophy International at Golf de Preisch.
England’s Josh Loughrey won for the second time this season. Darius Van Driel from Netherlands finished 2nd and Matt Wallace (Eng) third.
12th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Van Driel neck and neck with Loughrey
Darius Van Driel of the Netherlands Credit: Tristan Jones
Netherlands’ Darius Van Driel and England’s Josh Loughrey share the lead of 2015 Citadelle Trophy International. With -10 total, they have a short advantage over Matt Wallace going into final round with -9.
Overnight leader Loughrey managed to keep a foot on the first step of the podium. He scored 70, -2, with 3 birdies and one eagle. Van Driel improve his position to climb on the same step thanks to 68-4-under-par-card. Van Driel holed 8 birdies and his skill on greens is a real asset if he managed to avoid mistakes.
Matt Wallace, third on his own, has been many time in contention this season and this experience makes him a true challenger for a maiden win on the Alps Tour.
Third round is called moving day and it deserved this name for one player, France’s Dominique Nouailhac who signed for the best score of the day, 66, -6. The 45 year old player from Paris proved that despite the course length, a good sense of game is the key on Preisch golf course. The former Challenge player holed 6 birdies and only dropped a shot on the last hole. He moved to the 4th place alongside three other players, his fellow countryman Simon Fernoux, Tom Shadbolt of England and young Spanish amateur, Scott Fernandez who recorded six birdies in a row from the 4th hole today.
| Alps Tour Golf
Citadelle Trophy International-Preisch 2015 – DAY 3
Highlights of the third round of the 2015 Citadelle Trophy International at Golf de Preisch.
Two co-leaders at the end of this day, England’s Josh Loughrey and Darius Van Driel from Netherlands at -10 under par. Matt Wallace (Eng) is just behind them w/-9. A very interesting final day is expected to determine the name of the winner!
11th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Citadelle Trophy International-Preisch 2015 – DAY 2
Highlights of the second round of the 2015 Citadelle Trophy International at Golf de Preisch.
England’s Josh Loughrey is leading w/-8, followed by Italy’s Andrea Maestroni and rookie Darius Van Driel from Netherlands w/-6.
Tonight, 46 players are qualified including two amateurs to play the next two days.
| Alps Tour Golf
Louhgrey in control in France
England’s Josh Loughrey scored back to back 68 to take a two stroke lead with -8 half way of 2015 Citadelle Trophy International.
Andrea Maestroni of Italy and Netherlands’ Darius Van Driel share second place with respectively 69 and 68. Matt Wallace of England is one shot back.
When he won in Tunisia, Loughrey admitted he was proud to win in a 4 day tournament. This week offers this ooportunyt as well and players have to show their skills during 72 holes which is not that common on Alps Tour. Loughrey started from the 10th and holed a hat trick of birdie from the 14th but dropped as many shots from the 17th.
Eventually, he managed to tame the course and thanks to four birdies heading to the clubhouse, he signed for very decent 68.
His two challengers, Van Driel and Maestroni had the same up and down from the 10th to the 18th and build their score from the first to the 9th.
The cut felt at +2 and Alps Tour top players, Matthieu Pavon and Damien Perrier did not make it. The ranking should show another face on Sunday evening.
| Alps Tour Golf
Citadelle Trophy International-Preisch 2015 – DAY 1
Highlights of the first round of the 2015 Citadelle Trophy International at Golf de Preisch. Italy’s Corrado de Stefani is leading w/-5, followed by England’s Joh Loughrey and 4 players at -3.
10th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Red hot start for De Stefani
Corrado De Stefani of Italy Credit: Tristan Jones
Corrado De Stefani of Italy holed no less than 8 birdies in Preisch Golf Course to sign for 67, -5 and took a one stroke lead over England’s Josh Loughrey.
It was a windy opening round of Citadelle International Trophy and only 20 players out of 126 managed to break par on long 6456 meter course. De Stefani had a 7th place last week, his best result tie when he recorded this position in Egypt beginning of the year. One shot back, Loughrey, winner in Tunisia in May, signed for flawless card with 4 birdies.
A group of 4 very different players is -3. France’s Alan Bihan, former Challenge Tour player, who had his best Alps Tour season in 2010, Tim Gornik from Slovenia, who won the Alps tour Q School last December to enter the pro golf world, Jason Kelly from Norway, excellent player but excellent business as well and last not not least, Italy’s Andrea Maestroni, 2004 Alps Tour winner and former European Tour player, back on the best form this season as he won once and is currently in the top 5 of the Alps Tour ranking.
The projected cut is +1 after one round.
5th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Etchart kept his title
Defending champion, Borja Etchart kept his crown in Alps de Andalucia. With -10 total after 70 final round, he won by 2 shots over fellow countryman Toni Ferrer.
On the third step of the podium, Nederland’s Darius Van Driel and England’s Josh Loughrey who celebrates his 25th birthday this Saturday.
The two Spaniards teed off ties at -8 this morning. The third lad of the group, France’s Léo Lespinasse was never able to worry them due to a lack of putting. The match was then 100 % Spanish. The first nine was clearly in Ferrer’s side. He took the lead since the first hole as his opponent dropped one shot. The two players were “square” during 3 holes from 4th to 6th and Ferrer dug his advantage on 8th and 9th with two birdies. He was -10 and Etchart was -7. The story seemed to be written.
But the race was the opposite side on the back nine. Etchart holed four birdies in five from the 11th and crucified Ferrer’s confidence. The 24 year old player dropped shots of the last two holes to offer the trophy to Etchart.
Matt Pavon is still leading the Alps Tour ranking with 20262 points. No less than 9 others players are within 5000 points so a win could easily change the top 5 until the end of the season.
