11th July 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
Flavio Michetti captures maiden Alps Tour title at the 2026 Alps de Las Castillas
Burgos, July 11th, 2026 – Italy’s Flavio Michetti claimed his long-awaited first Alps Tour title after producing another outstanding performance at Golf Lerma. After recording numerous top-10 finishes and several podiums over the past five seasons, the 22-year-old finally lifted his first trophy thanks to a tournament total of 24-under-par. Michetti, who shared the lead after the opening round and remained at the top throughout the week, closed with a brilliant 64 (-8) featuring one eagle, eight birdies and two bogeys.
France’s Théo Brizard, who began the final round two strokes behind, mounted an impressive charge with a flawless 64 (-8). Despite applying pressure until the closing holes, he finished runner-up, two shots behind the Italian.
Spain’s Daniel Berna Manzanares and Mario Galiano Aguilar shared third place at 21-under-par, while England’s Mason Essam, France’s Alexandre Bauduin and Spain’s Álvaro Hernández Cabezuela finished tied for fifth at 20-under-par.
With the victory, Michetti earns €7,930 and 6,525 Order of Merit points, moving up to 15th in the season standings. The top five of the Order of Merit remains unchanged following the tournament.
The race for qualification to the 2026 Hulencourt Alps Tour Grand Final and promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour will resume on Friday, July 24th, at Golf de Biarritz Le Phare in France for the Biarritz Cup by ARKEA.
Round 3 Player Quotes
Flavio Michetti: “Finally, I have my first win. I knew I was playing really well. Since the beginning of the season I’ve felt my game was there, so I just kept focusing on myself, kept working and trusted the process. Finally, it paid off.
Last week in La Gomera I played just as well, but my putting wasn’t there. This week I actually played even better, and today the putter finally got hot. I’m really happy with the way I played and, of course, with the victory.
I was checking the leaderboard almost every hole, and playing alongside Álvaro, who was also playing great. After my bogey on the 15th, my lead was down to just one shot, so there was definitely some pressure. Then I hit a really good 2-iron into the last green, made birdie, and from there I could finally relax.
My ranking before this week didn’t really reflect how well I’ve been playing. Now I can start thinking about breaking into the top five.”
Théo Brizard: “I really enjoyed this final round. Finishing the second round this morning actually helped because I didn’t have much time to think about anything. Before heading back out, I spoke with my father and told him I was simply going to keep following the same process I’ve been using over the past five or six weeks.
Throughout the round I wasn’t thinking about the score at all. My only focus was committing fully to every shot. I didn’t even know where everyone else stood until I got to the recording area after the round. I was completely focused on my own job, hitting one shot at a time, and I think that’s what allowed me to play so well.”
Tournament Promoter and Sponsors
The 2026 Alps de Las Castillas is promoted and organised by JGolf.
The tournament is supported by the Real Federación Española de Golf, Federación de Golf de Castilla y León, Federación de Golf de Castilla-La Mancha, Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, Consejo Superior de Deportes, Diputación de Burgos, Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, Bodegas Juan Gil, Kyocera, Mahou San Miguel, Solán de Cabras and Hotel Ceres.
Photo : Alps Tour / Nathan Cardet
Alps Tour Media Contact- Nathan Cardet : [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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10th July 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
Michetti and Hernández Cabezuela share the lead as weather halts play at Golf Lerma
Burgos, July 10th, 2026 – The second round of the 2026 Alps de Las Castillas could not be completed after thunderstorms reached Golf Lerma at 17:16, forcing the afternoon wave off the course. Heavy rain that followed made any resumption of play impossible.
Before the interruption, Spain’s Álvaro Hernández Cabezuela produced one of the rounds of the day, firing a flawless 62 (-10) to move into a share of the lead. He is tied at the top with Italy’s Flavio Michetti, who followed his opening-round 62 with a solid 66 (-6).
France’s Antoine Bauduin and Spain’s Mario Galiano Aguilar both completed their rounds and share third place, just one stroke behind the leaders.
Overnight leader and amateur Grégoire Hoyeau completed eight holes before play was suspended. He sits tied for fifth alongside England’s Mason Essam, three shots off the lead.
Round 2 will resume on Saturday at 7:15, with the final round scheduled to begin no earlier than 10:45. At the conclusion of the third round, the winner will receive €7,930 and 6,525 Order of Merit points. In the event of a tie, a playoff will determine the champion.
Round 2 Player Quotes
Flavio Michetti: “My game is still the same as yesterday. I actually had seven eagle chances. Two of them were from about one metre and one and a half metres, and I missed them. Apart from that, my birdies all came after very close approaches. I didn’t really make any long putts today, but my game feels very solid and I’m playing with a lot of confidence.
If you’re long off the tee and can hit the driver straight, you always have an advantage. But on this course especially, you can reach several greens and create plenty of eagle opportunities.”
Álvaro Hernández Cabezuela: “The feelings were really good today, and obviously the score reflects that. More importantly, I felt very comfortable and hardly missed any shots. I went out with the mindset of staying calm, because on a course where so many birdies are being made, it’s easy to become impatient if they don’t come early.
I think I did a really good job of staying patient. I had a slow start yesterday but managed to turn the round around with the same mindset. Tomorrow I’ll approach it exactly the same way. I know I’m playing well, but on a course like this, anyone a few shots back can shoot a really low score and suddenly find themselves in the lead.”
Mario Galiano Aguilar: “It felt very similar to yesterday. The difference was that I missed a couple of easy shots around the greens, and my putting wasn’t quite as sharp. It was still good overall, but if you want to shoot a really low score here, you have to putt exceptionally well.
I think the winning score will probably be around 22 or 23 under par. If I want to have a chance tomorrow, I’ll probably need another round between six and nine under. We’ll just see what happens and count everything up at the end.”
Tournament Promoter and Sponsors
The 2026 Alps de Las Castillas is promoted and organised by JGolf.
The tournament is supported by the Real Federación Española de Golf, Federación de Golf de Castilla y León, Federación de Golf de Castilla-La Mancha, Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, Consejo Superior de Deportes, Diputación de Burgos, Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, Bodegas Juan Gil, Kyocera, Mahou San Miguel, Solán de Cabras and Hotel Ceres.
Photo : Alps Tour / Nathan Cardet
Alps Tour Media Contact- Nathan Cardet : [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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12th June 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
Mason Essam Maintains Lead as Wind Continues to Test the Field at the 2026 Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar
Roquetas de Mar, June 12th, 2026 – Round 2 of the 2026 Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar, continued today at Club de Golf Playa Serena in Roquetas de Mar, Spain. Although players enjoyed sunny skies and warm temperatures throughout the day, strong winds continued to blow across the course, creating challenging scoring conditions.
After 36 holes, only three players remain under par for the tournament. England’s Mason Essam maintained his position at the top of the leaderboard with a 2-under-par second round, moving to 6-under-par for the tournament.
Italy’s Enrico Di Nitto moved into a two-way tie for second place after signing for the low round of the day. The Italian carded an impressive bogey-free 3-under-par round in the difficult conditions to reach a two-day total of 1-under-par, keeping himself firmly in contention heading into Saturday’s final round.
He is joined in the share for second place by Spain’s Victor García Broto, who also produced a strong performance in the afternoon wave, signing for a 2-under-par round to remain firmly in the mix heading into Saturday.
A total of 46 players (45 pros, 1 amateurs) made the cut which was set at 147 (+7). The Final Round will begin at 9:00 a.m. local time from both the 1st and 10th tees. The final pairing will tee off at 10:50 a.m. local time from the 1st tee.
At stake this week is a total prize fund of €54,550 and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The 2026 Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar winner will earn €7,900 and 6,525 points towards the Order of Merit standings.
Round 2 Player Quotes
Mason Essam, 26, from England, was delighted with his performance over the opening two rounds and believes the strong results reflect the progress he has been making throughout the season. “Today was great. To be six-under through two rounds out there with only two bogeys, I’m over the moon. The last couple of weeks have shown some really good signs, but it’s definitely been coming since the start of the year. I’ve played some lovely golf this season, but I’ve been a little off on and around the greens. It’s nice to start seeing things come together.
Today was windy again, and it was all about taking it one shot at a time. It’s so hard not to get ahead of yourself, but I tried really hard to just execute the best I could. My putter has been a real help this week. It’s been my get-out-of-jail card, and I’ve been cleaning up nicely from around six feet, which has helped me keep the momentum going.
Tomorrow looks windy again, so the focus remains the same: keep the ball in the fairways, play to the center of the greens, and see where that takes me.”
Enrico Di Nitto, 33, from Italy, was particularly satisfied with his consistency throughout the day and the way he managed the demanding conditions to post a bogey-free round. “Today went very well. My game from tee to green was very solid. It was difficult to hit a lot of greens in these conditions, but whenever I missed one, I managed to miss it on the correct side and leave myself with a simpler chip shot. Even then, nothing was easy out there.”
“My short putting was also very good. On days like today, you need every part of your game to be consistent because it’s very easy to shoot five or six over par. That’s why I’m extremely pleased with the round. We had some strong wind gusts this morning, which made things complicated, and it looks like the wind will continue to be a factor throughout the tournament.”
“Tomorrow is expected to be windy again, so my focus will be to stay committed to the same approach that worked well today, remain patient, and take it shot by shot.”
Victor Garcia Broto, 29, from Spain, was particularly pleased with his composure throughout the round and the impact his putting had on his score. “Today was a tough day because of the wind. It was a very difficult round, and low scores were hard to come by. I feel my game was quite similar to what it was yesterday, and I played very solidly, but the main difference was my putting. I holed some very important putts on the front nine, including some long ones on holes 1, 7, and 8, which helped turn the round in the right direction.”
“I’m very happy with how calm I stayed throughout the day and how I accepted the mistakes, which were very easy to make in these conditions. Being able to stay patient and respond well to those moments was very important.”
“My focus for tomorrow is to continue doing the same things I’ve done over the first two days: stay calm, stay focused on my game and commit to what I want to do on every shot. Above all, I want to enjoy the round and have a good day. If I do that, hopefully the rest will take care of itself.”
Tournament Promoter
The Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar is sponsored by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Andalusian Golf Federation, the Regional Government of Andalusia, the Higher Council for Sport (CSD), Roquetas de Mar City Council, Kyocera, and Bodegas Juan Gil, and organized by JGolf18.0.
Alps Tour Media Contact: Alice Barbieri / Nathan Cardet –[email protected]
Photo Credits: Alps Tour Golf / Raffaele Canepa
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 informed by following the Alps Tour on social media via Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
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11th June 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
Mason Essam Takes the First-Round Lead at the Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar
Roquetas de Mar, June 11th, 2026 – A mostly sunny but windy day provided a challenging start to the 2026 Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar, the first Alps Tour event of the season to be held on Spanish soil.
England’s Mason Essam carded an opening-round of 4-under-par, 66 to take the first-round lead. Essam made two birdies and one bogey on his opening nine holes before adding three more birdies on the back nine to move into the lead.
Behind him, the leaderboard remains tightly packed, with numerous players well-positioned heading into the second round of the tournament.
A group of four players share 2nd place with an opening round score of 2 under-par: France’s Theo Boulet and Damien Perrier, and Spain’s Alejandro Rodriguez Andreu and Daniel Berna Manzanares.
Round 2 will begin at 8.00 a.m. local time from both the 1st and 10th tees. At the conclusion of the second round, a cut will be made to the top 40 professionals and ties (including all amateurs within the cut) who will advance to the final round.
At stake this week is a total prize fund of €54,550 and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The 2026 Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar winner will walk away with €7,900 and 6,525 points towards the Order of Merit standings.
Round 1 Player Quotes
Mason Essam, 26, from England, said: “Today was great. You can’t really complain about making five birdies and one bogey to start a tournament, especially in such windy conditions, so I’m very pleased with the round. I wasn’t necessarily trying to shoot a particular score. It was one of those days when you can’t really plan or predict what’s going to happen. I simply picked my shots and tried my best. Over the next two rounds, my focus will be very much the same as it was today. The wind is forecast to be even stronger tomorrow, so I’ll just stay present and take it one shot at a time. I managed to get some good work done with the putter today and tidied things up nicely, which definitely helped keep the momentum going. Today wasn’t really a day for a bucket hat, though. The superstitious side of me couldn’t work out whether my best shots came with it on or off.”
France’s Théo Boulet, 23, sits in a share of second place after the opening round: “It was a very good day overall in extremely windy conditions, where it’s easy to make mistakes. My game was solid, and I focused on playing to larger targets, so I’m really pleased with how the day went. For me, the key this week in these conditions is to play smart and not try to force things or attack the course too aggressively. It was important to post a good score early in these conditions to get the tournament off to a strong start and put myself in a good position, because we all know that anything can happen when the wind is like this. Over the next two days, I’ll stick to my game plan. I’ll continue to play fairly conservatively, aiming for larger targets, and, above all, remain patient, because we know the wind can really test your patience out there.”
Tournament Promoter
The Alps de Andalucía-Roquetas de Mar is sponsored by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Andalusian Golf Federation, the Regional Government of Andalusia, the Higher Council for Sport (CSD), Roquetas de Mar City Council, Kyocera and Bodegas Juan Gil, and organized by JGolf18.0.
Alps Tour Media Contact: Alice Barbieri / Nathan Cardet –[email protected]
Photo Credits: Alps Tour Golf / Raffaele Canepa
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 informed by following the Alps Tour on social media via Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
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30th May 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
Andrea Romano wins the Open de Roissy – Grand Prix PGA France and earns HotelPlanner Tour promotion
France, May 30th, 2026 – Once again, Andrea Romano proved he has been the standout player on the Alps Tour this season. Starting the final round two shots behind the lead, the Italian produced a flawless 65 (-7) to capture his third title of the season after victories at the Red Sea Little Venice Open and the New Giza Open.
This latest success also secures him direct promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour, awarded to any player who reaches three victories in a single Alps Tour season.
England’s Mason Essam mounted a remarkable charge from further back on the leaderboard. Despite a bogey on the 12th, the Englishman carded an outstanding 63 (-9) but ultimately finished one stroke short of Romano.
Overnight leader Louis Darthenay was unable to match Romano’s pace on Sunday and eventually shared third place alongside fellow Frenchmen Paul Franquet and Théo Boulet.
With this victory, Romano earns €7,900 and significantly extends his lead at the top of the Order of Merit, ahead of France’s Maxime Legros. The remainder of the top five is made up of Robert Moran (3rd), Pablo Alperi Lopez (4th) and Mario Galiano Aguilar (5th).
The race for qualification to the 2026 Hulencourt Alps Tour Grand Final and promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour will resume from Friday, June 5th, at Golf de La Grange aux Ormes for the 2026 Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or.
Round 3 Player Quotes
Andrea Romano: “It’s been very tough, but today I went to the course knowing I was ready to win this tournament because I felt very comfortable over all 18 holes. Only at the end did I feel a bit more pressure, but I’m really happy with how I handled it.
There are no words to explain moments like this in golf. Sometimes this sport can be really tough, and sometimes it gives you so much energy and motivation to keep progressing in life. I’m honestly speechless.
I’m really proud of myself, especially of my mentality. Winning is always difficult, and I think having the right mindset is what makes the difference.”
Mason Essam: “Today was a great day. Shooting nine under in any tournament is always going to help. I played alongside a close friend, Hugh Foley, and we fed off each other really well. There wasn’t really a game plan today — I just tried to stay in the moment and let things come to me.
I thought seven under might give me a chance, so to shoot two better and still come up one short is tough, but I’m really happy with second place. My game has been close all season, and this week I managed to put everything together. The golf course was great, the organisers did a fantastic job, and now I’m looking forward to a couple of days off before heading to Metz.”
Tournament Sponsors
The Open de Roissy-Grand Prix PGA France is promoted by the PGA France and benefits from the support of the following partners: Commune de Roissy-en-France, Ugolf, Bluegreen, Groupe Duval, Département du Val d’Oise, Communauté d’Agglomération Roissy Pays de France, Alsea, OÜI FM, France Pro Golf, Académie Jean Van de Velde, Team Spirit Agency, ABVV, Asahi, Lacoste, Journal du Golf, Practice, and ffgolf.
Photo : Alps Tour
Alps Tour Media Contact- Nathan Cardet : [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.
21st May 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
England’s Mason Essam takes early lead in Lacanau
France, May 21st, 2026 – Playing in sunny morning conditions, Mason Essam delivered a flawless opening round on the Ardilouse course at UGOLF Lacanau to take the early lead at the Lacanau Alps Open.
The Englishman carded eight birdies and no bogeys for an impressive 64 (-8) to open the tournament in style.
Currently 29th in the Order of Merit, Essam holds a two-shot advantage over an Italian trio made up of Luca Cavalli, Mattia Comotti, and current Order of Merit leader Andrea Romano.
For Round 2, play will begin at 7:45 a.m. from both the 1st and 10th tees. At the conclusion of the second round, a cut will be made to the top 40 professionals and ties, who will advance to the final round (including all amateurs within the cut).
Round 1 Player Quote
Mason Essam: “It’s always nice to start with a bogey-free round — that’s not something I’m especially known for! Today, I stayed really focused on my process, picking clear targets and staying in the moment. My putter worked really well, especially on the front nine. I also really love this golf course. I had a good result here two years ago, and the greens are in unbelievable condition. Huge credit to the greenkeeping staff — it’s always a pleasure coming back to Lacanau.”
Tournament Sponsors
The 2026 Lacanau Alps Open is promoted directly by UGOLF Lacanau and benefits from the support of the following partners: Ville de Lacanau, Communauté de Communes Médoc Atlantique, Office de Tourisme Médoc Atlantique, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, UGolf, Duval, Bluegreen, Vital Parc, Unit Groupe – JDG Assurances, Kress – Team Green, Société Bonnefoi, Lacoste, Skechers, Toro, Arrosage System, La Canaulaise, DBF Automobiles, Evian, Le Club Golf, Birdie Club House, La Baignoire, Maui Jim, Axel Ferrière, ASGL, Hubert Privé, Srixon, Delbard, Cédric Deynat, and Franck Collin.
Photo : Raffaele Canepa/Alps Tour
Alps Tour Media Contact- Nathan Cardet : [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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30th April 2026 | Alps Tour Golf
Austria’s Christoph Bleier takes advantage of late conditions to lead in Miglianico
Italy, April 30th, 2026 – Austria’s Christoph Bleier capitalised on more favourable afternoon conditions to take the lead after the opening round of the Miglianico Alps Open at Il Cerreto di Miglianico Golf.
Weather played a key role on Thursday, with the morning wave facing rain, while the afternoon starters enjoyed calmer conditions. Taking full advantage, Bleier signed an impressive 64 (-6) to set the early pace. The Austrian’s round was eventful, featuring seven birdies, one eagle and three bogeys.
Also playing in the afternoon, France’s Ewan Le Tennier sits just one shot back after a solid 65 (-5). Italy’s Alessandro Nodari holds third place at -4, highlighted by a hole-in-one on the 15th. A group of seven players shares fourth place at -3.
For Round 2, play will begin at 7:30 a.m. from both the 1st and 10th tees. At the conclusion of the second round, a cut will be made to the top 40 professionals and ties, who will advance to the final round (including all amateurs within the cut).
Round 1 Player Quotes
Christoph Bleier: “Today’s round was a bit wild, but I did a really good job making the important putts and hitting some key chip shots when I needed to. I also had a bit of luck — on hole 4, I hit it into the trees but ended up with a great lie and made birdie. On 18, I hit a drive that just carried the water, then an 8-iron to two metres for eagle. Overall, I stayed very composed. I didn’t feel nervous or stressed, even if I wasn’t hitting it exactly how I wanted. It could have been a bit tidier, a bit less wild, but overall it was really good golf.”
Mason Essam : “It was a solid round today. I got off to a nice start, and I was a bit surprised to be leading at -3 after the morning session, but the conditions were quite tricky with the wind and some rain this morning. I just focused on taking it shot by shot. I’m still recovering from a stomach issue from Egypt, so that was also a challenge out there. My short game really helped me today — I relied a lot on my chipping and gave myself a lot of easy pars. Tomorrow, I’d like to hit it closer with my irons and wedges, especially on scoring holes where I felt I could have created more chances.”
Tournament Sponsors
The Miglianico Alps Open is promoted by the Italian Pro Tour, branch of the Italian Golf Federation which is supported by Buccellati (Presenting Sponsor), Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking (Official Bank), Enel (Official Sponsor), Unipol (Official Sponsor), GTZ Distribution – Nike (Official Technical Supplier), Gazzetta dello Sport (Media Partner), and Infront Italy (Official Advisor).
Photo : Alps Tour/Raffaele Canepa
Alps Tour Media Contact- Nathan Cardet : [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.
4th September 2025 | Alps Tour Golf
Round 1 Suspended at Longwy Alps Open with Italy’s Mattia Comotti Leading
Longwy, September 4th, 2025 – Round 1 of the 2025 Longwy Alps Open was suspended at 7:12 p.m. local time due to flooded greens, and play was officially called for the day at 7:45 p.m. by Tournament Director Mr. Alessandro Pia, due to continued course flooding and fading daylight. With several groups still on the course, Italy’s Mattia Comotti holds the current clubhouse lead after posting an 8-under-par round. Play is scheduled to resume at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning, as the second round gets underway shortly after.
As the 2025 Alps Tour season heads into its final stretch, this week’s tournament takes on added significance, with players competing not only for the event title but also for crucial Order of Merit points that could dramatically impact the season standings.
With only a few events remaining before the Alps Tour Grand Final, the battle for a coveted top-five position in the standings and the career-changing promotion to the 2026 HotelPlanner Tour is more intense than ever. For many, this is a chance to solidify their standing; for others, it’s a final push to break through. Every shot matters as the stakes continue to rise in this pivotal moment of the season.
Now in its second consecutive year on the Alps Tour calendar, the tournament returned this week following a successful inaugural edition in 2024, where France’s Damien Perrier claimed the title with a three-day total of 14-under-par. With Round 1 now complete, the 2025 edition is already shaping up to deliver another exciting chapter in the event’s young history.
Round 1 Player Quotes
Mattia Comotti, 25, from Italy, winner of the 2024 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON, is the clubhouse leader with an 8 under-par, 64 as round 1 was suspended due to flooded greens and darkness. He turned professional at the end of July 2023, so this is his second full playing season on the Alps Tour as a professional player. He carded two birdies on the front nine (holes 6 and 8) before going on a remarkable run on the back nine, where he made four consecutive birdies from holes 12 to 15 and capped it off with an eagle on the 16th hole. “Obviously, today the round was really good, I played really solid from the tee and took advantage of the opportunities on the greens,” said Comotti. “I played the DP World Tour Q-School in Belgium last week, so it didn’t really feel like a summer break. That helped me keep the game sharp and ready to compete again.” Reflecting on his performance, he added, “The mindset for the next two rounds will be the same as today’s. It’s a long tournament and we’re just getting started. Unlike the beginning of the season, I didn’t make any stupid mistakes today and I putted very well. I had a great stretch of holes from 12 to 16, four birdies and an eagle. On hole 14, I holed a 12-meter putt, and that gave me a lot of energy and momentum going forward.” Looking ahead, Comotti emphasized the importance of strategy at UGolf Longwy International: “This week, the key to success will probably be patience and accuracy off the tee. You really need to place the ball well.”
While Comotti currently holds the clubhouse lead, Spain’s Borja Martin remains a strong contender at 7-under-par with three holes left to play in his first round.
France’s Paul Franquet, 20, currently sits in a tie for third place after carding a 6-under-par 66 in his first round as a professional. Having only turned pro two days ago, he showed no signs of nerves as he firmly placed himself in contention. His round featured an eagle on the 6th hole, five birdies on holes 3, 9, 10, 13, and 14, and a single blemish with a bogey on the 11th hole. Franquet, who has already recorded multiple top-three finishes as an amateur, looks poised to make a strong statement early in his professional career. Reflecting on his round, Franquet said, “The round went pretty well, I’m very happy with the way I managed the course. I was very patient all day, and the birdies came toward the end.” After taking a short break to reset mentally, he worked intensively with his coach over the past two weeks to prepare for the event. “We worked hard to be sharp for this tournament,” he added. “I think the turning point came on the third hole of my round (my 12th hole), where I made birdie to get to 3-under. That gave me a good boost for the finish.” Looking ahead, he’s staying grounded: “I just want to keep focusing on what I’m doing well for the next round and stick to the same game plan all week. The key is to stay focused on myself and my game.”
Alongside Franquet, France’s Victor Veyret, 28, and Italy’s Lucas Fallotico, 22, both concluded their opening rounds with a 6-under-par 66. After signing his scorecard, Veyret shared, “It was a nice round. I kept a really good attitude from this morning all the way to the end. I played Q-School last week, so that was a good warm-up for today. I know tomorrow will be tough, it usually is after a good round like this, but I’m ready to accept whatever happens. I believe I can make a difference with my attitude.”
France’s Baptiste Achard, 27, is also currently tied at 6-under-par but has yet to complete his first round.
Mason Essam, 26, from England, currently sits in seventh place on the provisional leaderboard after posting an opening-round 5-under-par 67. He got off to a steady start with birdies on holes 2 and 6, briefly set back by a bogey on the 7th, but bounced back immediately with another birdie on the 8th hole. On the back nine, he made a strong move with a brilliant eagle on hole 12 and added a final birdie on the 16th to close out a solid first round and stay well within striking distance of the lead. “Today was pretty steady,” Essam said. “I’ve been working a lot on my strategy and sticking to a process. During the break, I put in a lot of work on my game but also enjoyed some much-needed time at home. I played the first stage of DP World Tour Q-School and played well, so I knew my game was in a decent spot coming in.”Reflecting on his round, he added, “The eagle on 12 definitely got me going, I hit some lovely approach shots coming in after that.” Looking ahead, Essam is keeping it simple: “It’s me against the course, I will just stick to my strategy and see how I get on. Over the next few days, I’ll just focus on doing me. If I do that, whatever happens, I’ll be happy.”
Format & Prize Fund
The 2025 Longwy Alps Open is a 54-hole stroke-play event where a cut will be made after 36 holes to the top 40 professional players and ties including all amateurs within the cut. In case of a tie after 54 holes, a sudden-death play-off will determine the winner of the inaugural edition.
The players are competing for an overall prize fund of €47,500 and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The 2025 Longwy Alps Open winner will walk away with €6,900.00 and 6,525 Order of Merit points.
Tournament Sponsors and Promoter
The 2025 Longwy Alps Open is promoted directly by the golf course and is grateful for the support of the following sponsors and partners: Kroely Mercedes, Région Grand Est, Grand Longwy, Crédit Mutuel, Muno Charles et Fils, Santini Avocat, Proxeo, Mairie Longwy, UGolf/ Bluegreen, XL Enseigne, SLDC, Laboratoire Riefolo, Naillon MP, Swiss Life and Caradvice Garage.
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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8th May 2025 | Alps Tour Golf
7th May 2025 | Alps Tour Golf
Three-Way Tie at the Top After Round 1 of Memorial Giorgio Bordoni Presented by AON
Como, May 7th, 2025 – After the opening round of the 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON, we have a very tight leaderboard. Co-leading at 6 under-par Italy’s Flavio Michetti and Edoardo Giletta and France’s Xavier Poncelet. There is a 5-way tie for 4th place at 5 under-par.
The opening round of the 11th edition of the 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by Aon teed off early this morning under overcast skies, with occasional bursts of sunshine and light winds. However, at 2:17 p.m. local time, the Tournament Director, Mr. Alessandro Pia had to suspend play due to inclement weather in the area. Play was able to resume at 3:15 p.m. local time under some overcast skies, chillier temperatures and some occasional light rain showers.
This tournament is taking place at the prestigious Golf Club La Pinetina in Appiano Gentile, just outside Como.
Since its inception in 2014, the event has been a mainstay on the Alps Tour calendar, it is named after and dedicated to the highly regarded golf instructor, Giorgio Bordoni who unexpectedly passed away in 2013 at the age of 48.
Round 1 Player Quotes
Flavio Michetti, 21 from Italy, co-leads alongside Xavier Poncelet and Edoardo Giletta after the opening round with a bogey-free, 6 under-par, 64. He teed off on the 1st hole where he made 4 birdies in a row from hole 2 to hole 5, after making the turn he went on to make 2 more birdies on hole 10 and 17 to conclude the day. Michetti turned professional 2 years ago and has earned various top 3 finishes in the past few seasons. “I began my day with the only goal to have a solid game throughout the entire day. I must say though, that my putting worked extremely well today as I made only 25 putts. I was able to hole 3 putts over 10 meters. I’m satisfied as I put together a very good score but now my focus shifts to round 2 tomorrow.” Michetti is grateful about the “few hours on the range I spent with coach, Alberto Binaghi yesterday afternoon, we had a really good practice session together and I was able to find some great feelings I brought with me today. Obviously, there is always more work to do but it’s a great start.”
France’s Xavier Poncelet, 39, a past winner on the Alps Tour, co-leads after day 1 with a bogey-free 6 under-par, 64 making 3 birdies on the front nine and 3 more on the back nine to end his round. Poncelet attributes today’s result to the “hard work I put in this winter and now it’s been about 2 months I’ve been playing well, and I felt really good on the course for the whole day. Today the course was soft, and I felt I could be very aggressive when I placed my tee shots in the fairways. The greens were responsive too so you could create many birdie opportunities. The greenkeeping staff did an amazing job to have the course playable for us with all the rain.” Poncelet is pleased “as I hit 17 greens today and all aspects of my game were very solid.”
Round 1 co-leader at the 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by Aon, France’s Xavier Poncelet Photo Credit: Alps Tour Golf / Raffaele Canepa
Edoardo Giletta, 27, from Italy, is the third player co-leading after a bogey-free opening round. He made 3 birdies on the front and back nine for a 6 under-par, 64. After his round, Giletta commented he “found the course a bit soft, but I didn’t make many mistakes today and my putter helped me a lot throughout the round. I strongly believe that my iron game adapts really well to this course, I hit them very well today and was able to hit many greens in regulations.”
Round 1 co-leader at the 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by Aon, Italy’s Edoardo Giletta. Photo Credit: Alps Tour Golf / Federico Capretti.
England’s Mason Essam, 25, is in a 5-way tie for 4th place with a first-round score of 5 under-par, 65. His best finish so far this season is a tie for 6th place at our last event in Tunisia. For today’s opening round, Essam teed off on the front-nine where he made 4 birdies and 1 bogey, once he made the turn, he added 3 more birdies and 1 bogey. Essam experienced, “a weird situation on the 4th hole today, my ball caught some wires that are in the air and the ball went close. However, I had to re-hit the shot and consequently missed the green but chipped in and I felt that situation turned my round around.” A lot of rain has fallen over G.C. La Pinetina over the past few days but Essam, “can’t believe how well the course dried out with the amount of rain we had the past few days. Obviously, some areas are wet and moist, but the greens are perfect. The greenkeepers did a fabulous job to prepare the course for us.” In Egypt and Tunisia, “I was really struggling with my game but worked really hard over the last few weeks, so now I’m just going to focus on keep doing the same things and not get too far ahead of myself.”
Nicolas Aparicio, 32, from France, who is the 2nd player in the 5-way tie for 4th place with an opening round of 5 under-par, 65. He teed off on hole 1 today where he made 2 bogeys and 3 birdies on holes 6, 8 and 9. Once Aparicio made the turn, he added 4 more birdies on holes 10, 14, 15 and 17. With two rounds left here at GC La Pinetina, “ I want to keep doing the same thing as I did today, I want to really enjoy myself out there.” Seven months ago, Aparicio became a father and: “After Lacanau Golf Open which will be disputed at the end of May, I have decided I will stop playing competitive golf so even though, I didn’t have a fabulous start making a bogey on hole 1, I was happy to be out there and I want to really enjoy these last few tournaments. With that mindset, it allowed me to enjoy the day and make the birdies.”
Alongside Essam and Aparicio in the 5-way tie for 4th place with a score of 5 under-par, 65 there is: France’s Victor Veyret, Italy’s Marco Florioli and Spain’s Asier Aguirre Izcue.
The highlight of the day belongs to Italy’s Lucas Fallotico who made a fantastic Hole-In-One on the 133 meters, 2ndhole with a Pitching Wedge.
The 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON offers a total prize fund of €42,500, and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The winner will take home €6,200 and earn 6,525 points toward the Order of Merit standings.
Round 2
Round 2 of the 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON continues tomorrow, with the first two groups going out at 7:30 am local time from the 1st and 10th hole.
Once Round 2 is completed a cut will be made to the top 40 professionals and ties, plus amateurs within the cut. In the event of a tie at the conclusion of the final round, the tournament winner will be decided by a sudden-death play-off.
Tournament Promoter
The majority of the Alps Tour events that are played on Italian soil, like this week’s 2025 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON is organized by the Italian Pro Tour, which is a branch of the Italian Golf Federation. They are responsible for promoting the majority of the professional golf events that occur in Italy.
For this week’s event, AON is the tournament Presenting Sponsor.
The main sponsors and partners that support the Italian Pro Tour during the 2025 season include: Fideuram Intesa SanPaolo Private Banking (Official Bank); Enel (Official Sponsor); Kappa (Technical Supplier); Poste Assicura (Official Supplier) and as an Official advisor: Infront Italy.
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 informed by following the Alps Tour on social media via Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
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