2nd June 2018 | Alps Tour Golf
France keeps the lead in Guadeloupe
6th November 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Marty holds firm on top in El Saler
France’s Fabien Marty is still leading Stage 2 at El Saler golf tie with two other players. There is one day to go to confirm who will play the final Stage of European Tour Q School.
Thanks to his Alps Tour ranking end of August, Marty avoided the Stage 1 of European Tour Q School. His golf is in very good shape and it’s been three days he is holding firm on top of the leaderboard.
Among Alps Tour players, Enrico Di Nitto and Tom Shadbolt, both playing in Panoramica Golf course, are respectively 10th and 15th, so on the right side of the line.
Good day for Raphaël Marguery in Lumine, He shot -4 for a 34th place tie. He have to be in top 20 to have a chance.
Alps Tour winner, England’s Matt Wallace did not manage to improve his score today. He is 66th.
14th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Maccario takes half way lead in Abruzzo Open
Federico Maccario shot brilliant 63, 8 under par, best score of the day to take half way lead with -11 in Abruzzo Open. The 22 year old player had flawless card with one eagle and 6 birdies. The overnight leader, France’s Raphaël Marguery, signed for a 69 two-under-par card to be second on his own heading to the week end, two shots back of the lead.
Players managed to tame the great course of Miglianico and many figures in red today. The cut felt at one under par and Victor Perez, currently 2nd at the Alps Tour ranking won’t play this week end and the risk is important for him to slide as all his challengers made the cut. Among them, Enrico Di Nitto shares third place with David Berna, both at -8 total.
Di Nitto is still fighting for a win this season. He finished second twice, in Tunisia and Italy, third attempt might be the one but his fellow countryman Maccario enjoys 4 round event as he won the Citadelle Trophy International last month. A win this week would give him a huge chance to play on Challenge Tour next year.
13th October 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Marguery in command in Abruzzo Open
France’s Raphaël Marguery shot 64, -7 during first round of Abruzzo Open. He tamed the Miglianico golf course holing eight birdies and only dropping one shot on the 6th hole. England’s Tom Shadbolt and Julien Foret from France are one shot back.
Marguery who managed to qualify for European Tour S School stage 2 is more than motivated to finish in final Top 5 of Alps Tour Order of Merit. The 29 year old player from Versailles needs a win and a podium at least during these last two events to pretend to accomplish his goal but his level of game seems to suit his target.
Tom Shadbolt is closer in the ranking as his victory last month made him enter the top 5 but he needs to confirm his position with good results. The Englishman succeeded in passing the Stage 1 marathon.
David Berna and Stefano Pitoni are a shot further. The latter, 8th at the ranking, has a real chance to make his move. Franck Daux and Enrico Di Nitto, both in Top 5 are in good position to increase their earnings this week whereas Victor Perez, 88th, is in trouble to add some points to his current ranking at the Order of Merit.
The projected cut is level par.
9th July 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Pitoni defeated Marguery in Brittany
Italy’s Stefano Pitoni defeated France’s Raphaël Marguery after first extra hole to seal his second victory this season. He won the inaugural Saint Malo Golf Open with -13 total. England’s Andrew Cooley is third on his own two shots back.
That was not an easy win. Pitoni started very well though with two birdies back to back but that was almost the only momentum of the day. He turned first nine two under par but did not manage to secure a leading score as France’s Marguery put pressure. He signed for 71, one under par.
It took 12 holes for the player from Versailles to catch up with the Italian. Marguery eventually took the leadership on his own thank to an eagle on the 15th. But he dropped back to back shot on the following holes. He holed for birdie on the last to record 68 and had to wait for Pitoni to finish to know if extra time on course was needed.
They both drove in the middle of the fairway playing the 18th as first extra hole. Then both went short of the green then hit the green in 3. Pitoni holed for birdie as Margeury missed it.
Thanks to this win Pitoni entered the Top 5 of Alps Tour ranking.
8th July 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Pitoni soars 3 shots clear in Saint Malo
Stefano Pitoni increased his advantage heading to last round of Saint Malo Golf Open. He shot a five under par card 67, -12 total to stand 3 shots clear of England’s Andrew Cooley and France’s Raphaël Marguery.
It seems to be the year of multiple victories. Franck Daux had back to back wins in Egypt, Matt Wallace recorded five titles in seven tournament and this week, Pinoti is racing for second win after his triumph on home soil last month.
The 26 year old player from Rieti recorded the best score during opening round and he almost did as well today with six birdies and only one dropped shot.
Bit hitter Andrew Cooley, whose last victory was in Egypt in 2015, had the perfect round. A flawless 65 to share second place at -9 with France’s Raphaël Marguery. The latter is the only one on the provisional podium not to have lift a trophy during his pro career. He fired 67.
The cut felt at level
7th May 2016 | Alps Tour Golf
Marguery leader at Club House, Wallace leads but still on course
France’s Raphaël Marguery is the club house leader after 36 holes at Gösser Open. He shot 68 for -9 total. At noon, the game was suspended during 2 hours and a half due to thunderstorms. Matt Wallace has not completed his round, he is currently -5 for the day and already -11 total. Same for young Autria’s Robin Goger. He is -10 total, thanks to -5 today after 13 holes.
Many players shot under par today and the cut should be around -2 or -1 but more or less thirty players will finish their second round tomorrow morning.
20th September 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Maiden win for Angles in France
Pep Angles with Open du Haut-Poitou trophy (c) Agathe Séron
Spain’s neo pro Pep Angles won his maiden title thanks to final round 69, -4 to go to -11 total. The Open International du Haut-Poitou was his event since he turned pro last week. He finished one stroke clear of Dutch Darius Van Driel.
The final round started with a little hour delay due to dense fog over Saint Cyr Golf Course. The overnight leaders – four- had very different final round and the spectators realised that the show was on the second last group. Damien Perrier in the last group admitted it was a bit frustrating.
“At the beginning of the round, they were about hundred to follow us. Then, I always had 2 putts on greens so it was a bit boring and Clément, who is not playing anymore as he is now a teacher, had a very tough day, so, people left us and it was weird to handle. But this is golf.”
The show was clearly in the second last group. Darius Van Driel and Pep Angles were neck and neck for a while and the Dutchman even had 2 strokes advantage before the end of first nine. The 22 year old Spaniard came back to one thanks to a birdie. But the key hole of the round was the 12th. Angles holed for birdie and Van Driel dropped one shot so names swung on top of the leader board and it never changed untill the end.
“I was playing well since the beginning of the week and I did not expect to win.” said Angles, ” I had a friend on th bag and it helped me to stay relax as we talked a lot between shots, not about golf. When I made this birdie to lead, I tried not to change anything. I had a number in mind, -10 and I stuck to my game plane. On the 17th, honestly, I did not plan to go that right over the trees, I wanted to hit my driver safely but I push it a little but I hit it long, so it crossed the water by 6 or 7 yards. I do not realise how this win could change things but I am happy with this just before heading to European Tour Q school Stage 1.”
Van Driel recorded a solid 70, -3 but it was not enough, again. The Dutchman, second at the Alps Tour ranking since last week, is once again, the fourth time this year, on the second step of the podium.
France’s Raphaël Marguery fired best score of the day, 68, -5 to finished third on his own.
4th March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Cooley Pharaoh in Cairo
Andrew Cooley (c) Agathe Séron
England’s Andrew Cooley is really the Alps Tour Pharaoh. He won his fourth title in Egypt, the Dreamland Pyramids Open thanks to final 67. He already won twice in 2013 and once last year.
He teed off one shot behind the overnight leaders Marguery and De Stefani. His start was the best he could have imagined as he birdied the first three holes.
“Well, I did not play very well last week but I had some good tips of Tom Sherreard and he really helped me out to get some good feelings on the range this morning and it kind of pay off.
Starting the round with three birdies did not mean it was my day but I knew I had to keep going, 3 wasn’t to be enough but that was the start I needed.”
He dug his advantage with brilliant and kind of lucky shot. On the 9th, after amazing drive, the few spectators cheered loudly an eagle two. He went -10 when closest competitor Raphaël Marguery was -6.
“I hit a good drive but it did not finish in a easy spot, I thought it was short of the bunker but I hit it hard enough to get over. It is your day when that kind of thing happens and I holed about 40 yards for eagle two, pretty fortunate.”
Despite his victories, Cooley did not manage to get his card to play on Challenge Tour. He confessed his game has to be more regular.
“Last year I had a wrist injury when we had sort of 5 or 6 tournaments close together, that wasn’t ideal. I need to be more consistent really. I don’t really have a consistent game, it is all or nothing but if I could just try get that consistency through the year hopefully pick up another win if I do play well.”
France’s Matthieu Pavon fired the best score of the day 66 to finish at second place.
“I am happy because it has been 3 weeks that I was playing well but my putting was very poor. But on the 10th hole, I holed about 8 meters and it was like a discloser and a relief. Thereafter, I holed some other putts and I had a nice round.”
Pavon leads the Alps Order of Merit after this winter series in Egypt. His compatriot Alexandre Widemann is second, England’s Andrew Cooley and Tom Shadbolt are respectively third and fourth and Frenchman Léo Lespinasse is a fifth place.
From Cairo
Agathe Séron
3rd March 2015 | Alps Tour Golf
Marguery and De Stefani with narrow advantage
Corrado De Stefani (c) Agathe Séron
France’s Raphaël Marguery and Italy’s Corrado De Stefani share Dreamland Pyramids Open going into the final round. With a total of -6, they have a narrow advantage over Julien Foret and big hitter England’s Andrew Cooley.
Marguery played in the morning session in perfect conditions compare to the first round when he had to deal with the wind.
“ At the beginning of the round, my long game was not accurate but I putted really well. I hit my driver a little bit on the left or the right then my second shots were about the same but right away, good result on the greens. I holed 9 meters to start, then I did well on the following par 5. I mad a silly bogey on the 18th, my tenth of the day. I three putted it. But I holed about 10 meters on the first to come back.”
“Two weeks ago, I tried to understand what was wrong, but it did not bring some results so today, I decided not to analyse and to play with what I have. Today, the course was a bit simpler without the wind and I had good feelings on the four last holes so it is nice.”
De Stefani, who turned 22 last Sunday, had a very face when he was asked about his feelings. The young man is playing his second year on the Alps Tour and his best result so far is a 17th place.
“It has been obviously a nice day. This course suit me very well as I am playing very well from the tee and if you can hit some fairways here, lot of the work is done. And in addition my irons were ok and my putting very good so that is how it worked out.
I am looking forward for tomorrow. It is the first time for me to be in this side of the leaderboard and hopefully it will be a good experience.”
From Cairo
Agathe Séron
