25th February 2024 | Alps Tour Golf
Mario Galiano Aguilar ties the Course Record to take the first-round lead at the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open.
The first round of the 2nd tournament of the 2024 Winter Series, the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open, played on courses B&C at the beautiful Sokhna Golf Club in Suez, Egypt, began this morning at 7:00 am local time from the 1st and 10th hole. Like last week, players can compete under favorable weather conditions this week as blue skies and temperatures that could reach a high of 25° Celsius are expected even if, during the afternoon, some light to moderate winds are forecasted.
Spain’s twenty-eight years old, Mario Galiano Aguilar shot a 10 under-par, 62 in the 1st round of the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open to lead by 1 stroke. With today’s incredible round, Galiano Aguilar ties the current course record which was already set at 10 under-par. He has earned several Top 10 finishes on the Alps Tour throughout his playing career but is looking to break through and earn his 1st win on the tour, “I had the opportunity in a couple of tournaments to win but I knew my game wasn’t ready to win. However, now I feel my game is ready to win and I’m very confident. If it’s not going to be this week, it’ll be another week, but I know I’m competitive enough. I’m very focused and determined on this year’s goal which is to win tournaments.” During today’s 10 under-par, 62 round, Galiano Aguilar made 1 bogey and 6 birdies on the front nine and then added 5 more birdies on the back nine to conclude his fabulous round. After he signed his card, Galiano Aguilar commented, “I wasn’t aware of what the course record was, but I knew my lowest round ever was a -9, so I really tried the last three holes to get to -10, and I’m obviously very happy about it.” He added that he made a change between the 2024 Ein Bay Open and this week’s event, “I usually putt with a marked line on my ball however today I didn’t use it, I just put my ball down with no line and was trying to feel more the line and the aim I wanted. I hope it works well the next two days like it did today. I made this change because last week I hit the ball extremely well, but my putting was very disappointing. Today the putter finally worked, and I was able to put together a good round, I was -4 in my first 6 holes and that gave me good confidence for the rest of the day.”
Francesco Santoni, twenty-five years old from Italy, finds himself in 2nd place with a 1st round score of 9 under-par, 63, and only 1 shot off the lead. He began his round by making 4 birdies and 1 bogey on the front nine and then went on to make 6 more birdies on the back nine to conclude his day. After his round, he commented: “Today was a really good day overall, as you can expect with a -9, but to be honest with you, while I was out on the course, I didn’t realize the round I was putting together. I realized the round I did while coming off the 18th green. I worked a lot this off-season with my coach Alain Vergari. We worked a lot on my swing to try and gain more consistency and the results I saw today were satisfying. I did the first step, which was putting together today’s round, but tomorrow, I want to go out there and keep doing what I was doing today and put together another good round, if not better than today.”
Twenty-nine years old, Benjamin Kedochim from France concluded his first round of the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open with an 8 under-par, 64 and finds himself in a two-way tie for 3rd place alongside Spain’s Borja Martin. He teed off on the 10th hole where he made 3 birdies and 1 eagle. After making the turn, he went on to make 4 more birdies and 1 bogey to conclude his day. Kedochim has earned a number of top 5 finishes in his career but is looking to capture his 1st title: “I’ve been close several times in the past 2 years to earn a win but I don’t think I was missing something specific I just need to keep playing my best every day and sometimes you have a little extra luck which is what you need to win and other times you won’t get it.” He also explained that: “today I began the day with a few lip outs, but I tried to stay in the moment as I told myself they will drop so I tried to stay patient. I’m really trying to play shot by shot like I did last season and made a good putt on 14 which got me into the round. I struggled with my putting during the first event of the season, so I worked a lot on it before we started this tournament and I’m pleased with the results I saw today. I had a stretch of 6 holes where I made 3 big putts and that helped a lot.”
Spain’s twenty-four-year-old Borja Martin is the 2nd player in the two-way tie for 3rd place at 8 under-par with a great bogey-free round. He made 1 birdie on the front nine for a front-nine score of 35 and after making the turn at 1 under-par, he made 5 birdies and 1 eagle to close out in 29 for a total score of 64, 8 under-par. After his round, Martin commented that today, “I played pretty well on the front side but wasn’t able to take advantage of a couple of good situations I had. However, on the back nine, I kept hitting good shots and was able to make some important putts. On the few holes I hit a few bad tee shots, I managed to recover and made par on those holes.” He found that the conditions at Sokhna Golf Club, “were great. The wind made a few holes a bit tougher on the front nine, but it stopped for the back nine luckily. The main difference I found is if you play in the morning, the greens are nicer, while in the afternoon, it’s tougher to make putts.”
The competitors in this week’s event are battling it out for an overall prize fund of €40.000 and 45,000 Order of Merit points.
The winner of the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open will earn €5,800 and 6,525 Order of Merit points.
Round 2
The second round of the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open will begin again at 7:00 am local time from the 1st and 10th hole. Once Round 2 is completed, a cut will be made to the top 40 players and ties.
The first-round leader, Mario Galiano Aguilar will begin his second round of the tournament at 12:00pm local time from the 1st hole.
Tournament Promoter-
The 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open appreciates the support of: Sokhna Golf Club, Ein Bay, Hassan Allam Properties, TPC- Touristic Promotion Company, Jaz Hotel Little Venice, and Coca Cola Egypt.
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22nd February 2024 | Alps Tour Golf
Aymeric Laussot wins the 2024 Ein Bay Open!
Egypt, February 22nd, 2024– France’s Aymeric Laussot wins his first title on the Alps Tour at the season-opening event, the 2024 Ein Bay Open, with a total score of 14 under-par. Edoardo R Lipparelli from Italy concludes the tournament in 2nd place only 1 stroke back. In 3rd place at 12 under-par, Luca Galliano from Switzerland with a fabulous final round of 9 under-par, 63.
The final round of the 2024 Ein Bay Open got underway at 8:00 am local time from the 1st and 11th hole and the leaders group teed off at 9:17 am local time from the 1st hole. The weather and scoring conditions have been constant for the players throughout the past few days who have been competing at the beautiful Sokhna Golf Club for the season-opening event.
Final Round Player Quotes
France’s Aymeric Laussot captures his first Alps Tour title at the 2024 Ein Bay Open by 1 stroke. He shot a final round of 5 under-par, 67 that included 1 eagle, 6 birdies,1 bogey, and 1 double bogey. Laussot turned professional in May 2023 after he graduated from college. After his victory, he was very happy, “I’m proud of the way I fought today even though in today’s final round I put a bogey and double bogey on the card. You know it’s my first Alps Tour event for me. The past couple of years have been tough for me, but I kept working, and I knew my time was going to come at some point. I’m just very proud of the process with my coaches, Greg Buisson, Antoine Schwartz, and Kenny Lesager. I have a very solid team around me, and we had some goals for this week which weren’t based on the result, but it was to commit and enjoy, and that’s exactly what I did.” Laussot was in the field this week on an invite, “I want to take the time to thank the French Federation which gave me the opportunity to come play this week, I wouldn’t be participating if it wasn’t for them.” When asked about plans for the season, he added, “Obviously, after the win today, my plans for the season are changing. I will focus on playing the whole season on the Alps Tour and hopefully, a couple of Challenge Tour events if I get in. Now the main goal has become to end the season in the top 5 and earn my full playing status on the higher tour for next year.”
Edoardo R Lipparelli, 27 years old from Italy, shot a bogey-free, 6 under-par, 66 in today’s final round to conclude the 2024 Ein Bay Open in 2nd place only 1 shot back. He is a past winner on the Alps Tour, won the 2018 Alps Tour Order of Merit, and has collected a number of top 3 finishes. After his round, Lipparelli commented, “I’m overall very pleased with today’s round. I was able to have a good start, and it would have been even better if I made a few more putts down the stretch. I’m happy with where my game is at so early in the season and my consistency because, if I’m not mistaken, I only made 1 bogey this week. Overall, today, compared to the past 2 days, I think the only major difference was that I was able to make more putts, but I’m excited for the next events and bring this momentum.”
Luca Galliano from Switzerland who concluded the tournament in 3rd place, had the lowest round of the day during today’s final round with an incredible bogey-free 9 under-par,63. That is just 1 stroke shy of the course record set by Matt Wallace of 10 under-par.
Final Round
Aymeric Laussot, winner of the 2024 Ein Bay Open, earned 6,525 Order of Merit points and the winning check of €5,800. He is the current Order of Merit leader.
The next event on the schedule for the Alps Tour players is set for February 25th-27th here at the beautiful Sokhna Golf Club for the second tournament of the 2024 Winter Series: the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open.
Tournament PromoterThe 2024 Ein Bay Open, as well as the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open, appreciate the support of Sokhna Golf Club, Ein Bay, Hassan Allam Properties, TPC- Touristic Promotion Company, Jaz Hotel Little Venice, and Coca-Cola Egypt.
As we are promptly awaiting the first tee shot at the 2024 Ein Bay Open to get the 2024 season underway, we wanted to wish all the players the best of luck for this new and exciting golf season.
Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android).
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21st February 2024 | Alps Tour Golf
Manfredi Manica moves into the lead after Round 2 at the 2024 Ein Bay Open.
It was another beautiful day for the 2nd round of the 2024 Ein Bay Open being played at stunning Sokhna Golf Club. Play began again at 7:00 am local time with sunny skies and a pleasant temperature. The scoring conditions were more favorable in the morning as the wind that picked up later in the day.
Manfredi Manica from Italy who was tied for 3rd place after round 1, has now moved into the lead after round 2 at the 2024 Ein Bay Open with a fabulous bogey-free 7 under-par,65 round with 5 birdies and 1 eagle. He is 28 years old and represents Castello di Tolcinasco Golf Club. Manica captured his first professional win on the Alps Tour last year at the 2023 Aravell Golf Open by Creand. At the conclusion of his round, he commented on how, “I had a slow start today, I made a birdie on my 2nd hole of the day to get to -5 and then I finally made a long eagle putt on hole 17, my 6thhole of the day to get things going.” Manica added: “I putted well both days, but today, my tee shots were very solid, which allowed me to have better opportunities inside of having to recover.” Most of the players in the field commented that during the day the wind picks up and swirls so you must be careful, Manica mentioned that “the wind was a big part of today’s round. It’s not the same throughout the day as it swirls so you must be careful.” He concluded by saying how he, “obviously I would like to earn as many points as possible to be in the top 5 and remain there for the season to reach my goal to be on the Challenge Tour. Last year I was close, so this year, that is my priority.”
Italy’s Jacopo Vecchi Fossa who was tied for the lead after round 1 is now in 2nd place with a two-day total of 10 under-par. He followed his 6 under-par 66 opening round, with a 4 under-par, 68 where he made 5 birdies and 1 bogey. Vecchi Fossa captured multiple wins on the Alps Tour over the years, as well as winning the 2021 Alps Tour Order of Merit title, which allowed him to earn status on the Challenge Tour. He is 29 years old and currently represents Modena Golf & Country Club. After his round, Vecchi Fossa was pleased with the day, “I’m happy about today’s round, it was a good day. I slightly struggled at the beginning to make some birdies but then as the wind picked up a little bit later than yesterday, it was tougher on the back nine I played better and was able to make some birdies.” He found that: “in the morning it’s chillier but there is less wind. During the afternoon, there is more wind, so it could be an advantage or disadvantage.” Looking at his record, Vecchi Fossa has earned multiple top 5 finishes here at Sokhna Golf Club, he commented: “Sokhna Golf Club is a golf course I believe that if you miss it in the correct spots, you are able to recover and make a good score but if you don’t it’s easy to get penalized. I think that having a good knowledge about the course and knowing it well is an advantage.”
France’s Aymeric Laussot followed his 3 under-par opening round with a 6 under-par, 66 today for a two-day total of 9 under-par and be in 3rd place ahead of tomorrow’s final round. On the front nine he made 1 bogey and 2 birdies. On the back nine he made 5 birdies in 6 holes stretch. Laussot turned professional in May 2023 after he graduated from college. After his round, he commented: “I had a rough start with a 3 putt from 30ft to start my round and I knew it was going to be a tough day as the win picked up and the greens got really firm so thankfully, I trusted the process and things I could control, and it worked well. Tomorrow, there will be more pressure, but I’m playing this week thanks to the Alps Tour and the French Federation, so I want to be present at the moment and not go too far ahead of myself. I will keep doing what I’m doing and I’m thankful for this opportunity.”
Federico Livio from Italy, who represents Golf Club Bergamo l’Albenza, shot a 2 under-par 70 in today’s round for a two-day total of 8 under-par. He finds himself in a two-way tie for 4th place alongside Manuel Morugan. He made 6 birdies and 4 bogeys in today’s round. Livio turned professional in 2020 and is 25 years old. When he completed his round, Livio was overall satisfied even though “I missed a couple more putts and irons today compared to yesterday, which didn’t allow me to make as many birdies as I made yesterday and, unfortunately, a few more bogeys.” He went on to add that he found, “the conditions were different today as there was more wind and early this morning was much chillier.” Livio also added: “To be honest, I didn’t expect to see the results I’m seeing so early in the season in such a short amount of time. I strongly believe that it’s a result of the work I’ve put in with my coaches and a personal change I’ve experienced.” Looking ahead to the final round, Livio plans on: “continuing my routine of shot by shot, hole by hole and I will see where I stand at the end of the 18th hole.”
Spain’s Manuel Morugan, who is in the two-way tie for 4th place alongside Livio, shot a bogey-free 4 under-par,68 for a two-day total of 8 under-par. He is 33 years old, represents RCG Guadalhorces, and won his first title on the Alps Tour at the 2022 Abruzzo Alps Open.
As we are promptly awaiting the first tee shot at the 2024 Ein Bay Open to get the 2024 season underway, we wanted to wish all the players the best of luck for this new and exciting golf season.
Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android).
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19th February 2024 | Alps Tour Golf
The 2024 Winter Series in Egypt gets the 2024 season started.
Egypt, February 18th, 2024 – Since 2022, the new Alps Tour season gets underway in Egypt with three events that make up the 2024 Winter Series.
The first two events of the 2024 Winter Series will be played on two different courses at the magnificent Sokhna Golf Club in Suez. The first tournament, the 2024 Ein Bay Open, will be played February 20th– 22nd on courses A&B. Only 3 days later, the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open will get underway February 25th– 27th on courses B&C.
The Field
An exceptional field is expected for the first two events of the 2024 Winter Series as players are eager to start the season and chase their ultimate goal on the Alps Tour, which is to earn one of the coveted 2025 Challenge Tour cards that are up for grabs.
Jose Manuel Pardo Benitez, Manfredi Manica, Gianmaria Rean Trinchero, and Augustin Holé, who all won on the Alps Tour during the 2023 season, will be in the field during both tournaments. Also, the 2021 Order of Merit winner, Italy’s Jacopo Vecchi Fossa will be competing.
Last year, England’s Jack Floydd won the 2023 Ein Bay Open with a score of 17 under-par. He won’t be in the field this week to defend his title as he earned playing status on the Challenge Tour. The 2023 Red Sea Little Venice Open title was captured by Spain’s Quim Vidal in a sudden-death play-off. Like Floydd, he will not be in the field as he qualified for the major tours.
Among the 120 players competing at the first two tournaments of the 2024 Winter Series, approximately 23 worldwide countries will be represented. The field is made up of 13 amateur players and 107 professional players.
On Friday 23rd February, our traditional best ball aggregate to par shotgun pro-am will take place on courses B&C at Sokhna Golf Club with approximately 30 teams participating.
At the 2024 Ein Bay Open and the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open, there will be 120 players competing in each field for a prize fund of €40,000 and 45,000 Order of Merit points. The winner of each tournament will earn €5,800 and 6,525 Order of Merit points. Both events will be played as 54 holes stroke play tournaments where a cut will be made after 36 holes.
To view the most up-to-date entry list for the 1st event of the season, click here.
The Course
The first two events of the 2024 Winter Series, the 2024 Ein Bay Open and the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open, will be hosted at Sokhna Golf Club in Ain Sokhna, Egypt, which is home to 27 holes of golf. This golf club has hosted Alps Tour events for more than 10 years, allowing it to become a point of reference on the Alps Tour schedule.
The players competing for the 2024 Ein Bay Open title will play on courses A&B as a 6968 meters par 72, while for the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open players will compete on courses B&C as a 6670 meters par 72.
Sokhna Golf Club is a joint venture between the Little Venice Golf Resort, which is part of Hassan Allam Properties, and El Ein Bay, which is owned by Galalah Touristic Investments Company. They joined their forces to create a “real first-class golfing destination” in Ain Sokhna.
Sokhna Golf Club is located alongside the shores of the Gulf of Suez and was designed by John Sanford & Tim Lobb. The courses were built with gently undulating fairways and well-placed water and sand traps. All the courses are known for their technical difficulties and are located near the shores; therefore, players could face strong winds throughout the week.
Tournament Promoter
The 2024 Ein Bay Open, as well as the 2024 Red Sea Little Venice Open, appreciate the support of Sokhna Golf Club, Ein Bay, Hassan Allam Properties, TPC- Touristic Promotion Company, Jaz Hotel Little Venice, and Coca-Cola Egypt.
As we are promptly awaiting the first tee shot at the 2024 Ein Bay Open to get the 2024 season underway, we wanted to wish all the players the best of luck for this new and exciting golf season.
Follow along on www.alpstourgolf.com or the official “Alps Tour Golf” app to keep up on all the latest news (available on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android).
#risinggolfstars
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24th February 2022 | Alps Tour Golf
Ein Bay Open 2022 – Italian Stefano Mazzoli wins in Egypt
Egypt – February 24, 2022 – Italian Stefano Mazzoli, 25, kept the overnight lead during the 3rd final round at Sokhna Golf Club battling head to head till the 17th hole with Irishman Conor Purcell to claim the victory of the Ein Bay Open 2022, the first stage of the Alps Tour Season 2022.
Mazzoli started his last round with 3 birdies on the first six holes but lost 2 shots on the 7th due to a double bogey. He came back on the back nine with 3 birdies on the last five holes. He scored just 3 bogeys and 1 double bogey during the whole tournament and saved strokes with 17 birdies and 1 eagle. He scored a total of 202 (69-65-68).
“This is my second victory in Egypt (after 2020 Red Sea Little Venice Open) and the third on the Alps Tour (2021 Antognolla Alps Open). I’m very happy about my start, I’ve played very well during the week. Today I scored a bad double bogey on the 7th where I ended in the water hazard but then I came back soon. It was almost a matchplay between me and Conor until the 17th where we finished on the green with the second shot but I ended up making a birdie and Conor three-putted. I’m very happy with my start here for the first stage of the Tour”.
Mazzoli earns a cheque of 5,800 euros and adds 6,525 points to lead the Order of Merit.
The prize for the second place (3,940 euros) went to Irishman Conor Purcell, 24, who was in 6th place just 2 shots behind the leader after day 2.
“It was particularly tough knewing I had to score probably a 5 or 6 under par to gain the victory. But I’m happy with my score also because the weather got a little windier on the course. I can’t complain with my game even if I had the chance to score some more birdies. Congratulations to Stefano who played a very solid 3rdround here”.
The third place was shared between Frenchman Pierre Pineau and Spaniard Enrique Marin Santander both at -11. “I didn’t expect such a great start said Enrique Marin Santander. I’ve been playing well all the week. I’m really excited for the next couple of tournaments coming up these next weeks. I recently turned pro and my goal is to make some experiences here on the Alps Tour and even if I had some invitations to play on the Challenge Tour my main goal is to play well here on the Alps”.
A great results during these 3 days came from French amateurs Tom Vaillant, 20, in 7th position with a total of 208 (69-68-71) and for his compatriot Martin Couvra, 19, in 15th place with a total score of 209 (70-67-72).
Tomorrow, Friday 25th, it is time for the Sokhna Golf Club Pro Am with 18 teams on courses B+C, the same that will host the second stage of the 2022 Alps Tour Season from Sunday 27th to Tuesday 1st for the 2022 Red Sea Little Venice Open where Italian Luca Cianchetti will try to defend his title.
The Tour will then move to New Giza Golf Club on March 4th for the 2022 New Giza Open.
Final Results: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
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22nd February 2022 | Alps Tour Golf
Ein Bay Open 2022 – Pierre Pineau and Conor Purcell leading the field after day 1
February 22nd, Egypt, 2022 – A wonderful first day of golf along the coasts of the Gulf of Suez at the Sokhna Golf Club.
The 120 participants melted away their tensions and faced off each other under the sunshine and in almost perfect weather conditions.
Due to the rains of the past few days, the course was slightly different than last year when it was played in May and players had to adapt their game to those differences.
Two players are co-leading the Ein Bay Open after the first 18 holes with scores of 65 (-7): One is the French Pierre Pineau, 22 years old, who came second last year here at Sokhna GC.
He scored a total -7 thanks to 10 birdies, 6 on the front nine and 4 on the back nine, one bogey and one double bogey.
“I immediately started very aggressive and delivered 3 nice birdies in a row but unfortunately I made a double bogey at the fourth after finishing outside the green with a putter. I quickly recovered thanks to a few birdies and started putting really really well throughout the round. 3 times I nailed putters from 10 meters away”.
Irishman Conor Purcell also returned a brilliant card with the same 65 (-7) as Pineau. He got an invitation to play here at the Ein Bay Open after he had to withdraw from the Qualifying School last November due to a food poisoning.
Conor, who turned pro in 2019, said: “The course was pretty generous off the tee. I started slow my round and I took my chances when I could. I made a great eagle at the 8th and I’ve played the par 5s of the course 4 under par which is pretty great. I really loved some good iron shots I hit during this first day. I’m looking to play a lot this year and I really have to thank the Alps Tour for giving me the invitation to come here this week”.
Right behind the leaders there are three players tied at -6: Spaniard Juan Luis Sanchez Perez, Italian Gregorio De Leo and Englishman Jack Floydd.
Weather forecast for tomorrow gives slightly cloudy skies in the morning and clear skies in the afternoon with increasing temperatures compared to today. Deciding factor will be the wind gusts, expected up to 18 knots northbound.
Results Round 1: click here or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
Stay tuned! www.alpstourgolf.com and the app « Alps Tour Golf » (on App Store for iOS devices and Play Store for Android) will keep you updated on every news about Alps Tour.
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19th February 2022 | Alps Tour Golf
Alps Tour 2022 Season ready to kick off at Sokhna GC for the Ein Bay Open
February 19th, 2022 – Everything is finally under way to kick off the Alps Tour season.
120 players, from twenty countries around the world, will challenge each other to try to reach the highest step of the podium in Egypt from February 22nd to 24th during three day of pure golf.
The course chosen to host the opening stage of the Tour, the Ein Bay Open 2022, is the Sokhna Golf Club (course A&B), now in its tenth appearance in the Alps Tour schedule and a true point of reference in these recent years.
Located along the shores of the Gulf of Suez, this par 72 will give the newcomers a hard time even during the following week.
The 27-holes resort of Sokhna GC, in fact, will also be the venue for the second leg of this Egyptian Swing which will take place from February 27th to March 1st during the Red Sea Little Venice Open, on course B&C.
The course is well renowned for its technical difficulties and sometimes the strong winds or high temperatures can add to the challenges that the participants have to fear. In fact, despite most of the players concluded under par last year when the tournament was played in May, the weather conditions definitely tested the bodies and minds of the participants.
Last year Spaniard Angel Hidalgo Portillo, 23, grabbed here his first professional win, igniting the spark for his stellar season which eventually brought him on Challenge Tour and DP World Tour thanks to his brilliant results.
Among the favorites players, there will be Frenchman Frank Medale, who narrowly missed out one of the Challenge Tour cards last season, or Italians Stefano Mazzoli winner of the Antognolla Alps Open in 2021 and Luca Cianchetti who last year won the Red Sea Little Venice Open here at Sokhna GC.
Among the participants there will be also Frenchman Pierre Pineau and Spaniard Jacobo Pastor, two players who last year seriously challenged the eventual winner finishing respectively second and third with -14 and -13 under par.
The host country Egypt will be well represented here at Sokhna Golf Club by pro Issa Abou El Ela and three amateurs, Abdel Monem El Shafei, Anshul Kabthiyal and Ahmed Naim, who will participate in all the three tournaments organized in Egypt over the next weeks.
The French contingent is the most conspicuous, though, with 30 players, including the winner of the 2022 Qualifying School, amateur Martin Couvra, one of the nine “under 20” players who make up for one of the youngest field ever for an Alps Tour event. Italy and Spain follow with 27 and 24 players, respectively.
Players, as for all the competition organized during the year by Alps Tour, will compete for a prize money of 40,000 euros.
The access to the tournament is ruled according to the 2021 Alps Tour ranking and to the results in the Qualifying School played last November, assigning the playing categories to Alps Tour members. Other exemptions include the National Field, with a number of spots varying depending on the host country, plus some invitations and wild cards.
We just have to wait for the initial tee-shot to officially kick off the golf season and wish all the guys good luck. Check the Alps Tour Golf app for the full schedule.
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11th January 2022 | Alps Tour Golf
Ready for an exciting New Season!
January 11th, 2022 – The 2022 schedule has not yet been fully finalized, but our Alps Tour members are definitely ready and eager to start an exciting new season with an ambitious goal: gaining one of the five Challenge Tour cards at stake for the best players in the Order of Merit at the end of the year. This has been clear since the opening of the entries for the 2022 Winter Series one week ago with a flow of names adding up, hour after hour, and soon exceeding the 120 spots available for each of the three tournaments scheduled in a row from February 22 to March 6.
Egypt is once again the ideal stage for starting the touring season, as it has been the case since 2013, including the last two complicated years. For the 10th time, in fact, the Sokhna Golf Club will host the Ein Bay Open (February 22-24) and the Red Sea Little Venice Open (Febr. 27 – March 1). These two traditional events taking place on the shores of the Suez Gulf will be followed by the return of the New Giza Open (March 4-6) at stunning New Giza Golf Club near Cairo, some 160 km North West of Sokhna and built by the Australian golf architect Tim Lobb with amazing views of the famous Pyramids of Giza. It will be the second experience for the Alps Tour at New Giza, after the debut event in March 2019 won by Italian Lorenzo Scalise, now a Challenge Tour regular.
The 2022 schedule – which should count 18 tournaments in all, with €40,000 prize money each – will then resume in the last week of March with a “Spring Series” in Italy, two events yet to be confirmed, followed by the traditional stop in Miglianico (centre of Italy) for the 8th edition of the Abruzzo Alps Open (April 13-15).
May, June and July are going to be quite busy, with the Italy Alps event (May 5-7) on a venue to be announced, then in Austria for the 30th edition of the Gösser Open at the Golf Club Erzherzog Johann (May 19-21), the 8th edition of the Memorial Giorgio Bordoni at La Pinetina, Italy (May 25-27). We will cross the Atlantic Sea for the Open de St Francois in Guadeloupe (June 2-4), then back to France for the 18th edition of the Open de la Mirabelle d’Or (June 17-19), and straight to Spain for the Alps de Andalucia (June 23-25); back to France for the Aa St Omer mixed Open (June 30 – July 2) with the LET Access, Spain again with Alps de las Castillas (July 7-9) and La Gomera island with the Alps de la Gomera (July 14-16).
The final part of the season will be in Italy, with one event in July (21-23), then the Albarella Alps Open near Venice (September 29 – October 1), and the Grand Final (October 6-8) to finish with a special celebration and the best performing players of the year.
All we have left to do now is getting ready at our best for the upcoming Egyptian events: entries close on February 1st! Check the Alps Tour Golf app for the full schedule.
#risinggolfstars
#raisinggolfstars
25th May 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Cianchetti goes wire-to-wire and celebrates third Alps Tour win
The last round of the 9th edition of the Red Sea Little Venice Open at Sokhna GC, in Egypt, was coloured in green-white-and-red like the Italian flag, when Luca Cianchetti from Modena confirmed his great form of the past two days and finished the tournament at 200 (-16) topping the leader board again and seizing the first prize with a two-strokes margin over fellow compatriots Jacopo Vecchi Fossa and Ludovico Addabbo, tied second at 202 (-14).
With today’s 64 (-8) – best round of the day, signed also by Irishman David Carey – Vecchi Fossa, 26, from Reggio Emilia, climbed seven positions from yesterday’s T9th place and regained the leadership of the Order of Merit that he had briefly conceded last week to Spaniard Angel Hidalgo, now in 2nd spot. Ludovico Addabbo, 22, from Rome, proved to himself he can hold his nerves under pressure and has all the abilities to compete at a higher level, as he started the day as 2nd and in the last group, and never lost his focus, with 4 birdies and just 1 bogey at the turn on hole 10, for a 69 (-3) and a total -14, two strokes better than experienced Frenchman Julien Foret, who dropped two spots and finished 4th at 204 (-12).
“I am super happy for this win”, said Cianchetti, 25, who can boast two more success in Alps Tour tournaments, the first when still an amateur, in the 2015 Abruzzo Open, and the second in the 2019 Katameya Dunes Open in Cairo. “I didn’t really expect it after the first tournament here where I missed the cut, but after the 62 in the opening round I gained a lot of confidence. It was a difficult day because I was a bit nervous in the beginning and I had a bogey 5 on the 2nd hole and a double bogey 5 on hole n. 4, but little by little I found my focus back and I managed to keep calm and play my game, so I started holing some putts and making some birdies, including four in a row from 11 to 14”. The bogey 5, missing a short putt on the last hole was irrelevant as his margin was already comfortable enough to secure his third Alps Tour title and climbing the Order of Merit up to the 5th place. “Of course I like Egypt, as I already won in Cairo two years ago, and it is a bonus to share the podium here with two other Italian guys who are also friends of mine”.
The Egypt Swing is now in the books. The Alps Tour schedule will resume next month in France with the 18th edition of the Open de La Mirabelle d’Or at Golf de La Grange aux Ormes, in Metz, June 11-13.
Click here for the Final results and here for the updated Order of Merit, or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
24th May 2021 | Alps Tour Golf
Italian Cianchetti still topping the leader board at -14
It was another good day at the office for overnight leader Luca Cianchetti. After sealing the new course record 62 (-10) yesterday at Sokhna GC (A+B courses), the Italian has kept the top of the leader board after adding a 68 (-4) in the second round of the Red Sea Little Venice Open for a total 130 (-14) and therefore gaining a comfortable 3-strokes margin over fellow compatriot Ludovico Addabbo and Frenchman Julien Foret, both sitting at 133 (-11).
“Today it was a bit more difficult for me, but I expected that”, said Cianchetti, 25, who is attached to Bologna GC. “After such a good round you need to completely reset, and I think I kind of made it right. Even though I did not play as well as yesterday, I was able to make good use of any birdie chance I had. I have made a few more mistakes and three bogeys (on holes 1, 2 & 5), but on a positive note I closed with three birdies in a row in the last five holes (from hole 6 to 8). My putting was still decent today while my long game was more erratic than yesterday. Tomorrow I will need to reset it all again, and think shot by shot”.
Julien Foret, 38, scored the best result of the day, a bogey-free 64 (-8) carded with 10 pars and 8 birdies equally distributed on front and back nine. “A good day for me obviously, where I could mark lots of birdies and, even better, no bogeys, which is always good news. I had the chance to hole many putts, and I think I have also taken advantage of the weather with my tee time at 8:10, as this morning it was probably less windy than the afternoon”.
Ludovico Addabbo, 22, from Rome, is playing in his second season on the Alps Tour after gaining his card at the 2019 Qualifying School. Last season was a disappointing one for him and led to a return to the QSchool where he got a conditional card with category 8. After missing the cuts in the first 3 tournaments of the 2021 season, Ludovico has put his game on the right track and scored a 13th and a 14th place. Now, with today’s round in 65 (-7) with one eagle, 8 birdies and 3 bogeys, he hopes to sensibly improve his record and fill that 3-strokes gap with the leader.
50 players made the cut at -1, including 8 amateurs. The final round will start tomorrow at 7:00, with the leader’s team off at 8:28 from hole 1.
Click here for the 2nd round results or check on the Alps Tour Golf app.
