Frenchman Joël Stalter claimed his maiden European Tour victory in the Euram Bank Open in the Austrian Alps with fiancé Flora on the bag as he survived teeming rain to win. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JOËL Stalter overturned a four-stroke deficit to win his first European Tour title at the Euram Bank Open in the Austrian Alps.

The Frenchman finished two strokes ahead of Staffordshire’s Richard Mansell in the dual-ranked European Tour and Challenge Tour event.

Victory was even sweeter for Stalter, as he shared his success with his fiancée Flora, his caddie for the week.

Stalter, whose only other win came at the Swedish Challenge, in 2016, said: “Winning here… I can’t really put it into words.

“I have been in this situation a few times and was never able to really push through.

“My girlfriend was on the bag this week. She has done an incredible job. She kept me going. She’s definitely part of my success today.

“It was a horrible day in terms of the conditions. It was tough for everyone,” said the 28-year-old, who beat Wiltshire’s Ben Stow and Wales Oliver Farr in a play-off in Sweden, four years ago.

“The course played probably 1000 yards longer,” said Joel. “But my girlfriend had her smile on and just kept me going. We just had fun

“I was playing really well and I just really enjoyed it, even though it was a tough day.

“I didn’t know I was leading until the 13th hole. Then I took my chance and really pushed through.

“I feel like today is a tribute to the last two years of getting slapped in the face a lot. I just kept pushing and believing.”

Leader’s nerves over closing holes

STALTER admitted he “felt nervous” over the last two holes of the final round, as he and Flora were soaked by the rain falling against the spectacular backdrop of the Austrian Alps.

“I just tried to enjoy it as much as I could. It’s what we train for,” said Stalter, who lost his European Tour card in 2017 after graduating from the Challenge Tour following his maiden win.

“All the tough days… this is what makes up for it. I just tried to stay in my game and do my best. Obviously it worked out well.”

Stalter started the day chasing 54-hole leader and fellow Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist.

But he moved ahead after a birdie on the 10th – his second of the day – after his compatriot played the front nine at Golf Club Adamstal in four-over par.

A bogey on the 14^th hole brought him level with Mansell, who was playing in the final group.

But Stalter responded immediately with a birdie on the 15th. And a nervous wait followed as he parred his final three holes, setting the clubhouse target at 14-under.

Mansell, making just his second European Tour start after debuting at last week’s Austrian Open, made a costly bogey on the 16th.

And that gave Stalter his first European Tour victory after battling the teeming rain. The win earned him a cheque for €76,823.

Luiten left to rue costly 10 on par five

SCIOT-SIEGRIST finished in third place alongside Sweden’s Christofer Blomstrand and Germany’s Alexander Knappe.

Another Frenchman – Julien Brun – shared sixth place with South Africa’s Garrick Higgo, and pre-tournament favourite Joost Luiten.

The Dutchman, with six European Tour wins to his name, was left to rue the five dropped shots when he took 10 on the par five seventh in Friday’s third round.

Last year Mansell was winning regularly on the PGA EuroPro Tour, earning him seven starts on the Challenge Tour, earning his card for 2020 by finishing 64th on the Race to Mallorca.

The former Novo Southeastern University NCAA champion said: “If you had asked me at the start of the week – would you take a second place finish on your own? Yes.

“But with four holes to play when you’ve got a one-footer to tie the lead, or if you could just birdie the last, it’s difficult to swallow.

“But I’ll be back again. I know I’ll have more chances, said the 25-year-old from Beau Desert Golf Club.

“This week has given me a lot of confidence going forward. I’m happy with where my game’s at so we’ll see what happens next.

“I am good enough. I think I’ve always known that. I’ve just been waiting for a result.

“Now I’ve got that I just have that confidence, so I can go ahead and play freely now. I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”

It was a good weekend for Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, despite finishing with a one-over par 71.

An opening round of 66, backed up by a pair of 68s, left. him in a share of 13th place and earned him €6,661.

•After the Austrian Alps, the European Tour moves to Close House, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North East of England, next week for the Betfred British Masters.

It is the first tournament of the new six-event UK Swing which forms a substantial part of the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai.

The post Why Stalter loves the Flora and fauna of Austrian Alps… in fact Euram can Bank on it appeared first on Golf North.

Joost Luiten shot an excellent 63 to top the leaderboard at the Euram Bank Open in Austria. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JOOST Luiten has reached the summit in Austria for the second time in two weeks.

The Dutchman opened up a two-shot lead at after the second round at the Euram Bank Open.

The six-time European Tour winner carded a seven-under par 63 – adding to his five-under par first round – to get to 12-under.

Luiten said: “You never want to finish with a bogey. I missed the green, hit a decent chip and missed a short putt from about eight feet.

“All in all, it was a good day and I don’t want to ruin it just because of the bogey on the last. I need to take the positives into the weekend.

“There were 17 great holes really, I haven’t been in a lot of trouble or missed a lot of greens – even though it was tricky out there with the wind picking up a bit and the rain coming in. I’m really happy with seven-under.

“It was more difficult than yesterday, because of the wind. It’s hard to judge where it comes from up in the mountain.

“In the middle of the round it really picked up and when the rain came in it died down a little again. It was a tough day.”

Eriksson chasing Luiten at Adamstal

JOOST Luiten sits two strokes ahead of Sweden’s Philip Eriksson and Frenchman Joël Stalter at Golf Club Adamstal.

The 34-year-old pre-tournament favourite also led last week’s Austrian Open after the first round, eventually finishing in a share of 18th place.

Luiten started the day with two birdies and an eagle on his first five holes. He made another gain on the ninth, going out in just 31 strokes.

Three birdies followed on the back nine before he signed for a 63 after a bogey on the last.

Eriksson who, like Luiten, made a strong start last week at Diamond Country Club, carded a four-under par 66.

That saw him join Stalter in second place after the 28-year-old carded his second consecutive round of 65.

Eriksson said: “I’m playing pretty similar to last week – solid golf and hitting the putter really well. It’s good fun playing out there right now.

“This is what you want, coming out to the first tournaments, being in contention right away and feeling the heat.

“I’ve tried to get some practice back home, challenging friends. But it’s not really the same. Nothing beats playing in a big tournament like this.”

Golf Club Adamstal is hosting the Euram Bank Open, in the lower Austrian Alps

Card-trickster Stalter rediscovers magic

STALTER, who won five times playing college golf at University of California, is famous for his sleight of hand card tricks on Tour.

And the magic was definitely there for France’s former No. 1 ranked amateur, who has just one Challenge Tour win to his name, back in 2016.

Stalter said: “I had a great round today. I really had it going on the front nine and then on the back nine I gave myself a lot of chances.

“I didn’t make them but it’s still really solid. Bogey-free round – you’ll always take those.

“The pins were tucked. It was windy but I gave myself a lot of chances.

“I had six feet for birdie on 13, 10 feet for birdie on 14. I just didn’t make those, and on 16 I lipped out.

“It was tough to get close to the pins, but great playing. That’s golf, you make some putts, then cool down. At the end of the day it’s a great round.”

Stalter is playing in his 42nd European Tour event in this week’s dual-ranking event with the Challenge Tour.

His 16th place finish on the Order of Merit in 2016 earned the last card for the European Tour in 2017, but he finished 132nd on the Race to Dubai.

Brun back with a bang after 64 – bettered by Scott’s 62

ANOTHER Frenchman – Julien Brun – making his first appearance since the Lalla Aïcha Challenge Tour in October, carded a six-under 64, moving to fourth place on nine-under.

In fifth place are Sweden’s Christofer Blomstrand, American John Catlin, Australia’s first-round leader Deyen Lawson and Scotland’s Chris Robb – all on eight-under.

Spaniard Scott Fernandez carded the lowest round of the day, an eight-under 62, to join seven others in a share of ninth place.

•For live scoring and to follow Joost Luiten in Friday’s third round click here.

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