Seve Ballesteros designed the Royal Óbidos course which will host the Portugal Open

THE Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos will return to the European Tour schedule in September. It will form an Iberian Swing along with the Andalucia and Portugal Masters.

The Portuguese Open will now become a dual ranking event when it is staged at the Seve Ballesteros-designed Royal Óbidos course, from September 17-20.

It will be the third event in the new Iberian Swing, following the Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters at Valderrama and the Portugal Masters.

The Portugal Open was already confirmed as part of the European Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca for a third consecutive year. It will now return to the European Tour for the first time since 2017.

The announcement follows the strategy of playing events on the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai in regional clusters.

The Andalucia Masters will be played at the Spanish course in Sotogrande from September 3-6, while the Portugal Masters returns to Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura, from September 10-13.

The 58th edition of the historic event will be promoted by the Portuguese Golf Federation and moves to Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort for the first time. There will also be an increased prize fund of €500,000.

First played in 1973, the tournament boasts an impressive list of winners including Sam Torrance in 1982 and 1983, Colin Montgomerie in 1989, Miguel Angel Jiménez in 2004 and Thomas Bjørn in 2010.

Wallace won in Portugal in 2017

HERTFORDSHIRE’S Matt Wallace claimed the first of his four European Tour wins the last time the Open de Portugal was part of the Race to Dubai in 2017.

It propelled the Moor Park golfer, who had been playing on the Alps Tour after turning pro, up the rankings.

The win became part of his three wins in 12 months that almost pushed him into Europe’s 2018 Ryder Cup team when he won a play-off at the Made in Denmark tournament.

Since then Australia’s Dimitrios Papadatos and Poland’s Adrian Meronk claimed their first Challenge Tour victories in Portugal, in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Ben Cowen, the European Tour’s deputy chief operating officer, said: “In planning the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai, part of our measured approach has been to play, where possible, in clusters in one region or territory.

“Adding the Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos as a dual ranking event creates a three tournament ‘Iberian Swing’ for players on the European Tour, and delivers further good news for Challenge Tour members as the event remains on the Road to Mallorca for a third consecutive season.

“We are grateful to our partners at the Portuguese Golf Federation and Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort for working with us to feature this event on both the Challenge Tour and European Tour.”

Portuguese Golf Federation president Miguel Franco de Sousa said: “We are very happy to secure another dual ranking Open de Portugal which moves to Royal Óbidos for the next three years.

“This region offers a variety of courses making it a very interesting golf destination in Portugal.

“We believe that Royal Óbidos, a Seve Ballesteros design, will be a good test of golf for both European and Challenge Tour players.

“This event shows our strong commitment to work closely with the European Tour in order to promote Portugal as one of the best golf destinations in the world, on one hand and, on the other, to provide playing opportunities to our playing professionals, especially in this difficult season with very few tournaments being played.”

Royal Óbidos will stage the Open de Portugal which will be a dual ranking European and Challenge Tour event as part of the new Iberian Swing, in September.

Tour returned to action in Austria

THE European Tour returned this week with the Austrian Open, the first of two dual-ranking events in Austria, followed by the Euram Bank Open.

The new six-event UK Swing follows in July and August before the action moves to Spain and Portugal.

All tournaments in the reshaped 2020 season will be governed by the Tour’s comprehensive Health Strategy, which has been developed by chief medical officer Dr Andrew Murray.

The strategy was drawn up in consultation with health care specialists Cignpost and advisers in many of the 30 countries in which the European Tour plays.

They will also be underpinned by the new ‘Golf for Good’ initiative which aims to support communities where the European Tour plays.

It rewards true heroes, such as frontline workers, and will promote the many health benefits that golf offers, the Tour said.

The post Portugal Open completes Iberian Swing and returns to European Tour in September appeared first on Golf North.

Anton Karlsson picked up his maiden European Challenge Tour win after finishing three shots clear in the RAM Cape Town Open, at Royal Cape Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGESnto

ANTON Karlsson came from three shots behind to win his maiden European Challenge Tour title at the RAM Cape Town Open.

The Swede carded a three under par round of 69 for a 14-under par total in difficult scoring conditions at Royal Cape Golf Club.

That was enough to jump ahead of a packed leaderboard and record a one-shot victory over South African Garrick Higgo.

Karlsson maintained the momentum from a bogey-free eight-under par 64 in his third round.

The 26-year-old Upsala GC pro reeled off six birdies in seven holes from the seventh hole to move to the top of the leaderboard, before holding off a late charge from Higgo to secure his first victory on the satellite circuit.

“It was one of the toughest days of golf in my career with the conditions,” said Anton Karlsson. “It feels amazing to come out on top and to play some really good golf.

“My only aim this morning was to go out there and win. I was three shots back and I knew I was playing well after a 64 yesterday.

“It was really windy out there, so I knew I just had to be patient and do my thing.

“The opening holes were playing tough and I ended up in the wrong places,” said the Swede, who has lost his European Tour card twice having successfully come through Qualifying School in 2016 and 2018.

“But I really got it going after that, and from the sixth hole it was probably the best stretch of golf I’ve ever played,” added Karlsson.

“It got a bit exciting at the end. I hit every shot as I intended down the 18th hole, but then raced my putt by a little further than I would have liked.

“But it’s always nice to hole a putt to win.”

Higgo started the day six shots behind overnight leader Daniel van Tonder.

But the 20-year-old recorded the best result of his fledgling Challenge Tour career after a five-under par 67 on Sunday.

Higgo finished in second position on 13-under, three shots clear of Sussex’s Toby Tree, who made the most of his decision to forego a place in the field for the European Tour’s Vic Open.

Instead the former England amateur international travelled to familiar territory in South Africa, and signed off with a 71 to secure a top three result.

Hampshire’s former Amateur Champion Harry Ellis, Lincolnshire’s EuroPro Tour graduate Jordan Wrisdale, and Frenchman Damien Perrier, finished one shot further back in a tie for fourth.

Overnight leader van Tonder settled for seventh place, alongside Allen John and Gloucestershire’s EuroPro Tour graduate Mitch Waite on eight-under.

Karlsson, who had four top 10s in his debut season back in 2016, moved into second position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings with his maiden win.

The runner-up in the 2018 KPMG Trophy is just 85 points behind last week’s Limpopo Championship winner JC Ritchie, with Wilco Nienaber occupying third place after the opening two events.

The Challenge Tour now travels to Fancourt Golf Estate, George, for the Dimension Data Pro-Am, which gets under way from February 13-16. See the entry list here.

•For final results in the RAM Cape Town Open click here.

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JC Ritchie claimed his seventh Sunshine Tour title – and his first co-sanctioned with the European Challenge Tour – after defending his Limpopo Championship crown.
Picture by SUNSHINE TOUR

JC RITCHIE carded a five-under par 67 in his final round to successfully defend his Limpopo Championship title and claim the opening tournament on the 2020 Road to Mallorca season.

The South African held off a determined charge from his compatriot Wilco Nienaber at Euphoria Golf Club to seal his second consecutive victory at the tournament.

Ritchie, who had six Sunshine Tour victories going into the Limpopo Championship started the day two shots behind overnight leader Jacques Kruyswijk.

But the 25-year-old, who represents The Els Club Copperleaf, soon took control with three front nine birdies to reach the turn with a one-shot advantage.

And the Pretoria-based pro picked up two further gains over the closing stretch to finish two shots clear of Nienaber on 19-under.

JC Ritchie was bogey-free throughout the weekend and admitted he needed to play some of the best golf of his career to top the 204-player co-sanctioned field.

“It feels really awesome to win this week,” Ritchie said. “After winning last year, to come back and win it again just feels unbelievable – and I don’t think it has started to sink in yet.

“To have the Challenge Tour players coming to play the event this year definitely made defending the title harder.

“And I found myself getting rather nervous on my back nine, but I was able to keep it together well.

“I feel like I played the best golf I possibly could have played this weekend, and I don’t really feel like I could have played any better out there today.

“To play bogey-free over the weekend is crazy good golf, especially with the conditions over the last few days, which were tough.

“I’m planning to head over to Europe to play some events on the Challenge Tour this year,” revealed Ritchie who picked up a cheque for €35,957.35.

“First though, I think there is quite a party waiting for me at home,” he added.

The Limpopo Championship was co-sanctioned with the European Challenge Tour for the first time this season.

Nienaber came agonisingly close to securing his first professional title but was ultimately forced to settle for second place despite carding a sublime five-under 67 to match Ritchie’s Sunday score.

The 19-year-old finished two shots clear of overnight leader Kruyswijk and fellow South African Hennie du Plessis, with Louis de Jager ensuring the host country rounded out the top five places.

JC Ritchie takes an early lead on the Road to Mallorca Rankings as he looks to secure his European Tour card for the first time this season.

First-round leader Daniel van Tonder finished in ninth place – one shot ahead of Scotland’s Craig Howie, who had three top 10s in top amateur events in South Africa, in 2017, and finished T11th at the South African Amateur Strokeplay that same season.

The Peebles pro – who finished 34th at the European Tour Qualifying School, in November, missing out on a card by two shots – clearly relishes the continent’s conditions.

•To see the final results from Limpopo, click here.

The Challenge Tour now travels to Cape Town for the RAM Cape Town Open, which gets under way from February 6-9.

The post JC Ritchie clinches back to back Limpopo titles after holding off Nienaber charge appeared first on Golf North.

BENJAMIN Poke

Benjamin Poke’s six-shot victory at the 2019 European Tour Qualifying School was one of the biggest in recent history. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

completed an emphatic six-stroke victory at the final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School, running away with the title as 28 players European Tour cards for 2020.

The Dane, who led from the second round at Lumine Golf Club, was in complete control throughout the marathon test.

He broke 70 each day to post rounds of 67, 67, 69, 67, 69 and 64 and seal victory ahead of three-time European Tour winner Grégory Havret, who came second on 19-under.

Poke, who finished 29th on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca in his rookie season, said: “To play on the European Tour is something that you always dream about when you are young. So to finally stand here with my card is unbelievable.

“I know that when I get it going I can shoot really low and that I’m playing well, but I was still really nervous going out there this morning.

“I kept trusting my game and trusted my swing and my game plan. I never relaxed though, because I know that anything can happen in this game, so it was a matter of just taking things one shot at a time.

“Some weeks on the Challenge Tour this year, I gave myself a good shot at lifting a title and unfortunately got beaten. But they were good weeks and good performances.

“Before this week I knew I had developed my game a lot since last year,” added Poke.

“I was happy to reach the Road to Mallorca Grand Final and I was thinking that anything I managed to do this week was a bit of a bonus.

“I managed to keep that mentality all week and not get too far ahead of myself – just focus on the day in hand.

“I’m planning to celebrate this moment for a while. You work so hard and then there are times when you are struggling and it’s not easy.

“But you’ve got to get up and carry on and celebrate the good times when they happen,” said Poke, who has graduated at the third attempt at Qualifying School.

The 27-year-old will be joined on the top tier by 18-year-old countryman Rasmus Højgaard, who overcame an opening-round 74 to finish in a share of fifth place on 16-under.

Højgaard, whose twin brother Nicolai finished in 51st place, said: “It feels amazing to have my European Tour card. It’s been such a long week to get it done feels very special.”

But despite his own success, as a typical twin, his thoughts were for Nicolai, having played in the Junior Ryder Cup together in 2018, they will not be on Tour together in 2020.

Rasmus said: “I kind of knew once Nicolai was on the back nine that he wasn’t going to get his card.

“It’s sad that he isn’t going to get his card and that we won’t be together on the European Tour next year but that’s just how it is sometimes.

“I can play good for a few weeks and then he can come in with a good few weeks. It’s different almost every week and that is how golf is sometimes.

“When I hit my tee shot on 17 then I knew that I was going to be OK and I just relaxed a little, and thought ‘I’ve got this now’ and to get a good drive away on the 18th was huge.”

It was a good day for the English as Somerset’s Laurie Canter finished sixth, 2013 Amateur Champion Garrick Porteous 12 14th, and EuroPro Tour graduates Marcus Armitage and David Coupland finished 16th and 21st respectively, while Sussex’s Toby Tree was in 24th spot

Essex’s Dale Whitnell, who finally broke his duck on the European Challenage Tour after a decade of trying by wining the KPMG Trophy two months ago, grabbed the last card in a share of 25th after making a birdie at the last.

But none of the five Scots who made the 72-hole cut could earn a card.

Europro Tour winner Daniel Young missed out by a shot despite finishing biride, birdie, while Craig Howie was 34th.

Three-time European Tour winner Marc Warren was 53rd while Ewen Ferguson was after a level-par sixth round ended his hopes of a late run.

Amateur Championship finalist Euan Walker, who turned pro after playing agianst the USA in the Walker Cup, at Royal Liverpool, in September, finished in 59th – his opening 67 was his only sub-70 round of the week.

All five Scots will be playing on the Challenge Tour in 2020 after earning full playing rights on the satellite tour.

Kim grabs card after thrilling 63

THE promise of a thrilling conclusion to the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School was fulfilled again on the Lakes Course, as American Sihwan Kim carded an eight-under par final round of 63 to jump 38 places.

The 30-year-old who finished the tournament with a European Tour card in hand, as he cemented a share of 17^th place.

Kim, the 2004 US Junior Champion, who was making his fifth visit to European Tour Qualifying School, said: “I knew I had to post a number.

“So I just went out there really aggressive, took the right lines and just swung at it.

“I’ve been in Europe for a while now, since 2012, so this is nothing new to me. I’m pretty tired but pretty happy about the score I posted.

“I knew what I had to do and I knew I had to post a really good number today so I just went out there and did it,” added Kim, who finished 133rd on the Race to Dubai, forcing his trip to Spain.

Kim’s fellow American Johannes Veerman also completed an impressive turnaround at the death.

After opening the week with a pair of 74s, the 27-year-old came storming back to close with rounds of 67, 67, and two 66s, to end the tournament on 14-under – booking his ticket to the European Tour with a tied 13^th place finish.

The greatest excitement was delivered by Rikard Karlberg, who holed a 50-foot putt on the 108^th and final hole to finish in a tie for 25^th place, picking up the last available European Tour card.

The emphatic end to the gruelling tournament completed an emotional comeback for the Swede, who returned to professional golf in 2019 following a battle with a serious infection and depression.

Karlberg said: “I hit my second shot a bit further away from the pin than I wanted and had around 50 feet for birdie.

“I had a feeling all day that the number would be 12-under, so I knew I needed to hole it.

“When I hit it, I thought it should be good and then I saw it was tracing the line perfectly – and saw the speed – and thought ‘come on, just reach’.

“The euphoria I felt was just happiness. I don’t think anyone really likes this week. It’s horrible,” Karlberg added.

“It’s pressure all week and you’re walking with tension and you don’t have much room for error.

“This week has been so frustrating with my putter. I missed so many putts and then to be able to hole that one when I needed, it just feels fantastic.

“I think I am a better golfer now than I was then. I’ve played a few years on Tour, and I’ve learned about the pressure and I’ve learned that you need to hit the shots – even if you’re nervous.”

French quartet graduate at Qualifying School

THE French quartet of Havret, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, Adrien Saddier and Robin Sciot-Siegrist all booked their tickets – equalling the record for the number of French players to graduate from Qualifying School.

Havret, who was runner-up to Graeme McDowell at the 2010 US Open, said: “I’ve missed the European Tour since last year.

“And even though I had a great time playing on the Challenge Tour this season it was make-or-break for me this week in terms of my career.

“So it’s a big relief to secure my card this week,” said the three-time European Tour winner, who dedicated the promotion to his wife.

“Our wives, so much of the time, are the most important people around us and that’s certainly the case for me.

“She wants me to go out there and live my passion as best I can, and she has always supported me with that, so this achievement is for her.

‘’I’m turning 43 on Monday so I don’t have too long left in my caree,” Havret added.

“But I’m going to take the positives from this week and come back out on the Tour a little bit fresher – and enjoy being back in the company of my friends on the European Tour.”

Welshman Bradley Dredge, who has two wins on the European Tour, retained his playing rights after finishing 122nd on the Race to Dubai.

The 46-year-old finished in 20th place after finishing under par on all six days – a feat achieved by just eight players in the field.

The 2019 European Tour Qualifying School was contested over 252 holes in three stages across 14 different venues.

A record number of 1,063 entrants bid for one of the coveted European Tour cards, surpassing the previous record of 1,026 from 2017.

•For final results at the 2019 European Tour Qualiyfing School click here.

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Californian John Catlin flew to Spain fresh from his Asian Tour win in Thailand in his bid to win a full European Tour card. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AMERICAN John Catlin carded a flawless six-under par 65 to charge into an early lead at European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, at Spain’s Lumine Golf Club.

Catlin came into the event less than a week after securing his fourth Asian Tour victory, in Thailand, and continued in the same form.

He recorded six birdies and 12 pars on the Lakes Course as he looks to secure an immediate return to the European Tour, having earned starts in 2019 via the Asian Order of Merit.

Catlin said: “It’s only one of six rounds and it’s definitely a nice way to start but there’s still a long way to go.

“I remember liking this track at last year’s event and the Hills was the course I definitely struggled on, so to come out and take full advantage of that was a good way to start.

“Winning my fourth title on the Asian Tour and to win in Thailand where I’ve been living for the past three years was a great feeling.

“I know if I can take care of what I can take care of then I’ve got every chance of contending and I’ve given myself the best chance possible.

“It’s been absolutely fantastic to compete in Europe. It’s made me a better golfer for sure.

“You can see the difference coming from the Asian Tour to the European Tour, which is the next step up and the margin of error is just that much smaller.”

The 29-year-old Californian admitted he relished the opportunity to compete in Europe for the first time this season.

His best finish was a tie for 12th at the Made in Denmark but knows there is still a long way to go before he seals his 2020 playing rights in the six-round contest in Tarragona.

Catlin will begin the second round with a one-shot advantage over a group of six players on five-under.

It includes 2018 Final Stage joint-champion Alejandro Cañizares, Dane Benjamin Poke, Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, Finland’s Sami Valimaki, Sussex’s Toby Tree and Italian Lorenzo Scalise.

Poke, who finished 29th on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca last week, said: “It’s always nice to get off to a good start.

“It’s my first time at Final Stage and I’ve heard from some of the other guys, especially some of the Danes, how long a week it is.

“As always, tournaments are not won on day one but I’m certainly very happy to get off to a good start,” said the 28-year-old. “Hopefully I can continue in the same mindset.

“Coming from the Nordic Golf League last year and playing in Category 13 on the Challenge Tour, I felt like I had a good season by making it to the Grand Final.

“And from hereon in, everything I do this week is just a bonus. It’s quite a nice place to be, I think, and obviously you’re still trying to do as well as you can.

“The nerves are still going to be there because it means something to you,” added Poke.

“My goal is to take every day at a time and every shot at a time – it’s a cliché but that’s the thing.”

Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, who played the Challenge Tour after turning pro in 2004, but lost his European Tour card in 2013, said: “I haven’t been playing anymore, I’ve just been teaching golf.

“I went to First Stage just for fun and I made it to Second Stage – and now I’m here, so I’m back playing.

“I love playing golf. I played poorly at the end of my career so it was tough for me to play golf, and I didn’t even want to think about playing golf even with my friends.

“I wasn’t enjoying it very much but I haven’t played for a year or so, and I’m enjoying it much more, so that’s why I’m here, to have fun.”

Meanwhile France’s Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who narrowly missed out on his European Tour card after finishing 16th at the Challenge Tour Grand Final last week, is a shot back on four-under.

Sciot-Siegrist, who missed out on a European Tour card by just one spot on the Road to Mallorca rankings, said: “I’m really happy with what I did at the Challenge Tour Grand Final.

“I believe that for me, missing the top 15 was not a matter of how I played last week, it was other moments during the year. Last week was my best result of the year.

“Obviously I finished 16th, it was hard to swallow, two years ago I finished 17th – so it’s getting there. I’m improving every year.

“I’m playing this course that I know pretty well, so I just have to continue the way I have been, because it works.”

Sciot-Siegrist was joined on that mark by Germany’s Hurly Long and Italian Aron Zemmer, who won the European Tour Qualifying School Second Stage event at Club de Golf Bonmont, last weekend.

Nine years ago Frenchman Gregory Havret finished runner-up to Graeme McDowell at the US Open at Pebble Beach.

But after finishing 28th on the Road to Mallorca, 42-year-old Havret said after his first round: “It’s been a busy year since the Challenge Tour season began in Turkey.

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Italy’s Francesco Laporta followed up his win at the Hainan Open with a wire-to-wire victory at the Challenge Tour Grand Final, in Mallorca. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FRANCESCO Laporta secured a wire-to-wire victory at the Challenge Tour Grand Final at Mallorca’s Club de Golf Alcanada.

And in doing so finished the season as the 2019 Road to Mallorca No. 1, overtaking Scotland’s Calum Hill, who could not add to his two previous Challenge Tour wins in 2019.

The Italian battled testing conditions, which delayed the start of the final round and caused a suspension in the morning, to post a closing level-par 71.

His six-under total was good enough to win the Grand Final by two strokes from Germany’s Sebastian Heisele and Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who shared second place on four-under.

But Heisele made a putt for birdie at the last which would have handed Sciot-Siegrist solo second if he had missed – and the points to move the latter into the top 15 players,

Sciot Siegrist missed out on a European Tour card for 2020 by €1,419 in the end.

But it was Laporta’s second win in his last three starts after his victory at China’s Hainan Open last month.

Laporta joins the Challenge Tour Roll of Honour as Road to Mallorca No. 1, finishing more than 50,000 points ahead of Hill, who could only finish in a share of 27th, some 13 shots behind the champion.

Hampshire’s Richard Bland secured a return to the European Tour at the first time of asking by finishing third in the Road to Mallorca rankings, with Heisele’s tie for second place moving him up to fourth.

The 46-year-old Stoneham member – who earned promotion to the European Tour after his Challenge Tour Grand Final win in Bordeaux 18 years ago – will be looking to finally break his duck after more than 500 appearances without a maiden win at the top tier.

Adrian Meronk will become the first-ever Polish player to have full European Tour playing privileges in 2020 after finishing fifth on the rankings, while Lancashire’s Jack Senior and Robin Roussel finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Early season wins at the Challenge de España and Prague Golf Challenge earned Antoine Rozner eighth place.

Graduation was secured by Royal Liverpool’s Matthew Jordan in his rookie season by finishing ninth, while Portugal’s Ricardo Santos, Northern Ireland’s Cormac Sharvin and Wales’ Oliver Farr finished in the next three spots.

Holland’s Rolex Trophy winner Darius van Driel and Scot Connor Syme, who won the season-opener at the Turkish Airlines Challenge, cemented spots 13 and 14.

Spaniard Sebastian Garcia-Rodriguez earned the final European Tour card by finishing in 15th position.

It was a nail-biting end to the day for the Spaniard, who posted rounds of 76 and 77 over the weekend.

Garcia-Rodriguez was forced to watch as Sciot-Siegrist missed a birdie putt on the final hole, before seeing Heisele get down safely for par in the final group of the day.

Had the German missed, Sciot-Siegrist would have finished solo second behind Laporta and leapfrogged Garcia-Rodriguez into the final graduation spot.

The Frenchman was only 1,369 points behind Garcia Rodriguez and he was followed by Ben Stow and Wil Besseling, who finished 17th and 18th respectively.

The first European Tour events the Class of 2019 will be eligible to play in will be the Hong Kong Open and the Alfred Dunhill Championship, which both take place from November 28-December 1.

•The third and final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School will take place at Lumine, in Spain, later this week, when another 25 cards will be up for grabs.

To see the results from stage two – play at Alenda Golf and Club de Golf Bonmont was distrupted over the weekend – click here.

The players who finished in the top 15 in the Road to Mallorca rankings who earned a European Tour card for 2020. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

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Italy’s Francesco Laporta held on to his one-shot lead at the Challenge Tour Grand Final at Mallorca’s Alcanada Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FRANCESCO Laporta held on to his narrow lead at the halfway stage of the Challenge Tour Grand Final, at Mallorca’s Club de Golf Alcanada.

And the Italian is in pole position to be crowned Road to Mallorca No. 1 after a two-under par second round of 69 left him in pole position with two rounds to play.

Laporte’s round moved him to five-under in total, one stroke clear of Spain’s Sebastian Garcia-Rodriguez and two ahead of Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist.

But Surrey’s Ross McGowan posted a bogey-free 66 to move into sixth with a further move up the leaderboard in his sights on Saturday.

McGowan who won the 2009 Madrid Open on the European Tour and has three more wins on the Challenge Tour to his name, said: “The greens were slower today.

“The wind was probably a bit stronger yesterday and the greens were quicker. I think I had four three-putts and really struggled on them.

“Today, I putted a lot better,” said the Banstead GC member who lost his card on the European Tour back in 2011, but won the D+D REAL Czech Challenge in May.

“The wind was still up pretty early doors. I had to hit three-wood into the first after a good drive, whereas yesterday we had pretty calm conditions during the first few holes,” said McGowan.

“The wind was going in a different direction today and it made a few holes on the back nine a little bit easier.

“I think 13 and 14, which were really tough yesterday, were easier today because we could hit irons in there – and it was much more favourable.

“I need two more of the same over the weekend and I’ll take that right now,” McGowan added.

“I think I’ve just got to carry on what I was doing today. I had much more focus and with the greens, I was seeing the speed a lot better.”

The low round of the day – and the week so far – belonged to Somerset’s Laurie Canter, who bounced back from an opening round of 80 with a 65.

After 36 holes on the Balearic island, current projections show the top 15 – who will earn a European Tour card for 2020 come Sunday – would be unchanged if the tournament were to have end this afternoon.

Darius van Driel is still clinging onto the last card, but several players have given themselves a shot of glory with two rounds remaining over the weekend on the Spanish holiday island.

Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson is the man best-placed to break into the graduation spots.

The Glasgow Walker Cup player’s second consecutive level par round of 71 moved him into a tie for seventh place heading into the weekend – and 16th on the Road to Mallorca rankings, just 4,854 points behind van Driel.

But Laporta, the winner of last month’s Hainan Open, in China, is the man they have to beat to earn the biggest winners’ prize of the season.

Laporta, who has only missed the cut once in his last 16 events, said: “It was a bit more windy today.

“We had the wind for the entire 18 holes, whereas yesterday it came down for around five or six holes.

“It wasn’t easy – the greens were a bit slower and less firm. There were some tough pin positions and the other guys played solid, so it was a good game.

“Everyone enjoyed the round and we had a good fight. Hopefully we’ll have another good fight tomorrow.

“I’m going to practice a bit this afternoon, then I’m going to go and play PlayStation.”

Nearest challenger Garcia-Rodriguez said: “I played very solid on the front nine although the putter wasn’t working perfectly.

“But on the back nine I played lovely. I had two chip-ins, on the 13^th and 15^th and the rest of the holes I played so well,” said the Spaniard, who would love to win on home soil.

“I just stuck to the process to turn it around today. Check the wind, make a good swing – that was my key. There will be a lot of people here this weekend cheering me on, why not go for the win?”

European Tour card battle goes to to last hole

SCIOT-Siegrist knows the race to be crowned overall champion will almost certainly go to the wire, especially if the winds which were forecasted to reach 30mph on Friday, turn out stronger than the 10mph expected over the weekend.

“Anything can happen, literally. I know I’m far off in the rankings and that I need to finish top two or better,” said Sciot-Siegrist.

“But I came here this week knowing I needed to finish top two and I started to play well a couple weeks ago – and then seeing this course… I like this course.

“There are just a lot of things that tell you that something can happen, but it’s the top players on the Challenge Tour playing this week and you know it’s going to be tough… but we’ll see.

“There’s a lot of wind and the course is very tricky. I struggle on easy courses because target golf is not really something that I do very well.

“This is just the kind of course that makes you frustrated, you need to think a little bit about your shots, and then the wind comes in, it’s like a British Amateur.”

Germany’s Sebastian Heisele and Royal Liverpool’s Matthew Jordan, who both looked to have secured their European Tour playing privileges for next year, share fourth place on two-under.

The third round at Club de Golf Alcanada will begin at 7.30am GMT, with the top three of Laporta, Garcia Rodriguez and Sciot-Siegrist making up the final group who go out at 10.05am.

•Follow live scoring by clicking here.

The post Laporta leads after blustery day at Challenge Tour Grand Final at Mallorca’s Alcanada appeared first on Golf North.

Italy’s Francesco Laporta leads the Road to Mallorca after taking the first round lead in the Challenge Tour Grand Final with a three-under par 68. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FRANCESCO Laporta began the Challenge Tour Grand Final occupying the second position on the Road to Mallorca rankings… but now the Italian is projected to become Challenge Tour No. 1 by Sunday, after taking the first-round lead.

Laporta carded five birdies against only two bogeys to sign for a three -under par 68, which was one shot better than his nearest rivals on the difficult Club de Golf Alcanada layout.

“It was a tough round today,” said Laporta. “The wind came up this morning, then went down and then it came up again during the last couple of holes.

“I played solid and only missed a couple of putts on the first two holes, but after that the putter worked better.

“I’m pretty happy about my round and we’ll just have to see what happens in the next few days.

“The No. 1 spot is in my mind, for sure. I came here to fight for the first spot and I will fight all week for that.

“It’s a good start and hopefully I have another one tomorrow.”

Laporta’s strong start continues an impressive run of form for the 29-year-old, who recently finished as the low-Italian at the European Tour’s Italian Open, a Rolex Series event, before winning the Hainan Open the following week.

Laporta holds a one-stroke advantage over home-favourite Sebastian Garcia-Rodriguez and Welshman Rhys Enoch, who each carded rounds of 70.

Now the Challenge Tour Grand Final is under way, the projected Road to Mallorca rankings come into focus – with the leading 15 players on the season-long points race earning European Tour cards at the end of the week.

While Garcia-Rodriguez began the tournament positioned 13^th on the order of merit, Enoch teed it up outside of the coveted cut off in 25th.

But the winner of the D+D Real Slovakia Challenge in July, who currently sits in a two-way tie for second place, is now projected to climb inside the magic number – and finish the year in 13^th.

Enoch, who hailed from Cornwall, but now lives in Cardiff, said: “It was very tricky. I don’t think we realised how tricky it was going to be.

“I think the wind was quite calm earlier and I thought the scoring was going to be low.

“It’s just easy to drop shots, really, really easy. I did that really well today – keeping the bogeys off the card – with only one drop,” said a happy Enoch.

“So it was just about patience and missing in the right spots, especially with how sloped the greens are.

“The wind on the front nine was all over the place. I’m really pleased.

“There are plenty of different outcomes, but I’m focused on winning really.

“Second would probably be enough if I’m on my own, but then I’m relying on a lot of other people.

“I’ve just got to try and win because that takes care of it, so that’s my aim,” added Enoch, who became a father when Carter was born in August.

Oliver Farr, who came into the Grand Final holding the 15^th and final European Tour card, overcame a triple bogey and a double bogey to finish his round in a tie for 11^th place on one-over.

That is currently enough for the Welshman – who grew up playing golf at Kidderminster’s Cleobury Golf Club – to hold onto the final graduation spot, having lost his European Tour card in 2015 and 2018.

Farr, who is attached to Hereford’s Burghill GC, said: “There were two bad holes but 16 pretty good ones and looking at the scoring today, to only have two holes where I dropped shots today is pretty good.

“Obviously I dropped a lot of shots on those holes. It was a challenging day on the greens, but I felt like I handled them pretty well, and hopefully we can make amend for these errors tomorrow.

“Playing the practice round it was one of the first weeks where I haven’t been able to feel what a good score was,” said Farr, who played less events this season to spend more time with his family – after becoming a father for the second time in April, and following a bereavement in his family since.

“Sometimes you can sense what a good score is. People were asking me and I didn’t know. I thought the set-up was fair,” added 31-year-old Farr, winner of the Lalla Aicha Challenge Tour, in Morocco, in early October.

“There were some tough pins and that’s probably why the scoring is down, but I’m only a few shots behind and it’s early days yet, so hopefully I can push up.”

Challenge Tour Grand Final debutant Garcia-Rodriguez was happy to be playing on the Balearic island.

Sebastian said: “The golf course is amazing. The greens are very difficult.

“The key for me today was the second shot. My strategy on the tee box was to hit a lot of drivers, which set me up nicely.

“In general I’m so happy. It’s my first time playing in the Challenge Tour Grand Final and this start has made me so happy.

“I don’t feel any additional pressure. It’s the next tournament. It’s the same – the same balls, the same clubs, the same tees,” Garcia-Rodriguez added.

“The conditions are probably the best we’ve had the entire year in terms of difficulty. It’s so hard and it feels similar to the European Tour.

“My game plan has been the same for the entire year. At the start of this year I told myself I would just take it shot-by-shot.

“I played 10 tournaments on the Alps Tour at the start of the year after losing my Challenge Tour status two years ago, and this wasn’t even in my mind in January of this year.

“So for me I’m just so happy to be here.”

The second round of the Challenge Tour Grand Final begins on Friday at 7.30am GMT with Laporta, Garcia-Rodriguez and Enoch set to go at 10.05am.

•For live scoring at Club de Golf Alcanada click here.

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Dutchman Wil Besseling is hoping for a late run at the Challenge Tour Grand Final, at Mallorca’s lub de Golf Alcanada. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

WIL Besseling goes into the Challenge Tour Grand Final with a real chance of earning a European Tour card at the end of the week.

Such an outcome would complete a drastic change in fortunes for the player ranked No. 18 on the Road to Mallorca going into the season’s climax on the Spanish island.

The Dutchman was the first man to miss out on a spot in the season-finale in 2018, finishing 46th in the rankings.

And, prior to the event, Besseling was just 359 points behind last-man-in Antoine Rozner.

However, bolstered by a tie for third place at the Hainan Open, Besseling will tee it up at Club de Golf Alcanada, Mallorca, just two places outside the all-important top 15 with success on Sunday at the forefront of his mind.

“Being here and being in the Grand Final is nice,” said Besseling. “The Challenge Tour has done a good job in finding this place and having the Grand Final here.

“I’ve been playing decent over the last two months. I feel my game has grown and mentally I’m getting stronger so hopefully I can do well this week.

“Obviously I need a good finish here to get my card, but I’m feeling confident to actually do it, so hopefully on Sunday I’ll be able to get my card,” Besseling added.

“It’s a new course for everyone so it’s hard to think about scores, so I’m not thinking about that.

“You need to do everything well to actually win this event because everyone is playing well and everyone’s got a chance to win this week.”

The 33-year-old Dutchman was in contention for his first European Challenge Tour win in 11 years in Hainan.

But after finding the water on the penultimate hole he carded a double-bogey, that forced him to settle for a share of third place.

A tied 46th place finish in the Foshan Open ended a strong two weeks for the man from The Netherlands – during which he more than halved his Road to Mallorca ranking.

Besseling said” “I was 40th going into China so missing out again did go through my mind. But I felt good going into those events.

“The last few months have been going well so I was happy to be in contention in the first week in China in Hainan.

“I actually expected a bit more in the second week. I wanted to be in a similar position to the week before – but that’s golf I guess.

“I was pretty pleased with how I played in China and it gave me a chance to get my card this week. It’s been good and hopefully I can get the job done.”

The Challenge Tour Grand Final is the 24th and final event on the Road to Mallorca, where the top 45 players compete for one of 15 European Tour cards on offer.

Such is the breakdown of prize money this week in Mallorca, any player will graduate to the European Tour with a victory – giving everyone in the field a shot at glory.

There are nine English and three Scots in the field. Gleneagles’ two-time winner Calum Hill heads the money list while Hampshire’s Richard Bland will be hoping for a repeat of his Challenge Tour Grand Final win in Bordeaux, in 2001 – still the 46-year-old’s only victory of his professional career.

Bland, who is ranked third, is one of three English players inside the top 15 before play commences.

The likes of Cheshire’s Matthew Jordan (10th), and Lancashire’s Jack Senior (7th), who have a win each on the Challenge Tour in 2019, are hoping to maintain their place in the top 15 to ensure graduation.

Meanwhile Wiltshire’s Ben Stow (17th) will be hoping to move up at least two places to gatecrash the party.

Oliver Farr (15th) and Rhys Enoch (25th) will fly the flag for Wales this week, while Cormac Sharvin is Northern Ireland’s sole representative in Mallorca, sitting pretty currently in ninth place.

Playing privileges on the top tier is not the only prize on offer this week, as the battle to be crowned Challenge Tour No. 1 reaches its conclusion.

Italy’s Francesco Laporta, who is currently second, hopes to make up the 5,277 points to overtake Hill at top – and prevent any charge from Bland, who is another 1,712 points behind.

The Challenge Tour Grand Final will begin at 7.30am GMT with France’s Ugo Coussaud, Somerset’s Laurie Canter and Spaniard Carlos Pigem playing in the first group out, with Besseling set to go off at 9.09am.

•For live scoring click here.

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A second 65 in a row helped Germany’s Alexander Knappe leap to the top of the leaderboard in the Foshan Open, and gives him a chance of earning a tour card for 2020. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ALEXANDER Knappe carded his second successive 65 to lead the European Challenge Tour’s Foshan Open by one stroke at the end of round two at Foshan Golf Club.

The German reached 14-under par without carding a bogey after a second successive 65.

And the 34-year-old leads by one shot at the halfway stage from Australia’s Cory Crawford, who also posted a 65 to reach 13-under.

Royal Liverpool’s Matthew Jordan and Wiltshire’s Ben Stow, meanwhile, share third place on 11-under alongside Portugal’s Ricardo Santos.

Playing on an invite this week, Knappe is currently ranked 89th on the Road to Mallorca rankings following a disappointing season.

However a victory in China will catapult him into contention for a European Tour card, with current projections showing he could leap to 12th place in the money list.

With 14 birdies and an eagle on his card over the first two days, Knappe has highlighted his putting as a key factor for his strong performance so far at Foshan.

Knappe said: “I putted really well during the first two days and I think that has been key. It always keeps me going and I holed a long few putts today, which was good.

“I just like it out here in China because it’s hot and I can swing freely. The flowers and the nature inspire me and I just like to play on these courses.

“There was almost no wind today, maybe a half a club’s worth, and the weather couldn’t be better,” said Knappe, who won twice on the Challenge Tour in 2016, including the Hainan Open, the event that precedes Foshan on the current schedule.

“I just tried to play my best. I don’t have a game plan. I’ll just take it shot-by-shot over the weekend and that’s it,” added Knappe, who lost his European Tour card in 2017, after earning promotion from the Challenge Tour in 2016.

A shot behind the trio of Jordan, Santos and first round leader Stow are five players in a share of sixth on 10-under par.

They include Hampshire’s Road to Mallorca No. 5 ranked Richard Bland, Poland’s Adrian Meronk, Dutchman Lars van Meijel and Chinese player Bai Zheng-kai, who beat Stow’s one-day-old course record with a bogey-free nine-under par 63.

The final player in a tie for sixth place is Scotland’s Calum Hill, who carded the fourth hole-in-one of his life on his way to a 66 in his second round.

Hill, who has already won twice on the European Challenge Tour in 2019, said: “I had 167 yards and it was just perfect for an eight-iron for me.

“I started it 10 yards right of the pin and drew it in and it took one hop and disappeared into the hole.

“This is a fantastic event. I came here for the first time last year and the golf course is brilliant.

“The hospitality is amazing and it’s a brilliant event to come to. I always have a good time.”

One amateur and 70 professionals made the cut on two-under or better. The third round will begin at 6.50am local time, with Kade McBride playing with a marker. The final pairing of Knappe and Crawford will tee off at 12.30pm.

•For live scoring from Foshan Golf Club click here.

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