
Spain’s Borda wins Grand Final; Tarrio ends 2018 season in first place overall
David Borda (ESP) won today the Alps Tour Grand Final with a total score of -19. It is Borda’s second victory on the Alps Tour this season.
Hugues Jr Joannes (BEL) finished in 2nd place (-17 total) while Ivan Cantero Gutierrez (ESP) and Leo Lespinasse (FRA) tied for 3rd place with a total score of -13. Lespinasse turned in the best card of the day (64, -7) making an eagle, 6 birdies and a bogey.
« I’m feeling really really good, I could not be happier, I think it was my best week ever. I’m so happy » Borda said. « For sure, I felt the pressure, everybody was feeling the pressure this week, but I managed it and I played very very good during the last 4 days. I’m looking forward to next year on the Challenge Tour ». Last year, David Borda failed obtaining a Challenge Tour card by a few points.
Santiago Tarrio (ESP), who played this week at the European Tour’s Valderamma Masters in Spain and thus did not take part in the Grand Final, finishes the 2018 season first in the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking, with 26,702.45 points. With today’s win, David Borda moves up to second place in the Oom. Alexandre Daydou (FRA), Louis Cohen Boyer (FRA) and Marcus Mohr (ENG) complete the top 5 of the Oom and will all be playing on the Challenge Tour next season. Marcus Mohr, who had a very disappointing Grand Final finishing tied for 33rd place (+3 total), makes the top 5 by less than 700 points. « I feel very lucky to finish 5th in the Order of Merit. I did not play very well at all this week » Mohr said.
« First, I would like to congratulate my friend David Borda for his second victory of the season » Tarrio said. « I was disappointed not to be able to play the Final because it is a course that I love and I feel welcome at the Golf Des Iles Borromées » he continued. « Finishing first in the Order of Merit is very important for me because there were many very good players this year on the Alps Tour and to beat them means that I can reach the European Tour as I think they will also do » he added. « Finally, it’s great to follow the footsteps of Adriá Arnaus who won last year’s Alps Tour season ranking. This shows that I am on the right track » Tarrio said.
As an amateur, Adria Arnaus won the 2017 Grand Final and finished first in the Order of Merit. Arnaus is currently ranked 9th on the Challenge Tour and will play on the European Tour next season.
« I would like to dedicate this season to my whole team. Without them, I would not be at the top. I’d like to thank my friends and my sponsors, my whole family, Joaquín Dosil for making me improve and for supporting me from the first day in many aspects and of course, my caddie and girlfriend, Noelia Garcia. Much of the successes are because of her » Tarrio concluded.
The Alps Tour would like to thank the Golf Club Des Iles Borromées for their wonderful hospitality and all the sponsors of the tournament for their strong support.
The next Alps Tour event will be the Qualifying School at La Cala Resort in Malaga, Spain, December 9th through December 15th, 2018.

Alps Tour Grand Final concludes 2018 season
Rising golf stars of the Alps Tour are heading this week to Lake Maggiore (Italy) for the culmination of the 2018 season, the Alps Tour Grand Final.
The top 50 players of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking, will compete against each other starting this Thursday to determine the overall winner of the 2018 season.
On top of being in the top 50 following the last tournament of the regular season (the Abruzzo Open), players must also have played in at least 6 tournaments in 3 different countries this season to be able to take part in the Grand Final.
At the end of this week’s Grand Final, the top 5 of the ranking will take a full category on the Challenge Tour next year. As an amateur, Adria Arnaus won the 2017 Grand Final and finished first in the Order of Merit. Arnaus is currently ranked 9th overall on the Challenge Tour and will play on the European Tour next season.
Santiago Tarrio, the leader of the Order of Merit with 26,702.45 points, will not participate in this week’s Grand Final as he’s been invited to play in the European Tour’s Valderrama Masters in Spain. « I’m sad not to be able to play in the Grand Final. I like the course very much and I feel very welcomed there. But there are tournaments I can’t turn down » Tarrio said.
« I can’t wait to start playing on a course where I have played well there twice finishing tied for 6th (Des Iles Borromées Open 2018) and tied for 9th place (Grand Final 2017) » England’s Marcus Mohr, who is ranked in 4th place in the Order of Merit, said. « I said at the start of the year that I wanted to give myself a chance and I have » he continued. « I will be nervous and excited when the Grand Final starts on Thursday but I know that if I play my game, I will come out where I deserve to be at the end of the week » Mohr concluded.
« I just want to end the season with the same state of mind I’ve had all year long, that is determined and at the same time serene » Frenchman Xavier Poncelet said. Poncelet is ranked 5th in the Order of Merit but is closely followed by David Borda (ESP) who is 133,44 points behind him.
The €45,000 prize money tournament will be played over 72 holes of traditional stroke. But because it is the Grand Final, 70 000 points will be distributed to give the opportunity to players not in the top positions of the Order of Merit to jump in the top 5 with this last tournament. The winner of the Grand Final will get 11,000 points while the runner up will grab 7,000 points.
This is the second year in a row the Golf Des Iles Borromées is hosting the Grand Final. It is also the second time this season the Alps Tour makes a stop at the Golf Des Iles Borromées after a tournament played there at the end of July.
The Golf Des Iles Borromées, a 18-hole par 71 golf course located 500 meters above sea level, is surrounded by beautiful nature and an exceptional flora. The course has spectacular views of the Swiss Alps and of the Ticino Plain. From the 18th tee, one can see the skyline of Milan and four lakes: Lake Maggiore, Lake Varese, Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio. The Golf club is also the home of a very dynamic junior school managed by a former player of the Alps Tour, Federico Colombo.

Abruzzo Open marks end of regular season
The 2018 Alps Tour season is almost coming to an end as rising golf stars are gathering this week for the final tournament of the regular season, the Abruzzo Open, at the Miglianico Golf and Country Club (Italy) from September 20th through September 22nd.
The Abruzzo Open will be followed in October by the Alps Tour Grand Final at a date and place to be announced.
The Miglianico Golf and Country Club, a 18-hole par 71 golf course designed by renowned American architect Ronald Kirby, runs along the woods, wineries and artificial bunkers, with plenty of « off limits » and « water hazards », making it a very unique place to hold the 5th edition of the Abruzzo Open.
« The course is very nice and is well-liked by our rising golf stars » tournament director Alessandro Pia said. « Matt Wallace won the 2016 Grand Final on the same course. Wallace is today in 18th place in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai » he added.
126 players from 15 countries across five continents have entered the tournament including defending champion Guido Migliozzi (ITA) and Santiago Tarrio (ESP), leader of the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour’s official season ranking.
The €40,000 prize money tournament will be played over 54 holes of traditional stroke. Following a cut after 36 holes, the top 40 and ties will qualify for the final round of the tournament.

Alps Tour season resumes with Cervino Open

Rising golf stars head to the Alps de Las Castillas
Rising golf stars of the Alps Tour are heading this week to León, northwest of Spain, for the Alps de Las Castillas July 18th through July 20th.
The 6th edition of the Alps de Las Castillas is played for the first time at the León Golf Club, a 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by former professional Spanish player Manuel Piñero. The course is known for its large fairways, numerous bunkers, large greens and numerous lakes, making it a very demanding course but at the same time a continuous challenge.

Tarrio heading for a third victory
The leader of the Alps Tour’s Order of Merit, Santiago Tarrio (ESP), took the lead today of the St-Malo Golf Open at the Saint-Malo Golf Resort with a total of -14.

Tarrio wins the Open de la Mirabelle d’Or
Santiago Tarrio (ESP) won the Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or today at the Domaine de la Grange aux Ormes with a total of -10.
With today’s victory, Santiago Tarrio takes the lead the Order of Merit, the Alps Tour official season ranking. He is followed by Marcus Mohr (ENG) who finished 4th today (-9 total), Louis Cohen Boyer (FRA), Alexandre Daydou (FRA) and David Borda (ESP).
Rising golf stars of the Alps Tour will now travel to Italy for the Open La Pinetina starting on June 27th.

Tarrio and Beaucousin remain co-leaders
Santiago Tarrio (ESP) and Teremoana Beaucousin (FRA) remain co-leaders of the Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or at Golf de La Grange aux Ormes, before tomorrow’s final round with a total score of -10.

Beaucousin and Tarrio co-leaders
Santiago Tarrio (ESP) and Teremoana Beaucousin (FRA) are co-leaders of the Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or after round 2 with a total score of -10.
