Spanish amateur Albert Boneta was able to keep his foot to the floor on the final day at Golf Lerma and secured Alps Tour victory with a fine 65. Michael Young and Paul McBride top the Irish challenge, finishing tied for 30th on eight-under.
Boneta was imperious all week and no less so on Saturday, carding seven birdies and an eagle to help him to a -25 tally that would prove unassailable. The charging Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner carded his second 64 of the week to overtake Nathan Lagrande and move into second spot.
Young was first out of the Irish on the final day and eight straight pars followed by birdie on the 18th saw him turn on one-under. Another birdie came on the first to begin his back nine, but two shots were handed back on the second and on the par-3 5th. He would go on to card two more birdies coming home to finish his week tied with his compatriot McBride in 30th spot after a positive week.
McBride, also starting on the 10th, did all his good work on his way out with four birdies only tempered by a single dropped shot on the par-4 13th. He’d make the turn on three-under, and that’s where he would remain with just the one shot traded back and forth on his homeward nine to par his way home.
Robert Moran could have joined his fellow countrymen further up the order but for a damaging front nine for the Castle GC man. Bogey on the 10th, his opening hole was compounded with a disastrous treble on the par-4 13th and a double on the 16th. Moran would claw two back to turn on four over and despite five birdies on a resilient back nine, the damage had been done and he would have to settle for a level-par round of 72.
Round of the final day went to Italian Filippo Bergamaschi who would card eight birdies and an eagle on the popular par-5 17th to finish nine-under for the day and shoot up the order to clinch fourth spot on -18. Finland’s Miikka Makinen rounds off the top-five tied with a group of three others in -15.
After his win, Boneta was understandably very emotional but happy:
“It was an unexpected win,” he said. “I played last week’s tournament, the Alps de Andalucía and learned a lot and that helped me a lot this week I must say. I’m very happy; it’s the beginning of my life as a professional player, and that’s always been my dream.
“There is no way better to start than with a win amongst the professionals. I was quite relaxed from the beginning of the tournament, and then I had a big advantage because I started very well, so I was not nervous, I must say.”
“I was very calm from the beginning of the tournament,” he added. “I knew my game was good, and I was very relaxed the entire time. The best thing has been the putting, it’s what I’ve been working on the most lately, and it’s been phenomenal. It’s what has helped me to win because in the end, to make minus 25, no matter how well you hit the ball, you must make quite a few putts.” Boneta wants to “dedicate this win to my parents. They have supported me and have always been with me from the start. They came as they wanted to watch me play today, so this win is for them.” Winning this tournament has a big meaning for Boneta: “shows me that I am able to compete amongst the professionals, and this week allowed me to secure my card for next year, so it’s great.”
The Alps Tour now goes on hiatus for almost two months before returning in France at the Longwy Alps Open which kicks off from the 5th to the 7th of September. The third-to-last event before the Grand Final in Italy in October as all eyes turn to the coveted top-five spots and Challenge Tour qualification.
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