Round one of the 2025 Longwy Alps Open was suspended due to flooded greens, and play was officially called for the day at 7:45 p.m. local time due to continued course flooding and fading daylight.
With only a few events remaining before the Alps Tour Grand Final, the battle for a coveted top five position in the standings and the potentially career-changing promotion to the 2026 HotelPlanner Tour is more intense than ever.
Five Irish golfers have made the trip to France to compete, but it is Galway’s Ronan Mullarney who sits highest among the Irish in T8 at four-under-par.
The 29-year-old got off to a hot start, bar a hiccup on the par-4 fifth, with four birdies on the front nine.
Two bogeys came on the back nine, but Mullarney did well to go two-under in his final three holes as he was able to complete his opening round before the suspension of play to post four-under-par.
Three strokes behind Mullarney is 28-year-old Dubliner Hugh Foley, who carded a one-under-par round one as he sits in T39.
A slow start for 28-year-old Marc Boucher saw the Dublin native three-over-par after two holes but Boucher did well to add some birdies to his round in tough conditions, but ultimately couldn’t reduce the damage of the opening holes, posting a three-over-par round one to see him in T84.
It was also a day of struggles for Michael Young as the 28-year-old was seven-over par after nine holes.
A double on the first was not an ideal start for Young but back-to-back triple bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes really nulled any chance of a low score as he completed his round one at six-over-par in T102.
Youngster Brandon St John was the only Irishman not to complete his first round as the 21-year-old will have an early start on Friday morning to play out the remaining three holes of his round. St John sits at three-over par after 15 holes.
Italian Mattia Comotti, winner of the 2024 Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON, is the clubhouse leader with an eight-under-par round one.
“Today the round was really good, I played really solid from the tee and took advantage of the opportunities on the greens,” said Comotti.
“The mindset for the next two rounds will be the same as today’s. It’s a long tournament and we’re just getting started,” added the Italian.
While Comotti currently holds the clubhouse lead, Spain’s Borja Martin sits in solo second place and remains a strong contender at seven-under-par with three holes left to play in his first round.
France’s Paul Franquet, currently sits in a tie for third place after carding a six-under-par round in his first appearance as a professional. Having only turned pro two days ago, he showed no signs of nerves as he firmly placed himself in contention.
With a round that saw an eagle on the sixth hole and five birdies, the 20-year-old looks set to make a strong statement.
“The round went pretty well, I’m very happy with the way I managed the course. I was very patient all day, and the birdies came toward the end,” said Franquet.
Alongside Franquet, France’s Victor Veyret, and 22-year-old Italian Lucas Fallotico, both concluded their opening rounds with a six-under-par 66, to see them share third place.
The completion of round one is due to take place early Friday morning, followed by the start of round two.
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