ITALIANS CLAUDIO, GIULIA WIN TOP
PRIZES AT DUKE
OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS
FROM COLIN CALLANDER
Tourament Press Officer
Claudio Vigano closed with a battling five over par 77 to become the first Italian to win the prestigious The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire today.
The 16 year-old Italian boys’ champion battled back from double bogeys on the 10th and the 11th and a triple bogey on the 17th to card a brave birdie on the 535yd, par-5 18th and finish two shot ahead of French girls’ champion Isabelle Boineau, Danish boys’ champion Joachim Hansen and fellow-Italian Giulia Molinari.
Earlier in the day, Molinaro, the 17 year-old Italian Girls’ champion from Treviso, had stormed through field with a magnificent three-under-par 69 which tied the best round of the tournament and was enough to give her first prize in the girls’ tournament after a card countback with the unfortunate Boineau.
Vigano looked to be cruising to an impressive victory when he went out in level par 36 but four dropped shots in the space of two holes at the 430yd par-4 10th and the 120yd par-3 11th saw his lead drop to just two shots.
He regained his composure with fine birdies at the 370yd par-4 13th and the 530yd par-5 14th but then squandered a further three shots on the 17th before hitting a towering six-iron to within eight feet of the hole of the par-5 final hole to set up the first international victory of his career.
“I cannot begin to tell you how I feel,” said Vigano moments after receiving the trophy from The Duke of York.
“I began to wonder whether it was going to be my day when I dropped shots on the 10th, 11th and the 17th but I’m proud of the fact I managed to control my nerves coming down the last.
“It’s a great honour to win this tournament,” he added, “and it’s even better to know that Giulia has won the girls’ prize.”
Molinaro, a 17-year-old student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, started the final round on nine over par 153 after opening rounds of 73 and 80 but like her compatriot turned in level par 36 and then moved into top gear with a closing nine holes of three under par 33 that included birdies on the 10th, the 14th and 18th.
“That was a great way to end the tournament,” said Molinaro whose parents run a tourism business in Kenya. “I played well in the first round and again this morning but the second round let me down a bit.”
“It has been a fantastic week,” she added, “and I’m delighted the Italians have done so well.”
The Italian girl will go to an American university - either Arizona or Arizona State next autumn.
British boys’ champion Emilio Cuartero from Spain carded a six over par 78, his best round of the tournament, but that still left the hugely promising 16 year-old from the outskirts of Barcelona languishing well down the field on 24 over par 240.
Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Shields (Baberton) also improved on his opening rounds of 77 and 78 with a four over par 76 that saw him finish the event on 15 over par 231 and a single shot ahead of Ireland’s Gary McGrane.
The leading British competitor was England’s Matt Haines who added a 76 to his opening rounds of 77 and 74 to claim a share of ninth place on 11 over par 227.
Welsh Boys’ champion Joe Vickery, closed with an 81 to finish the championship on 236.
+Image by Paul Severn (c) shows HRH Prince Andrew with Claudio Vigano.
ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
220 Claudio Vigano (Ita) 72-71-77.
222 Giulia Molinaro (Ita) 73-80-69, Isabelle Boineau (Fra) 74-74-74, Joachim Hansen (Den) 75-71-76.
224 Kasper Sorensen (Den) 76-77-71, Sean Einhaus (Ger) 74-74-76.
225 Darius van Driel (Hol) 80-70-75.
226 Lionel Weber (Fra) 77-74-75
227 Matt Haines (Eng) 77-74-76, Bernardo Frere (Por) 77-71-79.
228 Alessia Knight (Ita) 75-76-77
229 Rashid Khan (Ind) 81-72-76, Johan de Beer (SAf) 72-78-78, Vaishavi Sinha (Ind) 75-75-78, Rachel Raastad (Nor) 77-73-79.
231 Mathieu Rivard (Can) 80-77-74, Paul Ferrier (Sco) 77-78-76
232 Gary McGrane (Ire) 75-79-78, Dominique Jacobs (SAf) 79-74-79, Fanny Vuignier (Swi) 75-75-82.
233 Klara Spilkova (Cze) 81-76-76, Philip Kaiser (Au) 85-72-76, Roberto Francioni (Swi) 77-76-80.
234 Ossi Mikkola (Fin) 79-79-76, Francois Verheyen (Bel) 78-77-79, Egert Poldma (Est) 83-70-81, Maaike Naafs (Hol) 79-72-83
236 Matteo Manassero (Ita) 81-77-78, Joe Vickery (Wal) 77-78-81
237 Marina Kotnik (Aut) 79-79-79, Mikus Gavars (Lat) 85-69-83
238 Nicole Vandermade (Can) 77-82-79, Martin Prihoda (Cze) 77-80-81
239 Christoffer Arvidsson (Swe) 78-75-86
240 Emilio Cuartero (Spa) 82-80-78
241 Michael Kanev (Bul) 81-84-77, Valentine Gevers (Bel) 78-82-81
243 Marta Vasconelos (Por) 81-82-80
244 Koray Varli (Tur) 79-82-83
FROM COLIN CALLANDER
Tourament Press Officer
Claudio Vigano closed with a battling five over par 77 to become the first Italian to win the prestigious The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire today.
The 16 year-old Italian boys’ champion battled back from double bogeys on the 10th and the 11th and a triple bogey on the 17th to card a brave birdie on the 535yd, par-5 18th and finish two shot ahead of French girls’ champion Isabelle Boineau, Danish boys’ champion Joachim Hansen and fellow-Italian Giulia Molinari.
Earlier in the day, Molinaro, the 17 year-old Italian Girls’ champion from Treviso, had stormed through field with a magnificent three-under-par 69 which tied the best round of the tournament and was enough to give her first prize in the girls’ tournament after a card countback with the unfortunate Boineau.
Vigano looked to be cruising to an impressive victory when he went out in level par 36 but four dropped shots in the space of two holes at the 430yd par-4 10th and the 120yd par-3 11th saw his lead drop to just two shots.
He regained his composure with fine birdies at the 370yd par-4 13th and the 530yd par-5 14th but then squandered a further three shots on the 17th before hitting a towering six-iron to within eight feet of the hole of the par-5 final hole to set up the first international victory of his career.
“I cannot begin to tell you how I feel,” said Vigano moments after receiving the trophy from The Duke of York.
“I began to wonder whether it was going to be my day when I dropped shots on the 10th, 11th and the 17th but I’m proud of the fact I managed to control my nerves coming down the last.
“It’s a great honour to win this tournament,” he added, “and it’s even better to know that Giulia has won the girls’ prize.”
Molinaro, a 17-year-old student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, started the final round on nine over par 153 after opening rounds of 73 and 80 but like her compatriot turned in level par 36 and then moved into top gear with a closing nine holes of three under par 33 that included birdies on the 10th, the 14th and 18th.
“That was a great way to end the tournament,” said Molinaro whose parents run a tourism business in Kenya. “I played well in the first round and again this morning but the second round let me down a bit.”
“It has been a fantastic week,” she added, “and I’m delighted the Italians have done so well.”
The Italian girl will go to an American university - either Arizona or Arizona State next autumn.
British boys’ champion Emilio Cuartero from Spain carded a six over par 78, his best round of the tournament, but that still left the hugely promising 16 year-old from the outskirts of Barcelona languishing well down the field on 24 over par 240.
Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Shields (Baberton) also improved on his opening rounds of 77 and 78 with a four over par 76 that saw him finish the event on 15 over par 231 and a single shot ahead of Ireland’s Gary McGrane.
The leading British competitor was England’s Matt Haines who added a 76 to his opening rounds of 77 and 74 to claim a share of ninth place on 11 over par 227.
Welsh Boys’ champion Joe Vickery, closed with an 81 to finish the championship on 236.
+Image by Paul Severn (c) shows HRH Prince Andrew with Claudio Vigano.
ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
220 Claudio Vigano (Ita) 72-71-77.
222 Giulia Molinaro (Ita) 73-80-69, Isabelle Boineau (Fra) 74-74-74, Joachim Hansen (Den) 75-71-76.
224 Kasper Sorensen (Den) 76-77-71, Sean Einhaus (Ger) 74-74-76.
225 Darius van Driel (Hol) 80-70-75.
226 Lionel Weber (Fra) 77-74-75
227 Matt Haines (Eng) 77-74-76, Bernardo Frere (Por) 77-71-79.
228 Alessia Knight (Ita) 75-76-77
229 Rashid Khan (Ind) 81-72-76, Johan de Beer (SAf) 72-78-78, Vaishavi Sinha (Ind) 75-75-78, Rachel Raastad (Nor) 77-73-79.
231 Mathieu Rivard (Can) 80-77-74, Paul Ferrier (Sco) 77-78-76
232 Gary McGrane (Ire) 75-79-78, Dominique Jacobs (SAf) 79-74-79, Fanny Vuignier (Swi) 75-75-82.
233 Klara Spilkova (Cze) 81-76-76, Philip Kaiser (Au) 85-72-76, Roberto Francioni (Swi) 77-76-80.
234 Ossi Mikkola (Fin) 79-79-76, Francois Verheyen (Bel) 78-77-79, Egert Poldma (Est) 83-70-81, Maaike Naafs (Hol) 79-72-83
236 Matteo Manassero (Ita) 81-77-78, Joe Vickery (Wal) 77-78-81
237 Marina Kotnik (Aut) 79-79-79, Mikus Gavars (Lat) 85-69-83
238 Nicole Vandermade (Can) 77-82-79, Martin Prihoda (Cze) 77-80-81
239 Christoffer Arvidsson (Swe) 78-75-86
240 Emilio Cuartero (Spa) 82-80-78
241 Michael Kanev (Bul) 81-84-77, Valentine Gevers (Bel) 78-82-81
243 Marta Vasconelos (Por) 81-82-80
244 Koray Varli (Tur) 79-82-83
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 4:35:00 PM
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