Alejandro Aguilera (-14) has completed an epic comeback this Saturday at the Croara Country Club in Piacenza to claim his first victory as a professional. He secured the win at the Croara Alps Open, the final regular tournament of the Alps Tour, with a final round of 62 strokes that he will hardly forget throughout his career. The Madrid golfer triumphed on the second playoff hole against Austrian amateur Jakob Lotschak (-14).
Aguilera was not on the radar when the day began. He had scored 69 and 68 strokes on Thursday and Friday and started Saturday no less than six strokes behind Lotschak, the solo leader after the second round. Beyond the distance from the lead, ‘Raspu’, as his close friends call him, had a tough challenge because there were no less than 22 players ahead of him. It was not only about performing very well but also hoping others would falter.
Not much help was needed because Alejandro delivered a spectacular final round. He submitted a scorecard of 62 strokes, the best of the week on Italian soil, with ten birdies and a solitary bogey. It was a legendary sorpasso. He started on the 10th hole, with three birdies in the first four holes. It was a magnificent start, but in the next seven holes, he only managed one birdie and one bogey, leaving him with a modest three under par. From there, he set off the fireworks. He did something incredible: six birdies in the last seven holes to post -14 and wait…
Curiously, Alejandro teed off in the first group of the day on the 10th hole, so he had to wait almost an hour and a half to find out if he won outright or had to go to a playoff. Two birdies by Lotschak on the 15th and 16th holes put him level with the Spaniard at -14, forcing a playoff. They first played the 9th hole, a par 5, and tied it with birdies. On the next attempt, at the 8th, a par 4, Aguilera made a spectacular birdie. His second shot landed an inch from the hole, almost an eagle, leaving him a two-metre putt which he sank. Meanwhile, Lotschak had a three-and-a-half-metre putt for birdie and came up short.
This is Alejandro Aguilera‘s first professional victory in a tournament counting towards the world ranking. The win also comes with a small bonus. It opens a door to finish among the top five in the Alps Tour ranking. He arrived at the Croara Country Club outside the top 50 in the standings, who are the ones playing next week’s Alps final, but with the win, he not only qualifies for this last major tournament, also in Italy, at the Golf Club Monticello, but also opens a door to finish among the top five, which means securing a Challenge Tour card in 2025.
It should be noted that Aguilera passed the first stage of the DP World Tour School, so he is still in the race through this route to secure a Challenge or first division card. Now he has another opportunity, although he will need a great result. Practically, only a first or second place on his own will suffice.
In addition to Alejandro, Mario Galiano, Albert Boneta, Álvaro Hernández, Asier Aguirre, Eduard Rousaud, Manu Morugán, José Sintes, and Borja Martín have qualified for the Alps Final. Among them, the best-ranked in the order of merit is Galiano, ninth in the ranking, while Boneta is 17th and Hernández is 19th.
Aguilera has claimed the fourth Spanish victory this year in the Alps. Four wins by four different players: Sintes, Boneta, Galiano, and Aguilera. Exceptional.
