The American Brandon Kewalramani, 25, has been the winner of the first edition of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar which was held at Playa Serena, Almería, where today the main obstacle to beat has been the wind. Marcos Pastor has been the best Spanish player classified in third position, with special mention to the young Arián Rodríguez who at only 16 years old has made the top 10.
If during the first two days of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar cards were presented with a considerable number of birdies, the wind has made the playing conditions completely change and even seem like a different course, as strategy has been key for the winner of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar, on a day very fought against wind and tide.
With a very tight final result and the Frenchman Benjamin Kedochim doing the impossible to force a tie, the Californian has kept his cool and composure and, with two birdies and two bogeys for the first 9 holes, and a birdie and good recoveries for the second 9, he has prevailed with a card of 69 strokes for a total of 10 under par.
“First of all, I want to thank the Alps Tour for this great tournament and Playa Serena for presenting the course in magnificent conditions. It has been very windy all day, and I wasn’t looking at the classification, I knew I was starting with a three-stroke lead and my goal was to stay that way. I was focused on each shot, and I have to admit that the putt has saved me from many today, it has been fabulous. The last 9 holes have been especially tough, and I was thinking that if someone catches up with me or beats me, it will be because they have played magnificently. So on those holes I was taking the fairway, green and playing very conservatively, it was so windy that I couldn’t do anything else, but my short game has been magnificent and that’s why I won today”. Kewalramani added that “I want to dedicate this victory to my mother, who has come and carried my bag this week. She knows well all the work I am doing; last night I was thinking that I would love to win to be able to dedicate it to my mother, and I am happy to have been able to do so”.
And how did an American from California get to the Alps Tour? Well, as he assured in Austria, where he started his season, “I love to travel to Europe and play here, the Alps Tour is a great circuit to start, it is very well organized and has a high level of competition; you have to play at a very high level the three days of the tournament to have any chance of victory. I am delighted playing here and it is the way to get to the Challenge and the DP World Tour”. Kewalramani won in Austria the first phase of the European circuit school in 2023.
The Cordovan Marcos Pastor has been the best Spanish player classified in third position having finished the tournament with birdie, with a card of 72 strokes for a total of 4 under par. “It has been very windy and on this course there is not a hole that catches the wind head on. Technically I am a little lost, but I managed to get to the end and it went very well. I am very good in the head and that’s why I was able to get to the 18, which I managed to finish with birdie. I would have liked to play a little better but the wind got to me”.
The local player, the young amateur Arián Rodríguez, only 16 years old, has withstood the wind of his land and the pressure of the game and has managed to make the top 10 by finishing with 71 strokes for a total of 2 under par.
