Spain dominates the Alps Tour. It’s a tyranny. A fascinating tyranny. The Andalusian Rocco Repetto claimed victory this Thursday at the La Cigale Golf Open in Tabarka, Tunisia. It’s the fourth consecutive Spanish triumph in this circuit. First, Álvaro Hernández won, followed by Javier Barcos, then Álvaro repeated last week, and now Repetto has taken the win. Four consecutive wins by three different players. It’s a spectacle.
Just like last week, the tournament couldn’t complete the three rounds of play. In fact, they couldn’t even start today’s final round due to rain and storms. It was reduced to 36 holes, and the victory went to Repetto, who led after the first two days with scores of 66 and 70. He won without suffering, at least today, as yesterday’s round had its challenges. “We knew what the weather was like and suspected we might not play today, so I approached yesterday’s round as if it were the last day. I felt it one hundred percent,” he told Ten Golf.
The first round showcased sensational golf. He scored 66, with six birdies and no bogeys. In the second round, he had to grit his teeth. It wasn’t the best day from tee to green, but he managed to hold on with spectacular short game play. “On the 18th (he started on the 10th on the second day), I went into the water and managed a great bogey, and then on the back nine, there were several incredible saves. I made approach and putt on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and on the 7th, I holed it from the bunker for birdie. It was the approach stretch,” he said with a smile.
Una intrahistoria surrealista: ¿se puede predecir un albatros?
Rocco finished the job with a magnificent birdie on the 9th hole, under all the pressure. “I left myself a putt of about three metres and knew I had to make it to be first on my own in case we didn’t play today, as it turned out. It was a great putt,” he stated.
To win a tournament, regardless of the circuit, you have to do many things well. However, Rocco, a 22-year-old from Málaga, is particularly proud of one thing this week: “There were moments when the round could have fallen apart, and I managed it very well. For example, on the 9th hole of the first day, I hit the ball into a bush and was on the edge of being able to play it or not. I finally decided to drop, and it worked out very well because I ended up hitting the third shot from there and saved par. I’ve known how to hold on well when tough moments came,” he explained.
Repetto had been playing very well. Last week he finished second, and in the two previous Alps tournaments, he was fourth and sixth. “I knew I was playing well and knocking on the door. I’m very happy that the stars finally aligned today,” he noted.
This is Rocco’s second professional victory. He won his first tournament after turning pro, the Campeonato de Castilla de la PGA de España. Next week, he will compete in the Doubles at Izki Golf, alongside Manu Morugán, and then focus again on the Alps, with the main goal of finishing among the top five in the ranking to secure the HotelPlanner Tour card. By the way, he still doesn’t have any invitations secured for the second division. Surely, this triumph will also open some doors for him.
