Players Corner - October
26.10.2020

LPGA: Valenzuela in New Jersey in the Cut

At the Shoprite LPGA Classic in early October in New Jersey, Albane Valenzuela from Geneva showed a good performance. With rounds of 73, 67, 73 and 75 strokes, she finished in 73rd place and $2379 in prize money. A week later, however, at the top-ranked KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the Romande failed to make the cut.

Challenge Tour: Strong Performance of Benjamin Rusch in Italy

In October, the Challenge Tour was played exclusively in Italy - in the first days of October, the Italian Challenge Open was on the agenda at the Castelconturbia Golf Club. Two Swiss players, Benjamin Rusch and Raphaël de Sousa, were at the start. While the man from Geneva had to pack his bags after two days, the man from Thurgau impressed with a final round of 64 and moved up to 8th place.

LET Access Series: Caroline Rominger and Morgane Métraux in 10th place

The players of the LET Access Series ended the short 2020 season with two tournaments of the Spanish Santander Tour. In mid-October, the Santander Tour made a stop in the provincial capital of Burgos, located on the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago. Two Swiss players competed at Lerma Golf - both qualified for the final round. Caroline Rominger from the Engadin showed an excellent round of 66 on day two - and this at a bitterly cold 4 degrees Celsius in the morning. In the final round, she stayed above par for the first time in this tournament, but in the end a total score of 6 under par was good enough for 10th place, which she shared with Morgane Métraux; the Lausanne native stayed clear on the final day, played a round of 69 and moved up in the rankings.

The last tournament of the season was a week later at Lauro Golf in Malaga. At the event, which was shortened to two rounds, Rominger finished 21st and Métraux 30th in the prize money again. The two Swiss amateurs were also at the start: Aurora Colombo finished 26th, her sister Elena Colombo 66th.

Alps Tour: Eggenberger in Spain places 7th

At the Alps Tour event at the beginning of the month in Salamanca (Spain) Mathias Eggenberger was in the lead after the first round together with the later tournament winner Jacobo Pastor (Spain). Both needed 66 strokes for the opening round. While Eggenberger played par in each of the following two days, the Spaniard was able to break away on day two with a round of 65. Eggenberger finished the tournament in 7th place - seven shots behind Pastor. Arthur Ameil-Planchin did not make it into the prize money.

Pro Golf Tour: Freiburghaus moves up

With third place in the final tournament of the Pro Golf Tour at the end of September at the Adendorf Golf Resort south of Hamburg, Jeremy Freiburghaus from Graubünden secured third place in the annual ranking - and thus a place on the 2021 Challenge Tour. "I am happy to have maintained third place in the Order of Merit," said Freiburghaus. Not all five promoted players receive the same category on the Challenge Tour: "With category 15, however, I don't know yet how many tournaments I can play. One thing is certain: at the last tournament of the Pro Golf Tour 2020, Freiburghaus delivered the strongest final round in the field of participants: 66 (6 under par)! Luca Galliano (12th place) and Marco Iten (22nd place) also took some prize money at the season finale.

Swiss PGA Championship: Title for Girrbach and Bossert

After his victory at the Omnium, playing pro Joel Girrbach doubled his victory one week later at the Swiss PGA Championship in the Golfpark Zürichsee and won the title seven and more strokes ahead of a strong field. Girrbach took the lead with a round of 65 on day one and continuously extended this lead with rounds of 66 and 70 strokes (total 201). Benjamin Rusch placed second with 208 strokes ahead of third ranked Marco Iten (209). There was also a start-finish victory in the seniors' competition: André Bossert presented a score of 69 strokes on day one; scores of 70 and 67 strokes (a total of 206) on the following two days secured the Zurich native another Swiss PGA title. Second place went to Paul Wesselingh (214 strokes) from Eastern Switzerland, and third place went to David Thompson (220).

Swiss PGA Tour: Girrbach and Bossert also win in Lugano

The Swiss PGA Tour was held in Lugano on October 19-20. 24 men and 14 seniors competed in this fourth and last tour event of the 2020 season. And once again it remained exciting until the end: After two rounds Joel Girrbach and Luca Galliano were at the top of the ranking with 134 strokes each (6 under par). A play-off had to decide - and just like in Andermatt (against James Johnson) Girrbach kept the better end on the first extra hole. Third place was secured by Arthur Ameil-Planchin (136). In the seniors' category after day one André Bossert, Paul Wesselingh and David Thompson were at the top of the ranking with par each. Bossy" secured victory with a round of 66 on day two; Wesselingh needed 69, Thompson again 70 strokes.

Swiss Pro Series: Benjamin Rusch wins at Lake Sempach

The Swiss Pro Series Golf also ended its 2020 season in October. The seventh tournament was played on Golf Sempachersee on 12 October. With a score of 66 strokes (6 under par) Benjamin Rusch took the victory. Frenchman Lionel Weber needed two more strokes, Philippe Weppernig finished third with 69 strokes. Best senior in the field was Paul Wesselingh, who played a 70 card and finished the tournament in 4th place. The only lady in the field of 25 participants, Eva Baraschi, finished 12th with 77 strokes.