There will be 20 Italians competing in the 81st edition of the Italian Open. After three consecutive editions at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Guidonia Montecelio, east of Rome, we change direction and for the first time we enter the Adriatic Golf Club Cervia in Milano Marittima. Strong support from the Emilia Romagna Region, which placed its name alongside that of the event. Very important detail: the first two not yet qualified for the Open Championship will from here have the pass to the Royal Troon.
It will be a mix of regulars from the DP World Tour, figures who have been protagonists in the past and potential new figures, what will be seen in this Italian context in the only tournament that passes through our area. And it does so in a rather good meteorological context, since it should not be more than around 31 degrees for the entire period of the tournament.
The tip is clearly Guido Migliozziwhich comes from the success of the KLM Open which allowed him to regain that number 1 in Italy which Matteo Manassero had taken from him at the Jonsson Workwear Open. The two Italians are also observed specially because for them there is the road that leads directly to Le Golf National, the Olympics route. Furthermore, Migliozzi can now also go with the confidence of having the pass for the fourth and final Major of the year (next to Francesco Molinari, who will be able to play it up to the age of 60: Chicco is the only big blue absent because he plays the Rocket Mortgage Classic on the PGA Tour).
Italian Open golf 2024: the course and 18 holes of the Atlantic Golf Club Cervia in Milano Marittima
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But they also came out of the KLM Open very well Andrea Pavanwith a beautiful fourth place which relaunches many of its ambitions, and Philip Celli, tenth and with a flash that recalled that 2022 which brought him to the attention of Italian professional golf. Even though they dropped further in, they also stood out quite well Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Laporta and Lorenzo Scalise, all ready to try to confirm their feelings here. Desire for redemption, however, for Renato Paratorewhich had to stop after the first lap.
Alongside them, he finds the air of the DP World Tour again Lorenzo Gagliwho dated him for a long time until 2023. With him Aron Zemmer, Stefano Mazzoli and Gregorio De Leooften protagonists on the Challenge Tour, but also Jacob Old Pit, looking for new and important stimuli. Also present Pietro Bovariwho in 2023 came close to entering the DP World Tour at not even 23 years old, and Luca Cianchettiwho plays almost at home being a member of the Modena Golf & Country Club.
Then there are three stories that are very different from each other: Emanuele Canonicahistorical element of Italian golf in the era of Costantino Rocca, Flavio Michettiamong the most interesting young people on the current scene, and Thomas Perrino, which for the third time presents itself at the Italian Open with the credentials of representing Paralympic golf, which sees it permanently in the best 10 in the world. Speaking of young people, also worth keeping an eye on Giovanni Binaghithis year winner of the important Junior Invitational in the USA, and Riccardo Fantinelliwhich again in the States, at Princeton, made its mark in the 2022-2023 year.
As for the international protagonists, missing the Polish Adrian Meronk (winner of 2023), the tournament managed to ensure the presence of both the English Danny Willettwinner of the 2016 Masters (and second in the Italian Open of the same year behind Francesco Molinari) and of one of the most, if we want, controversial figures in golf: the USA Patrick Reed. There are four top tens in the Race to Dubai, apart from Migliozzi (he is eighth): the Japanese Rikuya HoshinoSwedish Jesper SvenssonEnglish Laurie Canter and Spanish Nacho Elvira.
TV coverage will be very important: first of all there will be the usual Sky Sport, which will follow the first two laps from 1.00pm to 6.00pm, then the third from 1.30pm to 6.00pm and the fourth from 12.30pm to go. Rai will also be present with RaiSport, which will broadcast a summary of the first three laps (night between Thursday and Friday at 00.200, both Friday and Saturday at 23.00) and then live coverage of the last lap from 2.45pm, with RaiPlay which however will be connected from 12.30pm.
