By the time you read these lines, the 2024 Italian Golf Open will have already begun. One of the Swiss Rusch, the French Ko and the Belgian Moolman will have already played the first shot from hole 1. Once the hangover of the unforgettable Ryder Cup in Rome is over, the joy of Migliozzi’s victory last Sunday and waiting for the electoral campaign for the Federgolf summit, for four days we will talk about golf in the strict sense.
di Sauro Legramandi
In Cervia we leave out for a few days the past and the future of our sport in Italy.
Let’s enjoy two big shots like Danny Willett And Patrick Reed. We have already seen the first on the podium in an Italian Open (in his magical year. 2016, he came second behind Chicco Molinari in Milan). The second is often a champion on the pitch, a little less off. He has the shots and to play at the Adriatic Club he flew from the LIV Golf Tour in Nashville to the DP World Tour in Milano Marittima. He is undoubtedly aiming to win but above all he is aiming for a place at The Open 2024 (two up for grabs this weekend). Its possible success in Romagna would have worldwide repercussions. Try to think of all the Greg Normans in the world with The American who plays for the Saudis and wins in Europe on the DP World Tour.
Refrain meatheads
Five players from the top ten of the Race to Dubai will be on the field. In addition to Migliozzi (number 8) there will be the Japanese Rikuya Hoshino ( 4), Swedish Jesper Svensson (6), English Laurie Canter (9) and Spanish Nacho Elvira (No. 10). The past winner and ex is worth keeping an eye on Ryder Cupper Bernd Wiesberger, the Dutch Darius Van Driel, the German Yannik Paul, the Iberian Pablo Larrazabal. And again: the French Antoine Rozner, the South Africans Dylan Frittelli and Zander Lombard, the Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat and the Chinese Ashun Wu and Haotong Li.
May the best of the 156 who are playing in Cervia win. Maybe Reed or an Italian. It would be nice if celebrating on Sunday afternoon was a big name, not just any Jones or Smith. Captain America he doesn’t hide: “It’s the first time I’ve played in Italy. It would be nice to become the second American to conquer this competition (Billy Casper won in Monticello in 1975). I will play here in Emilia-Romagna, then I will participate in the BMW International Open in Germany, after which I will go to Spain for a LIV tournament”.
In the first two laps Patrick Reed and Guido Migliozzi will be in the group with Laurie Canter (departures at 1.10pm, 8.10am). Danny Willett and Matteo Manassero will also play together with Zander Lombard (8:10, 13:10). Edoardo Molinari will have Tom McKibbin and Jordan Smith as companions (8:20, 13:20).
The Legion XX, twenty Italians in search of glory
From Italy Legion XX the most anticipated are by far the two Venetians Matteo Manassero and Guido Migliozzi. Manny returns after four years to play an Italian Open: usually at the same time he was around the world trying to score points on smaller circuits. “I’m experiencing a good season, new for me – says the Veronese -, lived in a more mature and conscious way. I am very satisfied with the results achieved so far, after four years I am returning to play the Italian Open golf and I am very happy about it. The objective – he added -, like every week, is to give the best. As far as the Olympics are concerned, with Guido Migliozzi we make up a wonderful, united team.”
The Vicenza native also speaks highly of Paris. “Participating in the Olympics for the second time,” the 27-year-old underlined, “is the exclamation point of a career. I would like to meet Jannik Sinner, an incredible champion. It would be great to meet up. I admire him very much.” On the Open: “Winning would be really nice. I will give my best because it is always nice to play in front of the home crowd and your family.”
Italians also expected Edoardo Molinari, Andrea Pavan And Renato Paratore. To follow too Lorenzo Scalise, Francesco Laporta and Filippo Celli. Good opportunity for Jacopo Vecchi Fossa, Stefano Mazzoli, Gregorio De Leo and Aron Zemmer. The two amateurs will certainly gain valuable experience Giovanni Binaghi And Riccardo Fantinelli. The Paralympic golfer will play his third Open Thomas Perrino.
The Rolex Pro-Am
The 2024 Open was characterized by the Rolex Pro-Am won with -18 by the team led for three holes by the Englishman Dan Bradbury and then replaced, because he was injured, by his compatriot Matthew Southgate, with amateurs Mauro Acquati, Sebastiano Cristofori and Elena Fornari. It preceded that of the German Yannik Paul, with Cordiano Dagnoni, Paola Manzoni and Federico Casini, (-18 but best score on the last hole). In third place (-14) the team of Laurie Canterwith Luca Tolentino, Ubaldo Delfino and Marco Cazzola.
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