Roma Golf Open 2011
Roma Golf Open 2011
Delt 36.plass på Espen i Italia
Det var en tøff bane som ble spillt i Italia denne helgen. Espen endte totalt +3 etter runder på 70 (-1), 73 (+2), 71 (par), og 73 (+2), og endte på delt 36.plass.
Desverre så holdt ikke dette til å avansere på rankinglisten. Tvert imot så bragte det ham en plass lengre ned på totalrankingen til Challenge Touren, og han ligger nå på 31.plass før årets siste turnering Apulia San Domenico Grand Final som spilles i Puglia i Italia 2. - 5.november.
Denne turneringen har større premiepott enn de fleste andre turneringene på Challenge Touren. Dette betyr at Espen fortsatt kan sikre seg en plass på neste års Europa Tour før kvalifiseringen starter i desember. Topp fem må til for å ha en mulighet til å komme blant de 20 beste på rankinglisten. Havner han på en av de to øverste plassene så er han sikret topp 15, og en bedre kategori på Europatouren, mens 3.-5.plass kan gi plassering i topp 20, avhengig av hva de andre spillerne forran ham på rankingen gjør.
Uansett hvordan det går, så vil nok Espen spille kvalifiseringen til Europa Touren i desember. Det var denne kvalifiseringen han var så nære å komme seg gjennom i fjor. I år kommer han automatisk inn i siste steget i den lange prosessen, så dette vil selvfølgelig være en fordel!
Uansett Espen, du vet vi krysser det som krysses kan - lykke til!!
Fra sist uke:
Lørdagens tredjerunde ble tøff for Espen, og han måte opp i 72 slag (+1), og -3 totalt. Med dette overnattet han på delt 31.plass, og det måtte en god avslutningsrunde til på søndag for å redde sårt trengte penger til sammendraget.
Som sagt så gjort. En runde på -6 (65), som blant annet ble avsluttet med fire birdier på rad(!!), ga delt 11.plass med blant andre Knut Børsheim (som også avsluttet med en flott 66 runde). Fasiten viser dermed € 2.775 inn på konto, og noen små plasser oppover på sammenlagt listen. Espen ligger nå på 30.plass, og må prestere godt i de to siste turneringene i år for å ha en sjanse til å sikre seg direkte spill på Europa Touren.
På torsdag starter Roma Golf Open 2011, og 2.- 5.november spilles finalen Apulia San Domenico Grand Final i Puglia, Italia, med omtrent dobbelt så store premier som de fleste andre turneringene på Challenge Touren, så en god plassering her kan være avgjørende!
Espen har vist at han har alle slagene i baggen - nå håper vi at han får satt sammen to gode avslutningsturneringer, og sikrer seg kortet på the Europa Touren for neste sesong.
Her kan du se resultatene fra Frankrike
Espens trener, Mark Davies fulgte de to første rundene, og litt av tredjerunden i Frankrike. Her kan du lese hans oppsummeringer av disse dagene:
Fredag:
Today was an afternoon tee off for Espen. I met him at the course earlier in the morning, did some work on his swing then lunch. Espen had a bad lunch and got sick from the food…….Not the best start!!!
He knew he would have to play well firstly to make the half way cut but also to have a chance to contend going into the weekend. He started shaky with a 3 putt at the first. In his own words “I am dizzy standing over the ball”. At one point I thought he would withdraw from the tournament.
After a few holes he was looking a lot better and from there on in I have to say that is one of the best rounds of golf I have seen Espen play. He was patient all day, hit smart shots and looked in total control of what he was doing. Having shot one over after nine holes he had to play great golf on the inward nine. He did just that, making birdies on 3, 6, 8 and 9 to return in 4 under par and sign for a 68.
The weather today was a lot different than the previous days as it was cold and very windy all day. This played right into Espens hands as he is a very strong wind player and can hit all the shots.
After the round he worked hard for another hour on the range on the aspects he thought was a little off today.
Tomorrow the forecast is for much of the same and Espen has set himself up for a good run at the tournament over the weekend. The more I come out here to watch the more I understand the challenges that face him. There is a lot of good players all trying for the same goal, a lot are working hard and the prize at the end of the season of that European Tour card is like a golden ticket to them all.
Today I am leaving for home after Espen has teed off. You can follow his scoring on the link above this post.
I am hoping for a great weekend for him!!!!
Vi snakkes
Torsdag:
Espen was physically in good condition when I met him at 07.30 on the range. There was no evidence of the neck pain that had caused major difficulties the day before. Good start!!!!
It was a frustrating day for him on the golf course today. Espen struggled to find form and signed for a 1 under par 70. The round consisted of 3 birdies and 2 bogeys. Espen started well holing a 20 foot birdie putt at the first hole. On the third hole he went for the green on a par five in two and pulled the shot into the water which cost him a bogey. He bounced back with a birdie on the next, again holing a long range effort up the green. It was par golf all the way until the 14th hole when he found water again and penciled a bogey five on the score card. With an impressive birdie on the next Espen will feel that he could of got a lot more out of the round than he did after a poor day on the course.
Speaking to him after the round, he was clearly unhappy with the days performance. He headed straight to the range and we did some work for the next 2 hours or so.
Tomorrow he has to shoot a round in the mid sixties to have a chance to compete here as the scoring is good and the course is playing relatively easy for all. All players must be getting at least five clear opportunities at birdie or better per round.
For me when you are not swinging well or struggling in some department of your game you have to have a strong mind and the ability to turn an off day into a good score. To have the ability to score well when you are not at your best is what the great players are very good at. You have to learn to do this week in week out because you are not always going to play your best golf every week. Its definitely a skill you need to learn out here.
Hopefully Espen is feeling good tomorrow when I meet him, brings his scoring boots and is ready to fight for everything during the day both physically and most importantly mentally.
Mark
Onsdag:
Hi
Today did not start that well. I met Espen at the course this morning and he had slept funny and woke with a locked neck. He booked an appointment with the physio to get some help. After a massage, a pain killer along with a rest Espen was ready to practice.
He worked hard for a few hours on the putting green working on his speed as the greens here are lightening fast, followed by a good couple of hours on the range to finish.
Unless you are playing in the Pro-Am on Wednesdays the day can be pretty long unless you are efficient with your time. You cannot play on the course during this day. Its also time to gather your thoughts, get your mind ready, decide on your strategy and be ready.
Tomorrow Espen starts at 8.40am. I will be following him along the fairways and will take some pictures of him and post them for you tomorrow.
Here is too a great tournament for Espen….Fingers crossed
Mark
Tirsdag:
Hi
This week I have travelled to Lyon, France to give Espen some support before the end of the season. Espen has three tournaments left before the end of the season and currently sits in 33rd position with only 3 tournaments left.
The Challenge Tour is a great way to gain valuable learning experience in preparation for becoming a fully engrained European Tour player. It is a Tour that helps young aspiring golfers to learn the demands of tournament golf such as Travel, long periods away from home, 4 round golf tournaments 26 weeks of the year, small prize funds and great competition.
The hard thing about the Challenge Tour is that the prize money is top heavy. This means if you finish outside of the top 10 each week you will lose ground in the order of merit. TOUGH! This is why this Tour is great for young guys because it teaches them so many things and one of them is that in order to get your card you have to work hard and play relatively great golf each tournament.
Espen has played very consistently all year and has had a couple of chances to gain a win but like everyone else he is learning all about tournament golf as a professional and winning. It’s an art! With 3 tournaments to go Espen needs to finish top 10 each week from now to have a chance of gaining his tour card.
I watched Espen yesterday practice and play and he looked in great shape. The course here is set up perfectly for his play and I expect Espen to have a great week here. The scoring will be low.
I have attached some photos from yesterday for you and will keep you updated every day on how he is doing
Good Golfing!!!
