Palmer Jackson was overcome with emotion, dedicating his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title to his mother. We catch up with another past champion at Kaskáda Golf Resort, Lorenzo Scalise, who’s back on the HotelPlanner Tour this year.
Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Music] 12 events into the 2025 Hotel Planetour season, and we’ve already experienced South Africa, India, and the Middle East. The players have spent the last four weeks in mainland Europe. And with a schedule that contains just one week off from now until the end of September, the grind of non-stop travel imposes just as much a test of stamina as the courses they play. This week, Berno in the Czech Republic is the latest stop off. And fresh off the plane at the start of the week, we caught up with the winner of this event from 2 years ago, Lorenzo Scalis. It’s tough. You know, you I’ve got five weeks in a row at the minute and it’s going to be some long travels ahead, especially cuz we we don’t often play close to airports. But, you know, I’ve enjoyed it. Now, I’m at my sixth year, I think. So, I know how to travel, where to go, what’s the best route to every event, where to stay. So, you know, I can use a bit of this experience uh to my advantage, hopefully. Uh usually I share with Lars Van Mayo. Oh yeah. And he’s a mess. Oh no. Open it the wrong way. I hate not to have all my stuff laid out perfectly. I even plan outfits for the week so I know what I’m going to wear every day. I don’t have to think about it. Obviously, I’m packed for 5 weeks in a row. So, um, I’ve got way more shirts. This is usually Sunday. So this would be I start from Sunday. So I’m probably wearing this with like the blue. Then it would probably be either gray or blue again. So gray is quite nice with this sometimes. And then that’s definitely a prom shirt. Um I’ve got I’ve got my PlayStation um sweaters. Yeah, we’ve got a couple of restaurants. we’re probably going to go to. The town is quite nice. I’ve always stayed on the golf course, so this time I’m not staying on the course, you know, a little bit closer to the city. Um, which is nice. But yeah, looking forward to it. See you tomorrow, guys. [Music] Cascada Golf Resort hosts the Rifen Bank Golf Challenge located in the South Moravian region. It’s a championship style layout consisting of three 9-hole courses. It’s the fifth year running that the event’s been staged at the venue and it’s proven a good indicator. All four previous winners went on to graduate to the DP World Tour. Scales was one of those and he was back again hoping for a repeat performance. Nice to see you guys. Moving into the back nine with a three-shot lead. This is second to 10. [Music] That was close. Beauty looking to turn the screw now the Italian. That was very close. Not sure what I know is the final round the year I won, but not sure what hole was that. And it is a breakthrough win for Italy’s Lorenzo Scalis. Felt like I’ve watched this video so many times the couple of days after and then probably it’s the first time I see it again, you know, in over a year. But it’s pretty cool. I obviously I haven’t played last year and today first time out since the win. I kind of remember where the pin was, the last toes coming in and uh and the shots that I was hitting. Um so it felt it felt really good to kind of relieve those those memories. But on the other hand, you know, it’s been couple of years now and a lot of things have changed. Uh so yeah, always feels good though. Yeah, it feels so good when you win in this in this sport because you you basically lose 99% of the times unless you’re Scottish chef. So it’s like yeah, it it feels amazing and sometimes in your career you need it to to keep pushing forward. Yeah. Scalisi would go on to finish seventh in that season’s road to Morca rankings and graduate to the DP World Tour for the first time. But 2024 eventually proved a steep learning curve for the Italian with just 13 cuts made. He ended the year 163rd on the race to Dubai. I’m not going to say I wasn’t mentally ready because I felt ready at the time. Um, but I it was a new it was a different tour even though I’ve had maybe 40 50 starts before u getting my car. So I I did experience what it was like main tour before. Um but I just wasn’t able to handle a lot of things that you know outside the golf course well. Um I wasn’t in a very good headsp space especially the second part of the season. Um, so that taught me more than hitting a bad shot. I think Scalis doesn’t have to look too far to see just how quickly a career can turn around, though. One of his closest friends who’s experienced it all is Matteo Manisero. I’m s I’m a really good friend with Manny and to he’s he has been a source of inspiration for so many of us not only when he was really good 20 when he won Wentworth I can’t remember if it was 2015 or something but I think what he did afterwards you know the great determination resilience that he has shown such a big source of inspiration to I think he’s in a different league his talent is unbelievable everyone who’s played with him has seen that I mean is he’s is unbelievable but what he’s done with his attitude with his mental resilience is something that we can all learn from. Scalissi would also be looking to take inspiration from his own past memories. It’s a course at which he’s enjoyed plenty of success. I’ve had a course record runner up one. Um, like I said, it’s, you know, it’s silly not to try and ride all the good momentum that I get from this place, but you know, I’m starting even bar tomorrow as other 155 guys. So, um, then you just need to take care of business like usual. And to round one of the Rifen Bank Golf Challenge, where things got underway early for Scalis and his playing partners, Santiago Tario and Ollie Wilson. On the tea from Italy, Lorenzo Scaliz. [Music] It was a solid, if unspectacular, start for Lorenzo. Starting at the 10th, it proved to be a defensive opening stretch, a case of avoiding drop shots rather than hunting down birdies. He left himself work to do at many of the holes. Scalis battled to an even par outward nine of 35. His back nine started on a more positive note. A fine approach at the par five first setting up a two putt birdie to go under par for the day. But on the very next hole, a lost ball led to a card wrecking triple bogey 7 from which he never really recovered. [Music] A second birdie of the day was canceled out by two more drop shots as he eventually signed for an opening 74. Three over par and a long way back from the pace set by day one leader Yoan Rabula. [Music] As I said, you know, I’m not going to change anything. I’m going to keep working on the stuff that I know that are good for me this afternoon and then try and rest up. Uh mentally exhausting round today with all that been going on. So, I feel like I have to really disconnect and like I always say, I’ll think about tomorrow tomorrow. So, to Friday afternoon and with the projected cut mark close to level par for Lorenzo, a fast start was the priority. and he produced exactly that. Birdies on the first and fourth saw his momentum swing. Things had started to look up for the Italian. And it wasn’t just our main man that was on the birdie train. Stuart Manley, Josh Bry, and Sebastian Garcia were all making moves at the top of the leaderboard. With the leaders racing away, Scalis’s mind was only focused on the cut line. And with that added pressure came mistakes. There were drop shots on five, six, and eight. His tournament was pretty much finished before his day two back n had even got underway. Frustration had set in, and the battle to make the weekend was well and truly over. In the end, he would sign for a second successive 74 and six over for the tournament. I feel like it’s a little bit too early now to analyze as I’m very emotional. Um, so I will have to let it settle down and then go through it again tomorrow and then see what can I pick up. Every week is a new opportunity. You just have to approach it in the right way. Unfortunately, in this game, you almost feel like you’re as good as your last week, but then you do start level par like everyone else. So, it’s it’s a hard balance. And now I’ll have to try and and and and really just approach it as a new week without having, you know, too much thought about what happened here. Coming up, we take a look at the incredible success enjoyed by former Hotel Planetour players on the DP World Tour this year. And we take a check on the final outcome at the Rifen Bank Golf Challenge. We’ll see you after the break. [Music] Welcome back to the Hotel Planner Tour as we reflect on the first of two events to be held in the Czech Republic this season with the DND Royale Czech Challenge just around the corner next month. After two days in Berno, there was a four-way tie at the top with Jackson, Manley, Barry, and Garcia leading the way. But with just three shots separating the top 10 players, so much could change over the weekend. With the key developments on moving day, it’s Josh Antman. A couple of top 10s earlier in the season for Lucas for Caris, but he’s been quiet since then. However, 268 put him right in the mix here. This birdie on the first was one of eight on the day and a 65 for the Spaniard. Another Spaniard going well was Sebastian Garcia. One of four tied at the top after two days. Had to lay up on the first. A lovely pitch there. He would tap that in to start his day in style. Back-to-back wins for Renato Partoriy in April and no miscuts since and that’s why he’s a number two on the road to Morca. His first bird of the day came here at the fourth, but he would double bogey the last for a one underpar round of 70. No top 25 all season for American Palmer Jackson, but he was finding something at Kascada Golf Resort. Tied for the lead after two days, and this approach at the fifth gave him a chance to open his account on Saturday. Amazing conditions for all the fans and the players. 14 birdies on the week up to this point for Jackson and he made it number 15 with this part on the par four fifth hole. Makes it and moves to 11 under par alongside Garcia and Bry at this point. Barry himself had just won bogey on the week having a fine season which includes that win in India back in March. This his third shot of the night. He looked like he was in trouble, but a fantastic recovery. Set up another birdie opportunity. Few of the fans taking some much needed shade out there. Fantastic third from Barry. And he would take the opportunity. Three birdies and out in 33 for the 20-year-old. [Music] Sweet Tobias Johnson was a man in form, a podium finish last week in Switzerland and was going well again here at Kiscarda. Brilliant putt here at 12. He would sign for a 68 and just three back heading into the final day. [Music] Matthew Chung has been playing a mix of the Hotel Planetour and the Asian Tour this year. This was his fifth bird of the day. This one came at 13. However, two bogeies in his last five holes put him dropped down the lead ball slightly with 18 to play. Barry finally made a bogey on 14, but his response was superb. Long off the tea and he was taking advantage of the par fives at Cascada. This approach at 15 set up a birdie which he would convert and take the outright lead but he would have company at the top. Jackson finished with a birdie on the last to join Barry at 14 under parath. The American looking for his first win on the hotel panur. [Music] Yes Barry and Jackson now the dual leaders. Barry third on the road to Morca looking for his second win of the season while Jackson was showing remarkable improvement sat more than 150 places further down the rankings before this event. [Music] Over the years, there have been 610 DP World Tour wins from 230 former Hotel Planet Tour players. And that success story has continued this season with 13 victories from 22 events. It’s been a long battle and worth every moment of this week. Oh yes. and breakthrough win for Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey. We all push each other on a little bit. I think you see see guys you know well win and you think, you know, I want to go and do that. It’s special, you know, makes me very proud. And Dylan Naidu can hardly believe it. Oh, brilliant. That’s brilliant. [Applause] That moment is the most fulfilling thing in the world and it’s it’s worth it. So stick in and um hopefully you get rewarded one day like I have today. Amazing. It is just amazing. Little bit of magic there. [Music] It’s a breakthrough win for Christopher Wright here in Belgium. It’s been such a tough journey the last 2 and 1/2 years, but it’s all got me to this stage right here and now I’m here. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. So so difficult. I just felt I felt so much better this week. Felt really ready to do it. I’m just so so happy I managed to do it. [Music] Yes. An incredible year for some of our former players and many of those competing in the Czech Republic will be looking to join the DP World Tour ranks next season. Taking us through the final days action, here’s Josh again. Hong Kong’s Matthew Chan started the day three back. Poor start after a bogey at the second hole, but a good bounce back after this approach. A little bit of spin whole side and he converted that for birdie to get to 11 under par. Palmer Jackson had any nerves at the start of the day and he wasn’t showing it. The man from Pennsylvania had birdies on the first and third and he made it three from the first four holes with his outrageous birdie putt at the par 44th. [Music] Two excellent weeks from Tobias Johnson. A third last week and this birdie on the fifth helped him to a final round of 68 and a tie for second. One to keep an eye on in the weeks to come. Leading home player was Philip Mek. 368 saw him in with a glimmer. Huge crowds following the hometown hero. This birdie on the par 38 eighth kept the fans extremely happy. [Music] Jackson had bird seventh hole two out of the first three days at Cascada but he went one better on Sunday. Drove the green on the par four and sunk this eagle putt to take full control on the final day. [Music] Ruchek was having a fantastic day out there. This was his fifth birdie of the day. A final round of 66 and a top five finish for the Czech player. A huge result for him. [Music] A real mixed bag on the front line for Chun. An eagle, three birdies, and two bogeies. Lovely approach here into 13 [Music] which led to another birdie. A 67 for Chong and a tie for second. Brilliant week. Red drop shot from Palmer came at the 12th, but a superb bounce back on 13. This iron from the American set up another birdie opportunity. He looked to be in full control of his game. Jackson, there were no real threats from behind for him. So the lead was a decent one, but he made it comfortable with this birdie at 13 to stretch his lead to four with five holes to play. [Music] He also buried the 15th which gave him a five shot leading the final hole. A nice spot to be in and he walked after this approach on the 72nd hole. You can see why. Never let up, Palmer Jackson. And this to finish in style. What a way to win your first Hotel Planetour title. A final round of 64 and a sixshot win in a dominating display in the Czech Republic. Yes, it was great stuff. The final standings underlining Jackson’s brilliant final day performance. Philip Ruchek’s fourth place finish will have pleased the home crowds in Berno, but the week certainly belonged to an emotional American. [Applause] It’s obviously Father’s Day in the United States and and my dad was a big influence for me and and my mom, she’s been really battling some health problems recently and she told me to win a tournament for her over here and I’m glad I did for her. There’s movement at the top of the Road to Morca rankings. Daniel Van usurped as number one by Renato Paroreé. Berry closed the gap on the top two and Rutherford climbs a place to fourth. Further down, Palmer Jackson’s win moves him up an amazing 142 places to 15th, just ahead of Tobias Johnson with Sam Jones now in 20th position. And with that, it’s goodbye to the Czech Republic. for now. We’ll be back later next month. We head next to France for back-to-back events, starting with the Blow Play 9 in Pener, where the pursuit to promotion to the DP World Tour continues. [Music]
