It’s crunch time, as we track the progress of those vying for a place in the final events of the season. Eddie Pepperell, George Bloor and James Meyer De Beco try to make the most of the final event before the top 70 on the rankings head to China. At the other end of the Road to Mallorca, JC Ritchie secures top spot with his 3rd victory of the season, and with it, automatic promotion to the DP World Tour.
Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] With the business end of the Hotel Planetour season upon us, we return to the truly incredible surroundings of Italy for the Italian Challenge Open. Staged since 2007, it’s a tournament with a little history of its own. We’re back close to the eternal city of Rome and golf national, the spectacular host venue for the 2023 Junior Rider Cup. This par 72 championship layout is recognized as one of the finest golf courses in Italy. With its deep, rough, undulating greens, water features, and many strategically placed bunkers, it is a true test for the players. And our field also had to consider the sharp elevation changes which bring about some spectacular views over the surrounding Latio countryside. [Music] [Applause] It’s crunch time on the Hotel Planetour as after Italy only the top eligible 68 players in the rankings would book their place on the plane for back-to-back events in China. And due to a couple of withdrawals, that meant 70th spot would be good enough. So as it stood at the start of the week, Maxon’s Jibido was projected to be the last man in everyone knew that a good week here could change everything. And as they look to prolong their season, we followed three players all under pressure to perform. My goal was to finish top 20. So I’m obviously a bit off that, but and and by being in the top 20, you’d probably like think that you’d be going to China. So obviously I’m like just outside of that then. Yeah, that that is like the immediate goal. But eventually, you know, still goals a long processor. I’m trying to get to the deep wheel tour one way or another. So whether it happens this week, this year, or in the near future, I’m sure it’ll happen soon enough. [Music] I’m looking forward to actually cuz it’s it’s going to be a good test. It’s like it’s crunch time now. This is where like you know if you want to make something of of positive finish the year whereas there’s not going to be any more chances on on Hotel Planet Tour after this week. So get stuck in do or die type thing like just but at the same time I’m not like overpowering or trying to just focus so much on this one week. It’s like it’s same processes that I would have done every week and just give myself give myself the best chance come Sunday. [Music] Just one place ahead of George in the rankings was twotime DP World Tour winner Eddie Pil who’d had his share of ups and downs after returning to the Hotel Planetour for the first time since 2017. I typify it with just a lot of frustration to be honest with you. I haven’t I’ve had some weeks where I’ve actually played I think quite nicely. I think there’s there’s been a reality that’s definitely dawned on me this year that my level has just just dropped. I’ve only finished so high and that’s just a reflection of where my game has regressed to I suppose over time. But uh you know I don’t take that too personally. It’s it’s the game and you can always improve as as quickly as you could uh not. So um there’s been weeks within it where and traveling a lot with Jen as well this year has been quite been quite nice. We had some good trips away to India, South Africa. done a lot of traveling together and and that’s been good for us. With just four cuts made and one top 10 finish, results haven’t lived up to Edd’s expectations. [Music] To be fair, I don’t think the last few times I’ve played, I want to say I’ve missed three cuts in a row. So, um and and each of those weeks, I would say there’s been a different part of the game that’s been really poor. So, uh yeah, I haven’t got a great deal of control over it. But um you know this this year has been uh I’ve missed a lot of cuts and then when I’ve made cuts I’ve generally had quite high finishes. So um I just need to make my way through Friday and uh maybe good things will come. [Music] Finding himself one place inside the projected cutoff mark for China was James Mayor Debeek. But after starting the year on the pro golf tour, James was happy to be in the position he was. I had kind of two or three different goals. The first one was obviously getting a card as it’s my first year as well. Um or getting a better category basically. Um but I think I’ve done that. So that’s great. And now obviously G getting a chance to play into China of course that’s something I’d like to do. [Music] I’ll just try and have a good week. I’ll try to play it quite safe of the tea cuz it’s a course where you can uh be in trouble especially of the tea and so I’ll I’ll do my best to to go to China and then we’ll see at O2 day one of the Italian challenge open and for our featured trio blur Mayor Debeco and Pil there was only one objective and that was to get off to a good start. [Music] Beginning at the 10th, it was Mayor Debecco who was out of the blocks quickest, straight away picking up a birdie at his first hole. The 25-year-old Belgian followed up with another birdie at the 12th, but a costly double bogey on the par 514th saw him slip back to level par into the back nine and he dipped into the red once more thanks to this stunning approach to the par4 first. [Music] Two more birdies and a bogey saw him arrive at the eighth hole. Two under for his round. Another birdie just three under and that’s where he would finish the day. With just two cuts made in his last eight Hotel Planetour starts, Eddie Pil knew he had to rediscover some sort of form if he was to make the cutoff for China. He would also get off to a good start with this long birdie effort at the 11th, his second hole of the day. He couldn’t take full advantage though, and one bogey and a further birdie saw him go out in one under par. But the back nine proved a different story as he came alive with a hat-tick of birdies from the first to get to four under. Four pars would follow for Eddie before a fine approach at the par 48 set up another birdie opportunity. [Music] A good day on the greens continuing and Petrol would end day one at five under par and in a tie for fifth. [Music] The final member of the group, George Blur, produced the best round of the trio. It wasn’t until the 14th, his fifth hole of the day, that George registered his first birdie. Another birdie was canceled out by a drop shot as he went out in one under par. But just like Pil, his round lit up on his back nine where he produced a run of five birdies in eight holes. He took full advantage of the par fives and despite the prize on the line, the 29year-old was looking relaxed and in control. Glor picked up his final birdie of the day at the eighth with another pinpoint approach. [Music] and then backed it up with the flat stick. Seven birdies and just one drop shot added up to an opening six under 66 in fourth spot and just two shots off the day one leaders. Well, one shot at a time, one hole at a time. don’t really try and limit getting ahead of myself and uh just enable myself to just be really present over each shot and play that shot as well as I can and then see what I signed for and today was a good a good signature ideal start really but still three more rounds to go and a lot of golf so yeah I’ll just eat well tonight get get some good sleep stay patient just keep uh keep doing the same process as I’ve been doing and yeah just just keep ticking it A positive start to the week then for our three players, although there was still plenty of golf to be played. Early Friday morning and day two of the Italian Challenge Open where our featured trio were all hoping to build on their satisfactory starts. After his day 167, Eddie Peril knew that the same again would put him in a great position heading into the weekend. And he was quickly into his stride with a birdie at his opening hole to get to six under par. But then disaster struck at the fourth hole when he recorded a quadruple bogey at the par 4. A setback to say the least. He would make an eagle at 14 to get back to four under for the week, but that is where he would remain. Cut made, but with work to be done. For James Mayor Debecco, it proved a roller coaster start to the round. Four birdies on his front line was impressive, but a bogey along with a double saw him out in one under par, four under for the week. His back nine proved to be more controlled. Consecutive birdies at 13 and 14 saw him climb the leaderboard before a drop shot at 17 left him at five under, one shot ahead of Pil in 34th place. The final member of the group, George Bl, was certainly not showing any signs of nerves considering the magnitude of the week. Two birdies on the front line with no drop shots saw him out in 34. Eight under for the tournament and very much at the right end of the leaderboard. His back nine mirrored the front. Two more shots picked up at the 14th and 18th, both par fives saw him record a second round 68. 10 under for the week and within touching distance of leader JC Richie. As it stood heading into the weekend, George was projected to end the week 58th on the rankings, which would book his trip to China. For Pepil sat in 77th, there was still a lot of work to be done at the weekend. Whilst due to the withdrawal of two players, 70th place would secure qualification to the two events in China. positioned in 68th, Mayor Debecco had it all still to play for. [Music] I think I’ve done a good job at managing that and not think about it. And now that I’ve made the cut as well, uh I think it’s going to be easier to manage that as well. I mean, it’s going to be of course a good thing if I go there uh and then might have two good results and maybe go to the final in Mayoka, but we’ll see about that. But I’m just going to try and play hole by hole, shot by shot, and then we’ll see. [Music] Coming up with the Rider Cup on the horizon, we take a look at the impact of former Hotel Planetour players on the event. And we’ll find out who came out on top in Italy and who made that plane to China. We’ll see you soon. [Music] Welcome back to the Hotel Planet Tour for event 26 of 29, the Italian Challenge Open, the final counting event before the top 68 eligible players in the rankings head for two weeks in China prior to the season ending Grand Final. At the halfway stage, just two shots separated the top 10 in Italy with George Blur among those well positioned behind last week’s winner in Portugal. South African JC Richie, who’d set his sights on a promotion clinching third win of the season. With so much on the line for so many players, it promised to be an absorbing weekend with the key moving day moment, Josh Antman. Just one back at the start of the day. Roco Repetto Taylor started Saturday in the best possible way with this birdie at the opening hole, but it’s a real mixed bag for the Spaniard Negard. A third round of 70, two under. One of our featured players this week, George Bourne. Not a great day. This was actually a fantastic bogey on eight, but it was his fourth of the day. Disappointing 75 to see him fall just inside the top 30 in low on Sunday to get back into the top 70 for China. And after that 63 on Friday, JC Richie was on the birdie train once again. This at the seventh set up his third birdie of the day to take him to 14 under parath for the tournament. Christopher Ram started the day poorly with bogeies on one and four but bounced back superbly with a birdie on seven and then immediately on the next after this fine approach into the par four almost an eagle there for the Swede. JC Richie had already had 15 birdies in his two and a half days in Italy and he made it number 16 after this wonderful shot into the par 4 eighth winner in Germany in July and then last week to the South African was firing on all cylinders looking for that elusive third win on the hotel planner tour. [Music] It was a super Saturday for Steven Brown. Seven under for the day as he played the 18th. Had to lay up on the par five last. [Music] Good approach staying on that top level. He’d hold that for Birdie and a 64. Huge move made by the man from Surrey. Good week needed for Robin Peterson if he’s going to make it to China. And Saturday was his best round of the week. Final birdie of the day came at the par three 17th thanks to that brilliant T-shot. He’s hole out and a 66 for the Swede and a tie for the lead alongside Richie. So, a look at the leaderboard at the end of day three and Englishman Steven Brown playing himself into the final three ball on Sunday alongside Robin Peterson who needed a high finish to make it to China with the number two player on the rankings looking for win number three and automatic promotion JC Richie. That is the ultimate goal. I mean to achieve that would would be the the biggest dream come true and um it’s been in my mind for a while and a couple of years I’ve always felt like I’ve been capable of achieving it. Um and this is the first year where I’ve actually felt like my game’s in a position to to try and back up that sort of statement in my mind. And um so yeah, tomorrow’s going to be fun. I’m going to go and enjoy it and I’ve got nothing to lose and my game’s been solid, so I’ll go at it. Now, as the Ryder Cup approaches, we look at the Hotel Planet’s influence on golf’s ultimate showdown. [Applause] [Music] And it is Europe who wrestle back the Ryder Cup here in Rome. An impressive 34 former Hotel Planetour players have already played in the RDER Cup with Denmark’s Raasmas Hoygard becoming the 35th this year. In Rome last time, his brother Nikolai and Scotland’s Bob McIntyre were the most recent graduates to represent Europe. McIntyre adrenaline pumping through the veins. Some of the RDER Cup’s biggest European names over the years have applied their trade on the Hotel Planetour, including the current FedEx Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood, who’s made four lineups. And teammates and former US Open winners Justin Rose and Matthew Fitzpatrick, plus multiple DP World Tour winner Tier Hatton. He’s played his part this week, hasn’t he, Tier Hatton? And you can add to that list RDER Cup legends Martin Kimmer, Ian Palter, and Thomas Bejorn. [Applause] And even America has benefited from the prodigious production line with multiple major winner and three-time Hotel Planetour winner Brooks Kepka, another to have emerged from our tour. As another Ryder Cup chapter is written in New York, the Hotel Planetour’s influence will no doubt once again play its own special role in the outcome. But while excitement mounts at Beth Paige, our focus returns to events at the Italian Challenge Open. And as the leading contenders prepared to tee off, one of the rounds of the day was being put together by one of our featured players, James Mayor Debecco. His nine under 63 saw him end the week in a tie for 13th, securing his place in China. Obviously, I was a little bit uh frustrated after yesterday because yeah, I mean it’s not what you want to shoot uh on a on a Saturday on a moving day basically. But I guess my moving day was Sunday and uh yeah, I mean I’m very pleased with with the 900 and getting into China. Yeah. Sadly, after a promising start in Italy, of our other featured players, George Blo missed out after climbing just one place on the rankings, as did Eddie Pil. And to the final day leaders at the Italian Challenge Open. It was a big round for Robin Peterson as he looked to guarantee his spot in China. This at the first hole would have eased any nerves that the Swede may have been feeling. Birdie there at the par five for Peterson. [Music] JC Richie began the final round like a man in a hurry. Birdie the first and this approach into the second led to another. Unbelievably, he would go on a sensational birdie run which showed the form he was in. He birded the third and this on the fourth was for four in a row. He would then go on to bird the next three and be seven under through his first seven holes. Not a bad way to start your final round. [Music] Christopher Ram was having a pretty good day himself. This birdie on the ninth was his sixth of the day. However, he would part all the way home for a 67 and a tie for second. That tie for second was alongside Peterson. The Swede made a birdie at 10 after this fine approach into the par four. A 17th for Peton and a huge week at just the right time after that seven birdie blitz to start his round. Richie made five pars afterwards. His final birdie of the day came here at the 13th. Well judged from just off the green. A huge lead at this point for the South African and he was so far ahead that he could even afford a triple bogey on the final hole. A sensational few weeks for the South African. He goes back to back on the Hotel Planet Tour and secures that card back to the DP World Tour. Well, there were some perfectly timed performances elsewhere from the Swedish duo of Christopher Rahm and Robin Peterson, who both climb inside the top 70 in the rankings and will now take their chances in China. But after brilliant back-to- back wins, making it three for the season and automatic promotion to the DP World Tour, the big celebrations were reserved for a smiling South African. But I mean, it’s the best possible outcome for for the season. I I started the season off not knowing what I was going to do for the year. I was I planned on playing Sunshine Tour and I didn’t really have a goal for the year. Um went out to Dubai and managed to finish second there and sort of felt okay now you have to play another year out here which I wasn’t really keen on. Um, luckily there was a lot so much good work that had gone in that produced those results early in the year and um has all led up to this. With just three tournaments of the season left to play, the Road to Morca rankings show just one change with JC Richie grabbing number one spot from David Law after that emphatic third title of the campaign. Further down, it was a case of as you were. Though with two big weeks in China ahead, there will no doubt be many ups and downs to come. Denmark’s Victor Cidell Spencson currently occupies the final qualifying position. And oh, it’s a Rea to Italy where our first three-time winner this year, JC Richie, was numero uno and DP World Tourbound. There’s a twoe break now before a double header in China where our contenders will be whittleled down to the top 45 who all head to the grand final as their pursuit of promotion continues. [Music]
