Six months on from our last catch up, we sit down with Oihan Guillamoundeguy. Plenty has happened since Abu Dhabi, with the young Frenchman bagging his maiden win on the HotelPlanner Tour. We take in the sights and sounds of Hainan with 3 players trying to secure their spot in the grand final. At the other end of the Road to Mallorca rankings, it’s Renato Paratore who claimed his 3rd win of the season, in the process securing automatic promotion to the DP World Tour.
Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] It’s been two weeks since the Hotel Planetour wrapped up this season’s European swing. Now, a trip to the Far East beckons for back-to-back events in China. It’s a critical time of the season with the final hurdle in Morca looming large. With the class of 2025 now whittleled down to the top 76 players on the rankings, the next two weeks could either make or break a season. There’s the potential for careerdefining moments or for an abrupt end to the campaign. [Music] [Applause] We’re in the South China Sea this week. More specifically in SA, the southernmost city on Hainan Island. Renowned for its tropical climate, SA has plenty to offer visitors to these shores. Despite what’s at stake this week, the allure of exploring all this island has to offer was too great for three of our intrepid golfers. They took part in a photo call with local media at the start of the week. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I mean, I’m sure we’ll see in the shots later. The scenery is unbelievable. So, uh, it’s been very cool. I love traveling. I think it’s one of the best things of our job and it’s it’s getting to know new places all around the all around the world. I think we we we are we take advantage of of having a tournament here. So, we get to visit places like this. It’s very It’s very nice. Well, so far, well, that’s where it’s kind of hard between trying to enjoy and discover new things, but in the same time, you know, you got a tournament going on, so you don’t want to go too far offline and go too far in it. But, I’m trying to do a little bit of both. So, I’ve been out like for dinner a couple times. I try some new things, new places. It’s interesting. And at the same time, I kind of try to get ready for the tournament. So yeah, these are two weeks that give a lot of points, but I’m lucky I’m in in a good position. So anything I can take out of here is good. I mean, it’s a tournament. It’s two tournaments that gave give a a lot of points. But I try to not think about that. Just try to think about playing good as I’ve been doing. And if I can get out of here with uh something, that’s positive for me. I’d like to think that I’m always focused. I’m just relishing the opportunity. I mean, I was injured earlier in the year, struggling with my back, wasn’t playing very well. So, the fact that I even have a chance, it’s nice. It’s awesome. Looking forward to it. A welcome distraction indeed from the daily grind of life on tour. Time now, though, to turn our attention to the business at hand. SA Luto Golf Club has been a regular stop for the Hotel Planetour since 2016 and was on hosting duties for the second consecutive season. This par 72 layout stretches to just under 7,000 m and with water coming into play on 14 of the 18 holes, it was set to test every facet of the game. Those that could master this stood to gain the most thanks to an increased prize fund of $500,000 with 750 additional ranking points available to the field. [Music] One player who’s no stranger to seizing opportunities when they arise is Oan Giamondi. We previously caught up with the 20-year-old back in April in the UAE. At that stage, he was languishing at 46th place on the rankings, but still feeling optimistic about his campaign prospects. I’m feeling better this year. I’m feeling more ready. I’m not discovering everything. I know where I am. I know what I have to do. And uh yeah, I’m ready for it. My target is just doing what I what I can. uh doing my best every week. I h have a really good um spirit I would say and when I’m in contention don’t change anything and yeah just doing my stuff and doing oil stuff perfect. I’m looking you. Yes. Perfect. 6 months later he’s added seven top 10s to his tally. One of those being a career-changing win in Ireland. I played really well this season. I’m really proud of what I did. Yeah, I mean everything was good this season. My petting was better. I can feel uh that everything is better because of my result. So yeah, it’s good. I’m happy to be here. I had a call from Alex Levy. Yeah, he just during one hour he he just spit on me on the phone. He was uh mad against me because he says like, “Hey man, you’re playing amazing, but uh you have a really bad attitude on the course, so you’re you don’t have any results. You have to change that and you’ll see everything uh will go on your way.” So we had a call after that was after Switzerland where where Felix win won and after I make like top 10, top three, I had a win and stuff and he called me back and say, “Hey, you you should listen me a bit more.” But uh yeah, that was nice. Another important figure in Oyan’s life, his brother Lilian. Uh my brother means a lot. Uh he helps me a lot on the course, out of the course. We have a really really good relationship with him. We are really close and uh he’s doing an amazing job like I said on the course. He’s always trying to to do better to search how he can do better and uh he helps me a lot because I can feel that uh he’s 100% on the project and uh yeah I’ll keep going with him next year and many more I hope. So it’s really nice. Like I said, I’ve been playing good, but it’s not finished yet. I would love to to finish really really strong this season and uh finish on top of the hotel planner tour. I’ll try my best and uh we here in China and I will I will give everything [Music] a to Thursday afternoon and day one of the Hainan Open where Gia Mandigi was paired with this season’s only three-time winner JC Richie as well as one of the rising stars of Chinese golf 17-year-old Yan Han Chun. It didn’t take long for O Yan to make his mark. After making birdie at the second, he followed up with another at the short par fourth hole. The 20-year-old showing off his short game skills. Two holes later, he made it three birders in his first six holes. This time, he could thank his putter. Rolling in from six feet, the Frenchman was flying. But all that good work over the opening half a dozen holes was quickly undone. Three consecutive bogeies saw Oan fall back to level par at the turn. As he looked to steady the ship, four pars were to follow. And when he approached the par 314th with a perfect execution, [Music] he would go under par once again. [Music] [Music] Elsewhere, Pedro Figeredo, 45th in the rankings and currently on the bubble for the grand final, produced the joint lowest round of the day. Eight birdies and just one drop shot in his opening 65 for Giam. After making bogey at 15, he needed a birdie at the par 51 18th to finish under par. Another pinseker setting up a relatively simple four. No mistake, an opening round of 71. Six shots off the lead held by Figero and Yan Schneider. I didn’t control myself really well in this one, but um yeah, I had a good talk with my brother and uh we finished pretty well. I hit some really good shots at the end of the day. So yeah, it’s uh it’s okay. And I have a new opportunity tomorrow and I hope to to play a bit better and hold more putts. Early Friday morning and Gia Montigue knew that to climb the leaderboard he needed to go lower than the previous day. Third on the rankings and card secured, it was all about closing the gap on the players above him. And it didn’t take him long to make his mark. His third hole of the day, the 12th, the short game expertise that’s been on display for much of the season, helped him dip into the red. But the rest of his front line on Friday proved to be a frustrating affair. The chances came and went. The stress clear for all to see. Oan did get into the groove on his back nine though, picking up three shots in the space of six holes and getting to five under for the tournament. But drop shots on both of his last two holes saw him drop back to three under. Finally tapping in for a second round 70. An improvement on his opening day, but definitely a case of missed opportunities for the always expressive Frenchman. [Music] After a mentally draining day on the course, it was time for some RNR alongside his caddy brother and time for reflection. Was better than yesterday. I would say I play better, but uh I’m a bit frustrated because I I didn’t finish that good, but yeah, it was better than yesterday for sure. I had a better attitude than yesterday and uh I stayed patient because the first n I was not playing good. I didn’t hold any putts during two days. So yeah, I stay patient and I hope I will make some tomorrow. [Applause] No. Coming up, two of our intrepid golfers tuck in to a culinary masterass. Because if we can do it, you can do it. And we’ll discover who reigns supreme in SA. We’ll see you after the break. [Music] Welcome back to the Hotel Planetour and to China for the Hainan Open, the first of back-to-back weeks in the Far East before the season ending Rolex Grand Final. Heading into the weekend, there were four players from the top 20 on the rankings on the leaderboard. But it was a relative unknown leading the way in 27-year-old German Yan Schneider, who plays his trade on the China Tour and was leading an event for the very first time. With the heat very much being turned up both on and off the course, time to find out how events unfolded in China on moving day. Here’s Kit Alexander. Yan Schneider is currently 20th in the China Tour rankings. His mother is Chinese and father is German. He played these events on the Hotel Planner Tour in China last year and finished top 20 in both. And he got off to a great start with this birdie at the first. Glass van mail is 43rd on the road to Morca. So a big couple of weeks ahead for him in China. He opened his account for the day with a birdie at two to have the lead at the top to one shot. There were more changes at the third. Schneider who’s had two top sixes in China in his last three starts picked up the birdie following this T-shot. That combined with a bogey from Van Male and the lead was all of a sudden three shots. The German also birdied the fourth pair. Leners picked up shots at the second fourth. And here at the eighth with this brilliant chip in to move into solo second. Two shots behind Schneider. [Music] Our featured player this week and the road to Morca number three. Oan Gia Mondigi climbed into the top 15 after round three with an excellent bogey-free 67. Vano birdied eight and Schneijder bogeied the ninth. Vano then made backto-back birdies at 11 and courtesy of this putt at the 12th to take the lead. The 31-year-old Dutchman was tied eighth in his last start in Italy. And this approach set up his sixth gain of the day at the 15th. Nearly hold it and he would open up a two-shot gap at the summit. Things got even better for him at the final hole as he nailed this long range birdie putt to put the finishing touches on a 66 that put him three shots ahead on minus 15. [Music] So, a look at the leading names heading into Sunday’s final round where six shots separated the top 10 players. Among them, the Italian Renato Paroreé going for his third win of the season. But it’s an informed Dutchman who was flying. [Music] The last three weeks I’ve been in and around the lead every uh every week. So, I just I don’t know, you start feeling a bit more comfortable, I guess, in the situation and uh but then at the same time, you just take one shot at a time and uh kind of do your best. [Music] Now, skill, precision, and performing under pressure come with the territory for a pro golfer, but they’re skills that can come in handy in the kitchen, too, as our almost willing volunteers discovered. I really don’t cook a lot personally, you know, but I’m I’m really good at cooking steak, so I defend myself in that department. Like to cook for friends and stuff, but I’m not that good. I’m lucky that my brother’s a chef, so when I’m home, he can cook. I just stick with steak and eggs personally. Yeah. Now, for me at home, I think uh with my girlfriend, he’s Italian, so I’m Spanish, so we have some kind of connection with the with food and everything. So we used to cook a lot. We used to cook like fish or meat or some rice or pa or whatever. Okay. I I like spicy. You like spicy? Yeah. Yeah. Not like China spicy, but I like spicy. Peru. Victor Vince Van Bein, Pedro Fiero, Rocco, Repetto Taylor, and myself. We all went into town and uh we had four ducks. So, and it was it was amazing. Yeah. So that that was a pretty cool experience. And we asked for a knife. They don’t have it. We have to feed the duck with our with our hands. So was it was fun. It was fun. [Music] We need some music here. Maybe people should know that if you come here, you’re not going to only play golf. You’re going to like learn about the cultures, learn about like all the different countries that you are. So it’s a good thing to to to remember. I I had never been to Europe before last year, I would say. And I mean, now I’ve been to so many countries in Europe, it’s like I I kind of stopped remembering which country I was each week. That part of playing in this tour is definitely I think we it’s not talked about enough, how good it is and how much you get exposed to the world and different cultures. So, I mean, we’re in China right now. Okay, just caught it. Oh, is it spicy? Not a little bit. It is a spicy. So, as you guys can see, you can do this at home because if we can do it, you can do it. Yeah. Yeah. It’s good. It’s good. 10 out of 10. We’re back to the day job now and the final round of the 2025 Hainan Open. With so much at stake, it’s time to see who really could handle the heat. To oversee the closing drama, here’s Kit again. Maxmillian Stein Lechner started the day four shots back and he got it moving in the right direction early with this birdie at the opening hole that took him into tied second. Renato Paroreé is a two-time winner this season and he continued his momentum from Saturday’s back nine of 31 with birdies at the first two holes. This one at the second got him to 13 under par. Vano was sliding backwards. So this excellent T-shot from Stein Lechner at the par 38 led to a two that got him into a tie for the lead with Paroreé. [Music] [Applause] Paroreé added red numbers at the fourth and sixth. He bogeied the ninth before getting back into a share at the top with this super putt at 10. [Music] Overnight leader Van Male had four bogeies on the front line to turn in 38 strokes. This birdie at 12 was a rare bright spot as he shot a 75 to finish tied eighth. Stein Lechner set up a birdie at 12 with this wedge shot and another came at 13 before the 25-year-old finished with five pars for a bogey-free 66 and a minus 17 total. Parator wasn’t backing down though and the Italian fired this stunning second shot into the part 513. [Music] It got better and better and he converted the eagle to once again join Stein Lechner on 17 under. 20-year-old Frenchman Guiami completed his week with this birdie, one of five in a 69 to finish just outside the top 10 in tied 13th. His compatriate Felix Mory made a Sunday charge. He had to play 18 as a three shot up, but he still produced a birdie at the last that saw him sign for a 66 to finish solo third and jump four places to 10th on the road to Morca. Parorei dropped a shot at 17. So he needed a birdie at the last to force a playoff and he delivered as this 25-footer found the bottom of the cup to take it to extra holes. So after regulation play, it all came down to this for two of the most informed players of the season. Extra time. Both winners this year and Paroreé looking for that third title. So it was back to the 18th once more as they sought to settle it. Stein Lechner had the honor in the playoff. Unfortunately, his T-shot went out of bounds. He had this putt for a bogey six lipped out on the right hand side. So it was a double bogey for the Austrian and that meant it was a pretty straightforward job for Renato Paroreé. This was his parark just a formality. A third win of the season for the Italian and he’ll now have his sights firmly set on finishing the year as hotel planner number one. It’s been an amazing day and the third win of the year was an important day. I start really good. He helps me a lot to make some good parts and also the part on the was amazing emotion and feeling and was good to finish like that. A look at the road to Morca rankings with just two events to go. JC Richie still leading the way thanks to his win. The promoted Paratoré climbs three places to third just ahead of Hainan runnerup Stein Lechner. Further down, Stfano Matsulli advances to 16th thanks to his efforts in China. Yoan Rabuler is upwardly mobile with Jonathan Goth Rasmusen in 20th spot. But that’s not quite all from China. We’re only halfway through our excursion here and head northeast next for the penultimate event of the season, the Hango Open. Join us next time as pursuit of promotion to the DP World Tour continues.
