Italian golfer Emanuele Galeppini, 17, died this week in a fire at a Swiss ski resort bar. Authorities in Valais said the blaze tore through the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 40 people and injuring more than 100.
Galeppini, originally from Genoa and living in Dubai with his family, was at the resort with friends when the fire broke out during holiday celebrations. Swiss officials said many of the injured were in critical condition and warned the death toll could rise as identification efforts continued.
The Italian Golf Federation confirmed his death in a statement posted to Instagram, saying it “mourns the passing of Emanuele Galeppini, a young athlete who carried passion and authentic values with him.” The federation added, “At this time of great sorrow, our thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him. Emanuele, you will forever remain in our hearts.”
Messages of condolence spread quickly across the golf world. Fellow Dubai-based players and coaches praised his rapid rise in junior competition, while the DP World Tour sent its sympathies, noting its support for “our many friends in Crans-Montana” and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.
Galeppini was considered one of Italy’s most promising young golfers. He trained in Dubai, competed in an elite junior program, and won the 2025 Omega Dubai Creek Amateur Open. He also posted strong results at the FJT Middle East Championship, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club Open, and the GEM International Amateur Invitational. His highest World Amateur Golf Ranking was 2,440th, an impressive mark for a player still active in under-16 and under-18 fields.
Coaches and commentators often called him a “prodigy,” pointing to his plus-2 handicap as a young teen and his consistent performances in international junior events. For many in Italian and Middle Eastern golf circles, his death ended not only a promising career but a life that, in the federation’s words, reflected “passion and authentic values” on and off the course.
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