One of the at least 40 deaths in a New Year’s bar fire early Thursday morning in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, was that of a 17-year-old, budding golf talent from Italy.
Emanuele Galeppini was announced Friday by the Italian Golf Federation as having died in the blaze, which also injured more than 110 people ringing in the new year at Le Constellation bar in the ski resort town of Crans-Montana.
“The Italian Golf Federation mourns the passing of Emanuele Galeppini, a young athlete who carried with him passion and genuine values,” the federation said in a statement. “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.”
According to Reuters, Galeppini, who lives in Dubai, was visiting Crans-Montana with his family and had gone to Le Constellation with two friends, who escaped the fire but were taken to the hospital.
Videos posted to social media appeared to show the beginnings of the fire, flames engulfing the ceiling as several other guests recorded on their phones. Swiss authorities said a flashover then occurred, as everything in the bar ignited almost simultaneously. Other videos filmed the chaos as people tried to escape.
Swiss president Guy Parmelin called it “one of the worst tragedies our country has experienced.”
Galeppini attended the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which hosts the DP World Tour Championship. He was ranked No. 3,408 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, though had ascended as high as No. 2,440. He won a U16 Faldo Junior Tour event last year along with the Omega Dubai Creek Amateur Open and JGE Junior Open, and in 2023, he was runner-up at the Italian U14 National Championship and third at the Reid Trophy in England. His last start was the UAE Cup in mid-December, where he withdrew after the first round. His last finish was a T-40 at the King Hamad Trophy, a pro tournament put on by the Bahrain Golf Association in late November.
Galeppini was a Class of 2027 recruit with aspirations of playing college golf in the U.S. His last Instagram post was a collab with Global Sports Management, a recruiting service, which wrote, “We will certainly do our best to find a program which will satisfy his expectations.”
Nick Faldo called Galeppini an “extremely gifted young man with a bright future.” Fleetwood also posted about the late golfer, saying, “Our thoughts are with the Galeppini family and all the families affected by the Crans-Montana tragedy in Switzerland. Such a huge loss. Rest in peace, Emanuele.”
The DP World Tour also has a connection with Crans-Montana, as it annually hosts its Omega European Masters there.
