American Brandon Kewalramani won the first edition of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar, held at Playa Serena, where the main obstacle today was the wind. Marcos Pastor was the highest-placed Spaniard, finishing in 3rd position, with special mention going to the young Arián Rodríguez, who, at just 16 years old, made the top 10.
While the first two days of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar saw scores with a considerable number of birdies, the wind has completely changed the playing conditions and even made it seem like a different course, as strategy has been key for the winner of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar, in a day of hard-fought battles against wind and tide.
With a very tight final result and Frenchman Benjamin Kedochim doing everything possible to force a play-off, the Californian kept his composure and poise and, with two birdies and two bogeys for the first 9 holes, and a birdie and good recoveries for the second 9, he prevailed with a card of 69 strokes for a total of 10 under par.
“First of all, I want to thank the Alps Tour for such a great tournament and Playa Serena for presenting the course in magnificent condition. It was very windy all day, and I wasn't looking at the leaderboard. I knew I had a three-stroke lead, and my goal was to maintain that. I was focused on every shot, and I have to admit that my putting saved me a lot today; it was fabulous. The last nine holes were especially tough, and I was thinking that if anyone caught up to me or beat me, it would be because they played magnificently. So on those holes, I focused on fairways and greens, playing very conservatively. It was so windy that I couldn't do anything else, but my short game was magnificent, and that's why I won today.” Kewalramani added, “I want to dedicate this victory to my mother, who came and carried my bag this week. She knows all the work I'm putting in. Last night, I was thinking that I would love to win so I could dedicate it to my mother, and I'm happy to have been able to do it.”.
So how did an American from California end up on the Alps Tour? Well, as he explained in Austria, where his season began, “I love traveling to Europe and playing here. The Alps Tour is a great circuit to start with; it’s very well organized and has a high level of competition. You have to play at a very high level all three days of the tournament to have any chance of winning. I’m thrilled to be playing here, and it’s the way to get to the Challenge Tour and the DP World Tour.”.
Marcos Pastor from Córdoba was the highest-placed Spaniard, finishing the tournament in third position with a birdie and a score of 72 for a total of 4 under par. “It was incredibly windy, and on this course, there isn't a single hole where the wind hits you head-on. Technically, I'm a little lost, but I managed to get to the end, and it went very well. I'm mentally strong, and that's why I was able to reach the 18th, which I finished with a birdie. I would have liked to play a little better, but the wind got the better of me.”.
The local player, the young amateur Arian Rodriguez, only 16 years old, withstood the wind of his homeland and the pressure of the game and managed to make the top 10 by finishing with 71 strokes for a total of 2 under par.
The first edition of the Alps de Roquetas de Mar has been made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation with the support of the Roquetas de Mar City Council, the Andalusian Regional Government, the Higher Sports Council, the Kyocera Alps Tour and the organization by JGolf.
SOURCE: Tournament organizers.
