Francesco Laporta has set his sights on achieving another top-three finish at this season’s Barclays Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi.
The Italian, who shot a final day 64 last year, finished tied third alongside two-time European Tour winner Matt Wallace – who recently triumphed at the Hero Indian Open.
Laporta holed seven birdies in nine holes to charge up the leaderboard and compete for the title, and this year he is looking to find that final day form once again.
“I just want to play the same golf as last year and at the end of tournament let’s see if I finish top three or top five,” Laporta said.
“I’m feeling good because I’ve already played some tournaments in February and I played pretty good in South Africa to warm up for this tournament. I’m feeling good and I really hope to have a good week.”
That Sunday form was not something he was able to replicate throughout the season, though, and despite a number of promising performances – most notably at the KPMG Trophy where he led by one going into the final round – Laporta’s Nairobi showing was his sole top-five finish of the campaign.
The 27 year old returns for just his second full season on Europe’s top developmental tour fully aware of the importance of maintaining your form, especially when it comes to the business end of the year.
“Obviously, everyone wants to finish in the top 15,” he said. “So, I just want to play my best golf and let’s see where I can finish.
“Last year I didn’t play good for the last four or five events and I finished 48thin the rankings. So obviously the first thing is to finish top 15 in the rankings but it is better to think tournament to tournament and not to the finish of the year already.”
Laporta’s quest to finish in the top 15 at the end of the year would be given a huge boost should he leave the opening European Challenge Tour event victorious.
It will be his third time playing in the Barclays Kenya Open after competing 12 months ago at Muthaiga Golf Club, and previously in 2013 at Karen County Club, where he finished tied 39th, and each year it is a new test in Kenya.
“Last year I was playing with an invite and finished in the top three,” he said. “For the first tournament it gave me a lot of good vibes for the rest of the season. But this year it is another tournament and more money, so the feeling is very good. It looks like a European Tour tournament and it is going to be a great event.
“When I was flying here I was thinking of that (final) round and all the holes. I was already studying all of the course, but actually, the course is completely different to last year.
“Last year it was so dry and the ball was running a lot. This year the course is playing much longer. I feel it is easier closer to the greens because it’s easier to chip the greens. The fairways are actually in a good condition after all the rain, so I’m hoping for another good week in Kenya.”
