Italian eyes will be focused on Guido Migliozzi this week as the promising amateur competes in the Montecchia Open by Lyoness at his home course, Golf della Montecchia.
The 19 year old is highly regarded in golfing circles, performing admirably in the first round of last month’s Real Club de Valderrama Open de España, Hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation, shooting a two over par 73 in very testing conditions.
The teenager ultimately faded on the second day to miss the cut, but it signalled that he was ready to mix with some of the best golfers in the world as he starts his final season as an amateur.
Migliozzi is currently ranked seventh in the European Amateur Golf Rankings after winning this year’s Portuguese International Amateur Championships and finishing runner-up in the Italian International Amateur Championship.
The attitude he has is very good - a mix of relaxed calm and confidence, a bit of cockiness
Compatriot Matteo Delpodio – winner of the last Challenge Tour event to take place on Italian soil, October’s EMC Challenge Open – believes Migliozzi has the potential to excel in the coming years.
“I know Guido but I’ve played just one hole with him, in practice this week,” he said. “I know from the other guys he’s a very good ball striker and I can tell you that the attitude he has is very good.
“He has that important mix of relaxed calm and confidence, a bit of cockiness, which is good to see, so I think we will see good things from him.”
Migliozzi himself was in relaxed mood ahead of the start of the fifth event of the Challenge Tour season, seeming comfortable both in his own game and in his surroundings.
“Welcome to Montecchia,” he said. “The course is beautiful, I practise here every day, and right now I’m feeling good.
“I’ve got a good golf swing right now and the course is not very tough, the greens are flat, so whoever makes fewer putts than everyone else will win this tournament.
“It’s a different tournament to Spain. That was a European Tour event whereas this is Challenge Tour, but playing with professional golfers is different to playing with amateur competitors – the professionals practise in a different way than amateur players so I’m learning.
“I’ve played a lot of times here at Montecchia, and a lot of those times I’ve played good golf and had some success, so I hope I can do so again this week.”
