In 2007 Michael Lorenzo-Vera tamed San Domenico Golf with a nine under par 62 in the first round of the Grand Final, en route to a victory which launched him to Challenge Tour Number One.
This year the flamboyant Frenchman is back at the scene of that landmark win and at 36thin the current Rankings, needs a similar performance to jump into the top 20 and seal a return to The European Tour.
“I was very lucky to win the Rankings because I needed Ross McGowan to finish outside the top 25, which he did,” said Lorenzo-Vera. “Everything went so well that week and I was very happy. I holed so many great putts.
“The putting is the key to scoring well here, as with most weeks. The course is pretty open so there will always be a lot of birdie chances, because you can hit the green from almost anywhere.
“The greens are lovely. They are very soft so the ball stops very quickly and there is a lot of grain so the reads are important. You have a chance with every putt because they are not very quick. The slopes are very clear and there are no surprises, so if you see it left to right, it’s left to right.”
The three most important holes for Lorenzo-Vera are the first, 14thand 17th, and the wind direction will also be a crucial factor.
“The first hole, in this wind, is massive. It’s a par four but you take driver and rescue or even three wood into the green.
“The 17thcan be a driveable par four, if you can catch it and the wind is not against you. If not, it should still be an easy birdie hole. Because it’s near the end, players can suddenly shoot up the leaderboard if they get an eagle, so there could be some late charges.
“And the 14this a very tough par four with water all down the left. There is always a strong wind against you, so you have to hit two very good shots. It’s also a very important hole and you are always very happy to make a par.
“In general the course is quite similar to Acaya, where we play a tournament in the summer (the Doubletree by Hilton Acaya Open). It’s the same region, and they have other things in common – it is also very open and has good greens that are simple to read. You have to play it in the same way.
“The scoring here will depend on the wind. I heard the wind is going to change direction on Thursday, meaning the par fives will be playing downwind. I think if that happens there will be some very low scores.”
