The European Challenge Tour heads to Golf Saint Apollinaire this week for the Swiss Challenge. Here’s everything you need to know.
History maker
Alejandro Del Rey made professional golf history at last year’s Swiss Challenge after posting a 14 under par second round of 58 at Golf Saint Apollinaire – the lowest score to par ever recorded on a major golf Tour. Del Rey joined an exclusive club of golfers who have carded rounds of 58 on major Tours, including Jim Furyk (PGA TOUR, 2016), Stephan Jäger (Korn Ferry Tour, 2016), Ryo Ishikawa (Japan Golf Tour, 2010) and Kim Seong-hyeon (Japan Golf Tour, 2021) – all of their rounds were 12 under par on par 70 golf courses.
Adrien Mörk and Nicolò Ravano both carded rounds of 59 on the Challenge Tour in 2006 and 2016 respectively, while on the DP World Tour, a score of 59 has been achieved just once – by Oliver Fisher in 2018 at the Portugal Masters.
Golf Saint Apollinaire
Golf Saint Apollinaire has two championship courses and one nine-hole course, all designed by renowned golf course architect Kurt Rossknecht. Every hole on the course requires a different strategy and the numerous water hazards and strategically placed bunkers provide a tough test for even the highest calibre of golfer. Players can also take advantage of the state-of-the-art practice facilities, including a driving range, chipping area and two large putting greens.
The inaugural edition at Golf Saint Apollinaire
In 2021 Golf Saint Apollinaire hosted the Swiss Challenge for the first time, which saw Denmark’s Marcus Helligkilde claim his second Challenge Tour victory of the season. Helligkilde went on to secure is third victory at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A and subsequently top the Road to Mallorca Rankings.
Targeting automatic promotion
Road to Mallorca Number One Alexander Knappe is targeting automatic promotion to the DP World Tour with a third victory this season at the Swiss Challenge. The four-time Challenge Tour winner triumphed at the season opening Dimension Data Pro-Am, his first win for over five years, before his second win of the year arrived at the recent B-NL Challenge Trophy by Hulencourt.
Knappe is also looking to follow in the footsteps of Englishman Peter Baker and become the second man to win the Swiss Challenge twice, having secured his maiden Challenge Tour title at this event in 2016.
