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The South African James Kingston won with 200 (69 70 61, -16) shots, after a final comeback from 21st place favored by an extraordinary 61 (-11), the Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open, fifth event in the Italian calendar Pro Tour, the circuit of national and international competitions organized by the Italian Golf Federation, with the support of the Official Advisor Infront Italy, played on the San Domenico Golf course (par 72) in Savelletri (BR) where tomorrow, Sunday 29 October, the week of great golf in Puglia will end with the Pro Am.
The winner beat the English Peter Baker and the Brazilian Adilson Da Silva by one stroke, second with 201 (-15), while among the Italians the best was Emanuele Canonica , 17th with 208 (-8).
James Kingston, results
The highly prestigious tournament, which is also part of the European Legends Tour reserved for "over 50s", with the support of the Department for Sport in the continuation of the Ryder Cup Project, took place in memory of Sergio Melpignano, founder and driving force of the development of San Domenico Hotels and which had among its objectives that of bringing high level golf to Puglia, fully succeeding.
Kingston, 57 years old from Ottosdal, with his third title on the circuit and his second in this tournament (the other in 2021), with a career spanning the DP World Tour (two titles), the Sunshine Tour (ten victories) and the Asian Tour (four successes ), he made an eagle and ten birdies, against a bogey and arrived at the clubhouse considerably early, when Baker, number one in the order of merit and with three successes in the season, at the top for 36 holes, was still at the 12th two shots late.
He could only recover one (69, three birdies) and was hooked in the final by Da Silva, number three in the ranking and also with three titles in 2023, author of a 65 (-7, eight birdies, of which six consecutive , and a bogey).
Kingston, who received a check for 45,000 euros from a prize pool of 300,000 euros, numerically equaled Tommy Fleetwood's course record of 61, but with different pars, 71 for the Englishman (-10) and 72 for the South African (-11).
In fourth position with 202 (-14) the other South African Keith Horne, in fifth position with 203 (-13) the English David Shacklady, in sixth with 204 (-12) the German Thomas Gogele and the English Paul Eales and Malcolm Mackenzie and in 13th with 207 (-9) the Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez, defending champion.
Of the other Italians, Michele Reale finished in mid-table, 37th with 212 (70 71 71, -4). Further back Costantino Rocca and Mauro Bianco, 58th with 228 (+12), and Umberto Cuomo, 60th with 239 (+23). Canonica (68 71 69) scored a partial of 69 (-3) with four birdies, one bogey and Reale a 71 (-1) with three birdies and two bogeys.
The Italian Pro Tour season will end at the Golf Nazionale di Sutri (VT), the home of Italian golf, with the National Open Championship from 22 to 25 November.
