12 under par: First season win for Swiss Marco Iten
Haugschlag NÖ Open by perfect eagle 2021
Swiss Marco Iten is the winner of the Haugschlag NÖ Open by perfect eagle 2021. In the Austrian Waldviertel the professional from Zurich prevailed against a total of 155 competitors and secured the winner's trophy of the third season tournament of the Pro Golf Tour 2021 at Golfresort Haugschlag with rounds of 69, 65 and 67 strokes, a total 12 under par. After 54 holes, the 30-year-old was one stroke ahead of compatriot Luca Galliano (69, 67, 66) and Austrian amateur Niklas Regner (68, 69, 65), who shared second place with -11.
Haugschlag/Austria - "Everything went like clockwork today!" Overjoyed, Marco Iten accepted the big winner's trophy of the Haugschlag NÖ Open by perfect eagle, lifted the glass trophy into the air and was visibly pleased about his first tournament success this year. He had already played very solidly at the season opener of the Pro Golf Tour in Egypt, finished 15th and 7th in Ain Sokhna and "took the good form I had there to Austria," said Iten. After shooting 69 in the first round, he had caught up with Dutchman Max Albertus at the top of the leaderboard with a strong round of 65 on the second day of the tournament in Haugschlag; both were 8 under par after 36 holes.
While Albertus' final day went little to his liking, Iten started the birdie machine on hole 7, played the holes 7 to 13 with six strokes under par and took over the sole lead. Only his compatriot Luca Galliano came close again in between, but in the end Marco Iten could even afford two bogeys on his way back to the clubhouse without jeopardizing the triumph.
Precise play, excellent course
Throughout the day, he had hit the ball close to the flagstick and confidently converted it into a par or birdie. Even on the final hole of the Haugschlag course, a 139-yard par 3 with an island green, he kept his nerve, played the safe par and rejoiced over the tournament victory. "This has really been a very good week here in Haugschlag," said Iten, "I am hitting the ball very well and am absolutely satisfied with my overall game. The really excellent condition of the course has rewarded accurate shots and putts."
The 5,000 ranking points associated with the tournament success move the Swiss to No. 2 on the Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit. The new No. 1 is Poland's Mateusz Gradecki, who shared 5th place in Haugschlag with Austrian golf legend Markus Brier. Benedict Staben was fourth and thus the best German player.
The next stop on the Pro Golf Tour 2021 is Egypt again, where Round 1 of the NewGiza Pyramids Challenge 2021 is on the tour calendar on May 27 at the gates of Cairo.
