The BMW Italian Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is the Italian national open golf championship for men. It was founded in 1925 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's first season in 1972. The Italian Open is currently played in May at the Royal Park Golf and Country Club near Turin. In 2010 it had a prize fund of €1.3 million, which was one of the smaller purses among the European Tour events played in Europe itself. In 2008, South African Hennie Otto was just one stroke away from the tournament aggregate record of 262, set by Percy Alliss in 1935 on the course at San Remo, which even by the standards of the day was relatively short, at just 5,200 yards.
Past Winners BMW Italian Open 2009 Daniel Vancsik Methorios Capital Italian Open 2008 Hennie Otto Telecom Italia Open 2007 Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño 2006 Francesco Molinari 2005 Steve Webster 2004 Graeme McDowell Italian Open Telecom Italia 2003 Mathias Grönberg 2002 Ian Poulter Atlanet Italian Open 2001 Grégory Havret Italian Open 2000 Ian Poulter Fiat and Fila Italian Open 1999 Dean Robertson Italian Open 1998 Patrik Sjöland Conte of Florence Italian Open 1997 Bernhard Langer 1996 Jim Payne Italian Open 1995 Sam Torrance Tisettanta Italian Open 1994 Eduardo Romero Lancia Martini Italian Open 1993 Greg Turner 1992 Sandy Lyle 1991 Craig Parry 1990 Richard Boxall Lancia Italian Open 1989 Ronan Rafferty 1988 Greg Norman 1987 Sam Torrance Italian Open 1986 David Feherty 1985 Manuel Piñero 1984 Sandy Lyle 1983 Germany Bernhard Langer 1982 Mark James 1981 José Maria Cañizares 1980 Massimo Mannelli 1979 Brian Barnes 1978 Dale Hayes 1977 Angel Gallardo 1976 Baldovino Dassù 1975 Billy Casper 1974 Peter Oosterhuis 1973 Tony Jacklin 1972 Norman Wood 1971 Ramón Sota 1961-70 No tournament 1960 Brian Wilkes 1959 Peter Thomson 1958 Peter Alliss 1957 Harold Henning 1956 Antonio Cerdá 1955 Flory Van Donck 1954 Ugo Grappasonni 1953 Flory Van Donck 1952 Eric Brown 1951 James Adams 1950 Ugo Grappasonni 1949 Hassan Hassanein 1948 Aldo Casera 1947 Flory Van Donck 1939-46 No tournament due to World War II 1938 Flory Van Donck 1937 Marcel Dallemagne 1936 Henry Cotton 1935 Percy Alliss 1934 N. Nutley 1933 No tournament 1932 Aubrey Boomer 1931 Auguste Boyer 1930 Auguste Boyer 1929 René Golias 1928 Auguste Boyer 1927 Percy Alliss 1926 Auguste Boyer 1925 Francesco Pasquali
Manassero pro debut may be delayed by soggy course The eagerly anticipated professional debut of Italian 17-year-old Matteo Manassero on Thursday may be delayed. Five consecutive days of unseasonal heavy rain have waterlogged Royal Park Roveri, creating serious concern that the first round of the Italian Open will have to be postponed for 24 hours and the tournament reduced to 54 holes. Manassero is scheduled to play with Colin Montgomerie and Rhys Davies, the young Welsh winner of the recent Madeira Islands Open. It gives Montgomerie, Europe's Ryder Cup captain, an opportunity to cast an eye on more youth potential beyond Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who won on the PGA Tour last weekend. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2010-05-05-3072185861_x.htm
Re: Randhawa, Kapur off to average start in Italian Open The Indian duo of Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur returned identical cards of two-over 74 to get off to an average start in the BMW Italian Open golf tournament here.
England's Storm and Rock tied for lead at Italian Open Englishmen Graeme Storm and Robert Rock shared the clubhouse lead with Australian Marcus Fraser on five-under earlier today in the first round of the BMW Italian Open. Storm impressed with four birdies on five holes between the 3rd and 7th before tailing off on the back nine, one birdie and a bogey threatening to peg him back. But the 32-year-old produced a strong finish, eagling the 18th to share the lead.
Andersson Hed leads Italian Open Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed produced a second round of 66 to take the lead at the halfway stage of the BMW Italian Open in Turin. The 38 year old is still looking for his first European Tour victory but has created a great opportunity here to do just that. It might just be that for the 14 time Tour School attendee persistence could pay. Andersson Hed lost his European Tour status in 2009 but regained his playing rights at the Tour School last year. He has played well in 2010 with two top tens and several other good weeks in the eight events he has played this season. Andersson Hed leads by one over three Spaniards, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Alejandro Canizares and Ignacio Garrido, South Africa’s Hennie Otto and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts. http://www.iseekgolf.com/news/39692-andersson-hed-leads-italian-open
Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed captures Italian Open by two shots Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden won the Italian Open by two shots Sunday after shooting a 1-over 73 for his first tournament victory in 245 attempts.
