Five things to know as the European Tour heads to Chervò Golf Club for the 2020 Italian Open
Italian Open continues unbroken streak
First played in 1925, the Italian Open has been a fixture on the European Tour’s schedule since the Tour’s inception in 1972 and will mark its 77th edition this week.
The list of past winners includes Major Champions Tony Jacklin (1973), Billy Casper (1975), Bernhard Langer (1983 and 1997), Sandy Lyle (1984 and 1992), Greg Norman (1988), Graeme McDowell (2004) and home favourite Francesco Molinari (2006 and 2016)
Wiesberger defends
Bernd Wiesberger claimed his third victory of the 2019 Race to Dubai season 12 months ago when he fired a closing round 65 at Olgiata Golf Club to win the Italian Open by one shot.
The Austrian, who is currently 35th in the Official World Golf Rankings, now heads to Chervò Golf Club to defend his title.
Since the 2020 season resumed in July, Wiesberger has made the cut in all seven tournaments he has played in, with his best finish a tie for fifth at the UK Championship.
A new venue
This European Tour heads to Lombardy this week as Chervò Golf Club San Vigilio in Pozzolengo, Brescia, hosts the Italian Open for the first time.
The course, which is next to Lake Garda, was established in 2008 and designed by architect Kurt Rossknecht. The venue boasts 36 holes, including nine executive and 27 championship holes, divided into the three courses: Benaco, Solferino and San Martino
Paralympian Perrino tees up
Paralympic golfer Tommaso Perrino is set to make his debut at the Italian Open this week.
The 36-year-old, who is currently ranked fifth in the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), has limitations to the functionality of one leg following a road accident and subsequent infection contracted in hospital during his rehabilitation.
He was triumphant in Parma at the 2019 Italian Open Disabled and as part of The Ryder Cup 2023 Project focusing on social inclusion, he will play in his first national open paired with England’s Ben Evans and Scotland’s Liam Johnston.
Un saluto e un grosso in bocca al lupo a tutti al @ItalianOpen.
— Francesco Molinari (@F_Molinari) October 20, 2020
Mi spiace non esserci quest’anno e vi seguirò in televisione, sperando di tornare l’anno prossimo.
Un augurio speciale a Tommaso Perrino, la tua sarà una settimana di successo a prescindere!
Inside the field
Major Champion Martin Kaymer and Former World Number One Lee Westwood join Wiesberger in a field that boasts three Rolex Series winners and 13 other players who have claimed European Tour wins in the last two seasons.
That number includes Marc Warren, Joel Stalter, Renato Paratore, Adrian Otaegui – who have all won titles since the season restarted in July – and Matt Wallace, who finished as last week’s runner-up and has two top 10s in his last three starts in the Italian Open.
Paratore is part of a strong home-grown presence, with European Tour winners Edoardo Molinari, and Guido Migliozzi also joined by fellow Italians Lorenzo Gagli, Francesco Laporta and Matteo Manassero – who recently earned his first professional victory in seven years on the Alps Tour.
