As NICOLO GAGGERO ‘s only realistic challenger, ZEKE MARTINEZ, faltered and virtually fell from contention in the opening seven holes, the Italian was able to lead, or challenge for it, from start to finish to take the €7,000 first prize in the 6th Aegean Airlines Pro-Am at Costa Navarino.
A final day – when the professionals split from their amateurs for the individual third and final round bid for the high placings – became pretty much a one-horse-race instead of the thrilling head-to-head that had been promised, as Martinez found himself going backwards from the third hole.
As Gaggero improved his overnight six-under-par to finish on nine under, Martinez fell from one-stroke overnight leader on seven under to five under, having fared rather badly on the first three of the five par fives. Worse was to follow in the shape of an unpalatable double-bogey seven at the seventh and a six at the 12th.
In claiming his first victory in a PGAs of Europe-endorsed tournament, Gaggero, also fell foul of the third hole, with his bogey at the first of the par fives, but he never looked back after that with birdies at holes four, six, eight and twelve. Sitting safely then on nine under par, he could comfortable relax and par in over the final six holes.
This gave the Italian an admirable final round 69 in contrast to Martinez’s 74 for second prize.
The winner and runner-up were two of four players to beat the 54-hole par of 216. The American Anthony Aruta had an excellent if roller-coaster final round of 71 that included five birdies and four bogeys while 2009 Aegean winner, the Norway-based Paul Nilbrink, carded a 70 containing two bogeys and four birdies to finish fourth.
