The successful staging of the Italian Challenge Open last week has provided the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort with the perfect precursor to the Tuscan resort hosting the Italian Open on the DP World Tour in 2025.
The Italian Challenge Open, which took place from 19-22 September over the championship course at Argentario, was won by 37-year-old Englishman John Parry by one shot from South Africa’s Justin Walters. It was Parry’s third win of the season, which earned automatic promotion to the DP World Tour and a €56,000 first prize for the 16th edition of the tournament.
Hosting this Challenge Tour event provided Argentario Golf Club and the Resort some invaluable experience in putting on a professional tournament and accommodating the needs of the 156 players who played in the event during the week. This will no doubt prove enormously helpful when the Italian Open takes place at the resort for the very first time in June next year.
“I could not be more proud to be hosting Italy’s National Open in 2025 and I know that the whole team at the Resort is also looking forward to being a part of this momentous week and to welcoming both players and spectators,” commented Augusto Orsini, owner of Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort and president of Argentario Golf Club, when it was announced that Argentario would be the venue for the Italian Open in 2025 last year.
“The Italian Open will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase our championship course and our golf and wellness resort as well as the region of the Maremma, which has so much to offer in terms of nature, cultural and historical cities, charming hilltop towns as well as a host of water sports, trekking and cycling options.”
Testament to the quality of the golf course at Argentario, it is the only one in Italy with the status of PGA National Italy, awarded by the Professional Golfers’ Association in 2019. The layout proved a strong test for the Challenge Tour professionals with its narrow and tree-lined fairways, small greens and a variety of water hazards that add to the technical difficulty of the layout, where the precision and golf course management are key to posting a good score.
Argentario has high hopes that Italy’s Matteo Manassero will be one of the participants in the Italian Open next year following a recent resurgence in form. Last year the 31-year-old won the Italian Challenge Open and followed it up with another trophy at the 2024 Jonsson Workwear Open on the DP World Tour. Then just last week he came joint fourth at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after leading the tournament after 54 holes.
