Italians also took the Pro-Am prize, with a team of Paolo Campanella, Riccardo Spitale, and Eleonara Frassi accompanying their professional Akim Hassan on the way to -33 under total of 177.
PGAs of Europe - Aegean Airlines Pro-Am Winner Nicolo GaggeroEventual individual winner Gaggero (pictured, left) started his final round in the driving seat at four-under with Welshman, Liam Bond (-3), and Spaniard, Juanma Fuentes (-2) hot on his heels.
A bright start for the early tee-times was later diluted slightly by uncharacteristic rain, but the players managed to battle through the Dunes course’s tougher conditions with Gaggero taking a four-shot lead over his chasers through the latter stages.
Gaggero remained strong and completed his final round with a level-par 71, four-under par total (209), with Bond at two-under (211), and Anthony Aruta and Paul Nilbrink tied for third place on two-over par (215).
The Pro-Am arm of the tournament was lead through the early stages by Aruta and his team with 91 points, and a tightly packed group of teams lead by the professionals of Gaggero, Paul Marks, Henrik Engdahl and Giles Johnson each on 89 points.
Clear blue conditions but with a strong breeze from the sea in round two made play more challenging but still didn’t prevent some great scoring, culminating in Akim Hassan’s team (pictured, right) finishing just one shot ahead of Itamar Cohen’s team of Yoduda Levi, Hazy Magen, and Guy Benhamou, who took second place with a -32, 176 points. A fine performance from the Aegean Airlines Chairman, Theodore Vassilakis, his professional Henrik Engdahl, and partners Makis Papadopoulos and Nikolaos Kosmatos, secured a -29, 173 points total for third place.
Gaggero received his winner’s cheque from Mr. Theodore Vassilakis, at the post-tournament gala dinner at Costa Navarino’s Romanos hotel, and was clearly thrilled to have taken his second Aegean Airlines Pro-Am title:
“I'd like to thank Mr Vassilakis and Aegean Airlines for their support of this great tournament,” said Gaggero. “I would also like to congratulate all the organisers, the PGAs of Europe team, and the Costa Navarino staff at both courses – a special thank you also goes to my team that supported me throughout.”