The DP World Tour hosts its 11th national open of the season as the European Swing continues at the DS Automobiles 83° Open d'Italia. Here are your five things to know.
Saddier defends
Adrien Saddier will make his first defence of a DP World Tour title this week. Last year, the Frenchman celebrated a landmark 200th start with a breakthrough victory at Argentario Golf Club. A shot adrift of Martin Couvra ahead of the final round, he carded a closing 66 that featured a faultless back nine of 30 to win by two shots from his countryman.
Victory was the highlight of a memorable campaign that also featured a play-off defeat at the BMW PGA Championship on the Rolex Series as he finished ninth on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World to secure dual membership with the PGA TOUR for 2026. This is his first DP World Tour start of the year outside the Major Championships, having made six of his 12 cuts in his rookie campaign stateside so far.
Inside the field
Players representing 29 nationalities are set to feature at the penultimate event of the European Swing. Italy is inevitably well represented with 19 players, including Molinari brothers Francesco and Edoardo who call Circolo Golf Torino their home club.
Francesco is a two-time winner of his home open, claiming the title in 2006 and 2016, and will likely draw big crowds as he makes his 22nd start at his national open and first since 2022. Fellow Major champion, Patrick Reed, is another big-name draw as he looks to build on his lead in the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World. American Reed is one of ten winners on Tour this season teeing it up, with 2019 Italian Open winner Bernd Wiesberger and South Africa's Casey Jarvis and Yurav Premlall also among those.
Joaquín Niemann, a DP World Tour and PGA TOUR winner, has received a tournament invite to compete, while American pair Charley Hoffman and Ryan Palmer are making rare forays over to Europe. Former World Number One Luke Donald returns to Italy too for the first time since leading Team Europe to Ryder Cup victory at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in 2023. Add in the presence of HotelPlanner Tour and Qualifying School graduates, and beneficiaries of pathways through Strategic Alliance partnerships and we should be in for an exciting week.
The venue
Since a three-year stay at Marco Simone came to an end in 2023, the Italian Open has been held at the Adriatic Golf Club Cervia and Argentario Golf Club and this season sees a return to Circolo Golf Torino for the first time since 2014.
There are 22 players – including defending champion Saddier - who were in the field then that are also in action 12 years on. Since then, new tee boxes have been put in place at the second and third, while the 514-yard 12th will play as a par four instead of a par five as it previously played 17 yards longer. The course plays at approximately 1250 feet above sea level so expect increased driving distances off the tee too.
Founded in 1920, the club features two 18-hole courses - the Blue and Yellow. The Blue course - host venue this week - was designed by John S. F. Morrison, 1956 and redesigned by Graham Cooke before the Open d'Italia 1999. The course record is held by Japan’s Yuta Ikeda, who carded an eight-under-par 64 in 2006. A $40,000 prize pot is up for grabs through the Course Record Presented by Nexo.
Event history
Founded in 1925, the Italian Open is into its 83rd edition and has been an ever-present on the DP World Tour schedule since its founding campaign in 1972.
In the event's history, two players - Auguste Boyer and Flory Van Donck - have won the title four times - the most by any player. From 2019 to 2019, the event formed part of the Rolex Series and saw Ryder Cup players Tyrrell Hatton, Thorbjørn Olesen and Wiesberger triumph. Household names of the sport including Tony Jacklin, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance have all won the title as has Richard Boxall, a member of the World Feed commentary team this week. DS Automobiles returns as title sponsor, having previously supported the event between 2021 and 2023.
Open qualification
The Italian Open is the penultimate event in The Open Qualifying Series (OQS), a route for players to earn their place at this summer's Open Championship. One place will be available for Royal Birkdale to the highest placed finisher, not already exempt. The OQS has already featured 13 events where players could earn their spots at The Open and the final opportunity will be at the Genesis Scottish Open, where spots are up for grabs. Those in action this week who are already exempt for the final Major of the year are: Francesco Molinari, Reed, Kota Kaneko, Jarvis, Saddier, Martin Couvra, Frederic Lacroix, Elvis Smylie, Tom McKibbin, Daniel Hillier, Angel Ayora, Joakim Lagergren, Francesco Laporta, Michael Hollick and Mike Toorop.
