Staff WriterAh, the Italian Open. Sun-soaked fairways, Tuscan hills rolling like a well-struck 3-wood, and a leaderboard tighter than your granddad’s putting grip.
It’s the kind of setting where golf turns operatic—and young Martin Couvra seems poised to hit the high note.
Just four starts into his DP World Tour career, the 22-year-old Frenchman is threatening to make winning look like a weekend habit.
After lifting his first trophy at the Turkish Airlines Open, Couvra now heads into the final round of the Italian Open with a one-shot cushion—and the scent of another victory clinging to his Ping polo.
His third-round 67 was steady if not spectacular. A wobble at the par-three 17th—where he dropped a shot and briefly fell back into a share of the lead—was swiftly answered by a textbook birdie at the last.
Seven feet stood between him and sole possession of the top spot, and the lad didn’t blink. Eleven under par, and one clear.
“I just focused on staying patient and playing my game,” said Couvra, who appears to be maturing at double speed since graduating from the HotelPlanner Tour. “I’ve been working hard on every aspect of my game and it’s starting to pay off.”
Hot on his heels is Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, who seems to have packed his confidence alongside his clubs.
Chacarra fired a four-under 66—his kind of siesta—to slide into a share of second at ten under, alongside fellow Frenchman Adrien Saddier, who quietly posted a tidy 67. It’s worth noting this is Saddier’s 200th DP World Tour start. No wins yet, but what a time it would be to break the duck in front of a gallery full of pasta-fuelled tifosi.
Speaking of threats, there’s a small cavalry forming just behind. Norway’s Andreas Halvorsen and Spain’s Angel Ayora sit at nine under, both capable of lighting up Argentario with a Sunday charge.
One stroke further back lies a tantalising trio: France’s Clément Sordet—who shot the lights out with a course record 62—Scotland’s Calum Hill, and England’s own Alex Fitzpatrick, whose surname alone comes with a side of pressure and pedigree.
The Italian Open has always had a knack for drama. It’s the sort of event where you expect the unexpected, and the back nine on Sunday might just require popcorn.
Will Couvra steady the ship and go two-for-four? Will Chacarra throw down a Spanish-style Sunday surge? Or will someone from the chasing pack pull off a Roman robbery?
Whatever unfolds, this isn’t just a rookie making noise—it’s a young man making history in one of Europe’s oldest national opens.
And with the scent of Chianti in the air and a leaderboard full of flair, this Italian Open finale is shaping up to be molto bene.
