Youth movement continues at Swiss Hickory Open

Oct. 19, 2020 – Ascona, Switzerland
By Rick Adams

Hickory golf is sometimes regarded as the domain of older men and women, nostalgic for the origins of the game. Yet, more and more, younger golfers are being attracted to the unique challenges of playing hickory … and they’re adapting quite quickly.

Leonardo Bono, a native of Locarno in the Italian-speaking section of Switzerland and a second-year student at the University of South Carolina – Aiken in the U.S., ran away with the gentlemen’s stroke play title at the Swiss Hickory Open golf championship … in his first-ever hickory event. Bono fired five-under-par in the first round at Golf Club Patriziale Ascona, which was shortened to 15 holes by recent flooding, then cruised in the final round at Golf Gerre Losone to a 12-shot victory over three players, including his instructor, Paolo Quirici (the 2013 World Hickory Open champion and winner of the 2020 Swiss Hickory Match Play), another Swiss PGA pro, Roberto Francioni, and Andreas Ahlm, who took low net amateur honors.

Bono’s victory follows on a similar feat in the 2019 World Hickory Open in Scotland by Sweden’s Olle Widegren, a 2017 graduate of Coastal Carolina University, the alma mater of World No. 1 Dustin Johnson.

“Leo played hickories for the first time for one round on Thursday before the SHO and fell in love with the feel of the Stewart clubs,” said Quirici, who has been working with Bono for about a year. “That is proof that the good clubs of the time are capable to perfom well in the hands of a good player with a solid swing. For me it is important that the younger generation understand the historical background and the great workmanship that was present in the past.”

The week before the Swiss Hickory Open, Bono was low amateur (at -6) in the Swiss Omnium championship at Vuissens, trailing professional winner Joel Girrbach by only two shots.

Bono also teamed to win the Swiss Hickory Open better-ball competition with Constantino Rocca, best known as the only European player to beat Tiger Woods in a Ryder Cup singles match and for his miracle 60-foot putt from the Valley of Sin at St. Andrews’ 18th to force a playoff with John Daly in the 1995 Open Championship. Rocca placed 6th in individual SHO strokeplay.

Ironically, Bono was available to play in the Swiss events because of the pandemic; he is taking his college business management courses online, and plans to return to the States in January. He chose USC Aiken, in part, for its “great schedule of tournaments,” and was second-team all-conference in the Division II Peach Belt Conference, which features schools in the US Southeast. Bono’s goal is to turn professional after graduation “and give myself 3-4 years to reach the European PGA Tour.”

The Swiss Hickory Open attracted nearly 50 players, and enjoyed excellent autumn weather. The four-star Belvedere Hotel, which overlooks Lake Maggiore, hosted a welcome reception and two superb dinners for the hickory contingent.

The Stableford ladies (gross) winner was Annelies Tschan of Appenzell, who plays to a 13.6 handicap. The ladies’ net winner was Silvia Hefti of Alvaneu.

The men’s Stableford gross winner was Nick Hofer of Limpachtal. Net leader was Felix Degen of Gällivare Malmberget.

The 2021 Swiss Hickory Open will be contested at Golf Limpachtal in Buchegg, 27-28 August. The 2022 event is planned for Golf Club Montreux, home of the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival.

Click here to see a video produced on the 2020 Swiss Hickory Open.

ALL PHOTOS by Thomas Eberharter (www.becknaphoto.com, instagram: @becknaphoto)