Addabbo clinches breakthrough victory in MENA Tour opener with ice-cool final round

Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo capped a career-defining week in Portugal by winning the Aroeira Challenge, the opening event of the 2025–26 MENA Golf Tour season, a victory built as much on composure as on skill.

Addabbo later revealed that staying anchored in the moment was the key to surviving the intensity of the final round, offering a rare glimpse into the mindset of a player on the cusp of his first professional triumph.

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The 27-year-old Italian delivered rounds of 66, 67 and a superb closing 65 for an 18-under-par total of 198 at PGA Aroeira near Lisbon, securing the title by three shots and claiming the $18,000 winner’s prize from the $100,000 purse.

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Ranked 1,909 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the start of the week, Addabbo had been a constant presence on the leaderboard, sharing the opening-round lead with Scotland’s Sebastian Sandin.

'I'm so happy'

And if there were nerves as he teed off with a one-shot advantage over home favourite Pedro ‘Figgy’ Figueiredo, he hid them brilliantly. Birdies at the second and third steadied any early doubt, and from there he tightened his grip, adding five more birdies — including a stunning chip-in on 17 that effectively sealed his breakthrough victory.

“I’m so happy. I was expecting to be very nervous at the end, but I was less than I thought. It’s an amazing feeling to end the round like this, with that chip in on the 17th and a nice, easy par on the last,” said Addabbo after being mobbed by friends on the 18th green.

“After (hole) 17, that was the first time I checked the leaderboard. I knew that it wasn’t going to change anything. It’s just going to put pressure on myself. I breathed a lot during the round, always tried to be in the present, and it worked,” he added, a revealing insight into the calm that defined his triumph.

Figueiredo thrilled the local galleries with a late eagle from the rough on 17 to claim solo second with rounds of 68, 66 and 67 for 201. Sandin, meanwhile, saw his challenge fade with three bogeys in the final four holes, though after finishing runner-up at Q School last week, he leaves Portugal encouraged by another strong showing.

“I wasn't really hitting it the best on the front nine but was getting the most out of my game,” Sandin said. “I started to strike it better on the back nine but knew I needed to be around eight under for the round to stand a chance… I knew I needed to press at that stage.”

A total of 46 players finished under par across the three rounds, with Q School winner Chris Wood tying for seventh at 10-under. The cut fell at five-over, with 64 players advancing.

'An outstanding round'

Addabbo, playing the MENA Golf Tour for the first time, praised the circuit’s competitiveness and opportunity: “I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Tour, it’s a great opportunity to go out there and play and not have too long an off-season. I managed to get out of Q school fairly easily and then to win the first tournament, is such a great moment.”

Keith Waters, chairman and commissioner of the MENA Golf Tour, added: “Ludovico produced an outstanding round and handled the pressure on the closing holes like a true champion… Seeing his fellow Italian players celebrate with him on the final green really captured the spirit and emotion of what the MENA Golf Tour is all about.”

The MENA Golf Tour remains in Portugal for its next event, the Rolear Algarve Classic at the Amendoeira Course from 2 - 4 December, before moving to Egypt in January and Morocco in February, where the mid-season Q-Sprint will offer fresh routes into the Tour.

Final Leaderboard:

1. Ludovico Addabbo (ITA) - 18

2. Pedro Figueiredo (POR) -15

3. Sebastian Sandin (SCO) -13

4. Toby Hunt (WAL) -12