(Ep 118) Luca Filippi

In another player exclusive interview for Golf Tops Checker Craig was joined by 2x Sunshine Tour winner & current Sunshine Tour OOM #4 from Cape Town Luca Filippi. In another fantastic episode we find out what Luca has been up to after a 2 week break with his partner in Thailand while Snorkelling and petting Elephants. We find out stuff about Luca through the quick fire round then later find out about his amateur successes and later Sunshine Tour successes in 2023.

Cape Town born Luca originally played Tournament Golf at Age of 9 at Atlantic Golf Club having played all of the sports growing up. A big part of Luca's develop was being in the presence of the great man himself Ernie Els who specifically took him in at the age of 14 through the Els Foundation which funded Luca's Junior & Amateur career until just before turning pro in 2020 Luca mentions how accommodating Ernie was with him. Now a part of the GolfRSA brand owned by Dunhill owner Johann Rupert we see how some of the best talents in South Africa have won at all levels in the last 5 years.

As a Junior Luca Filippi would be selected for 2017 Junior Presidents Cup side captained by Trevor Immelman alongside close friends Jayden Schaper & Garrick Higgo as well as the enigmatic Christo Lamprecht! Luca would also play big events such as 2017 Junior World Cup in Japan for South Africa, 2017 Junior Players' Champs, British Amateur 3 times (17',18',19) and would win the iconic South African Amateur Champs in 2019. 

Luca turned pro in 2020 & takes us through some of the toughest times of his life in that year starting out on Sunshine Tour before the world shut off for Covid. 2022 would be better with a highest finish of 2nd at Blue Label Challenge the week after his mother was in hospital so it was very emotional. In 2023 Luca would have a whole host of Top 10 finishes on Sunshine Tour with persistence finally paying off alongside good friend Ryan van Velzen at Bain's Whisky Ubunye Champs pairs tournament which resulted in Luca's 1st pro title then would go on to win 2023 Blue Label Challenge for his 2nd not long after.

A genuinely brilliant guy with the talent to really compete at a higher level. Give this a listen for some laugh, some serious & some honest chat about Luca's career.

 

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