England’s Chris Wood brilliantly continued his hopeful return to the DP Wold Tour birdieing the closing hole to capture the HotelPlanner Tour’s Italian Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale.
Wood captured an eighth pro career success along with a third victory this year all courtesy of a bogey-free final round of 66 to win by a shot in his first start of the year on the 2026 Road to Mallorca, finishing on 22 under par for the week.
More importantly Wood’s success comes in his opening event on the secondary HotelPlanner Tour and his appearance the event after having graduated top of the 2o25/26 MENA Tour money list.
COULD THERE BE A MORE BRILLIANT START ….
As England’s Chris Wood brilliantly captures his maiden tournament in very first event competing on @HPlanner_Tour
“It feels brilliant,” Wood said after winning for a third occasion this year
Read: https://t.co/fvDfgup5r5
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) May 10, 2026
Of course,Wood’s big goal is to get himself back on the DP Wold Tour and that aim could very well materialise at year’s end for the three-time former DP Wold Tour champ.
“It feels brilliant,” Wood said. “What a tough day. Tomas’ back nine, he lit it up all of a sudden out of nowhere. Me and Barclay [Brown] have had 36 holes of really strong golf together, we’ve pushed each other along.
“You’re never given tournaments, you have to go out and earn them and I feel like I did that.
“I was giving myself chances on every hole and I had two or three putts that I thought were in around the turn which was frustrating. The putts weren’t dropping for me until on 15 from around 15 feet which was deserved, and then I managed to sneak one up the last.”
What it means ❤️#HotelPlannerTour | #ItalianChallengeOpen pic.twitter.com/fnXL1DmjCa
— HotelPlanner Tour (@HPlanner_Tour) May 10, 2026
Having started the day in a share of the lead, Wood cruised into a two-stroke advantage through nine holes, carding four birdies to go out in 32 strokes.
But playing partner Gouveia caught fire around the turn, making four birdies in a row from the eighth, before finding four more in his final five holes.
However, Wood played a delicate chip on the 72nd hole to set up the birdie that sealed a one-stroke triumph, and the 38-year-old was visibly emotional after the round.
“I thought Tomas was going to hole his putt, that was the way he was playing, so I was prepared to go back down the 18th. Fortunately for me he didn’t,” he added.
“All the practice I’ve done helped me stay in the moment. The mental side has been a challenge. [Chris] Lloyd [
“This win is a massive step in the right direction, obviously there’s a long season ahead, but this is just my first event of a long season on this tour, and it’s an amazing way to start.”
Gouveia eventually signed for a final round 66 to finish in solo second while the third member of the fial group Barclay Brown finished in solo third on 20 under, earning him a spot in next week’s field in Spain.
Englishman Will Enefer, Scotsmen Will Porter and Calum Fyfe, and Pedro Figueiredo from Portugal finished on 18 under in a tie for fourth.
The win moves Wood up 154 places to fifth in the 2026 Road to Mallorca, with Gouveia moving 151 places up to eighth.
The HotelPlanner Tour now heads to Spain for the Challenge de Catalunya at Fontanals Golf Club in Girona, from May 14-17.
