Italian Open 2025 Preview, Picks & Analysis

After a brief break the DP World Tour returns to action this week with the Italian Open at Argentario Golf Club.

Last year’s version was memorable, with the irrepressible Marcel Siem defeating Tom McKibbin in a playoff. It was Siem’s sixth victory in only his fourth event back from hip surgery.

Both Siem and McKibbin finished at 10-under overall and then Siem birdied the opening playoff hole to seal it.

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Siem was three strokes ahead of clubhouse leader McKibbin eight holes into his final round, only for four bogeys to put him one stroke back going to the 18th. But he holed a 22-foot putt to finish with an even-par 71 and force the playoff.

Siem said: "Holing that putt on 18 was one of the coolest moments in golf for me and doing it again in a playoff was fantastic." 

McKibbin posted a bogey-free 65 in his final round. And he had the consolation prize of earning a spot in The Open after narrowly missing out on a second DP World Tour title, along with American Sean Crocker, who finished one stroke behind the leaders in a tie for third with Jannik de Bruyn.

Siem is a golfer who always wears his heart on his sleeve - you only need to look at his demeanour to know how he has played.

It goes without saying that the home crowd would love to see an Italian winner and Guido Migliozzi will be hoping to provide them with precisely that. Although he seems to have been around forever, he is still only 28 and has four wins to his name.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Migliozzi turned professional in 2016. In 2017 and 2018 he played on the Challenge Tour and Alps Tour. He had little success on the Challenge Tour but won three times on the Alps Tour, once in 2017 and twice in 2018, as well as losing the 2018 Alps de Las Castillas in a three-man playoff.

In November 2018, he finished tied for 13th place at the DP World Tour qualifying school to secure his playing rights for 2019. And in March 2019 he won the Magical Kenya Open and followed by beating Darius van Driel to secure the Belgian Knockout in June, a result that lifted him into the top-100 of the world rankings.

In March 2021, Migliozzi was a joint runner-up in the Qatar Masters, one stroke behind Antoine Rozner, who won the tournament with a 60-foot putt at the final green. In May, he lost in a playoff to Richard Bland at the British Masters two weeks later, he finished second at the Made in Himmerland, behind Bernd Wiesberger after a final round 63 in which he birdied four of the last five holes.

Qualifying for his first major, the 2021 US Open, he announced his presence on the world stage by finishing tied fourth,  earning exemptions for the 2022 tournament as well as the 2022 Masters.

In September 2022, Migliozzi won the Open de France. He shot a final-round 62 to beat Rasmus Hojgaard by one shot fter making a birdie on the final hole at Le Golf National. It was the first birdie of the day on the hole; ranked as the most difficult hole on the DP World Tour season. He was bitterly disappointed not to make the Ryder Cup team for the 2023 encounter at Marco Simone Golf Club but last year picked up another title when winning the KLM Open.

But 2025 has thus far been a year to forget. He has made 12 starts but has only reached the weekend on five occasions, with a best finish of tied eighth at the Dubai Desert Classic way back in January. He did manage to finish tied second at final qualifying for the US Open but had a nightmare two days at Oakmont, missing the cut by a distance. His career has always been one of highs and lows and he will be hoping to draw some inspiration from performing in front of a home gallery who will be cheering him all the way.

Francesco Laporta is an Italian who has been quietly going about his work this season without grabbing too many headlines. He is still looking for his maiden DP World Tour win at the age of 34 but finds himself comfortably in the top 50 in the Race to Dubai rankings. He is a two-time winner on the Challenge Tour and has had a couple of top-10 finishes this season, including a tied seventh at the recent KLM Open.

Scottish golfers have enjoyed proper success in 2025, with Connor Syme and Calum Hill picking up wins. 

They should have been joined by the mercurial talent that is Ewen Ferguson. A three-time winner on the DP World Tour, he finished tied second at the Soudal Open but left Belgium knowing that he had thrown away a golden opportunity to claim another victory. To his credit, in his next outing he was tied fourth behind Syme at the KLM Open.

He made it clear at the start of the year that his target was to secure a place in Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup team. That he possesses the talent is beyond dispute but he is going to have to start producing some big performances if he is to have any chance of fulfilling his dream - and soon!

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Rikard Karlberg, in 2016 by Francesco Molinari, in 2017 by Tyrrell Hatton, in 2018 by Thorbjorn Olesen, in 2019 by Bernd Wiesberger, in 2020 by Ross McGowan, in 2021 by Nicolai Hojgaard, in 2022 by Robert MacIntyre, in 2023 by Adrian Meronk and last year by Marcel Siem.

The Course:

Argentario Golf Club measures 6,800 yards and is a par 71. With undulating fairways, it is a links-style course that features narrow fairways, and plenty of trees and bunkers. Water also comes into play several times.

Form Guide:

Ewen Ferguson has shown some excellent recent form. He should have won in Belgium and was also in the frame at the KLM Open and is surely due another success.

Prize Money:

The total prize fund is $3m, with 3,500 Race to Dubai points to the winner and 1,000 Ryder Cupi points.

How to Watch:

Thursday, June 26, Friday, June 27, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Saturday, June 28, Sky Sports Golf, 12.30pm; Sunday, June 29, Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am.

To Win:

Eugenio Chacarra. Hugely gifted Spaniard

Each Way:

Guido Migliozzi. Looking for some home inspiration

Each Way:

Ewen Ferguson. Due another win

Five to Follow:

Eugenio Chacarra. A superstar in the making

Guido Migliozzi. Ready for a big week

Ewen Ferguson. In fine form

Marco Penge. Explosive

Francesco Laporta. Has been quietly doing well in 2025

Five Outsiders to Watch:

Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Always fun to watch

Alex Fitzpatrick. Making steady progress

Robin Williams. Big, big hitter

Oliver Lindell. One to watch

Alex Levy. Struggling to find way back to the top