With family, friends and home support lining the fairways, the Italian stars are relishing the opportunity to compete on home soil as the Buccellati Ladies Italian Open returns to the Ladies European Tour schedule this week at Golf Club Milano.
For Alessandra Fanali, currently 24th in the Order of Merit and arriving off a season-best runner-up finish at last week’s La Sella Open in Spain, the excitement of competing in front of a home crowd is impossible to hide.
“I’m quite happy to be here,” said the 26-year-old. “I haven’t played here in so long and it’s always nice to play at home. My family is coming; a lot of people are coming out. It’s going to be a really nice week.”
While she may not know the city of Milan as well as her native Rome, Fanali is familiar with the challenge awaiting the field at Golf Club Milano.
“I know how it plays and where you should hit it off the tee, so it will be a nice challenge,” she said.
The timing couldn’t be better for the Italian, who arrives full of confidence after finishing tied second at La Sella, her fourth LET runner-up result in as many years on Tour, adding another top ten to her tie for seventh in the Investec South Africa Women’s Open.
“It was a really good week overall,” she reflected. “I felt like I’ve been playing well the whole year but haven’t seen the results. It’s tough sometimes, but it’s getting better, so I’m happy.”
Playing in front of home fans does bring added expectations, particularly for a player who has twice finished inside the top 10 at previous editions of the Ladies Italian Open, including a tie for sixth in 2024 and as a joint runner-up in 2022 as an amateur.
“Playing at home is always nice because it feels a bit different,” Fanali explained. “This time there is a little bit more pressure on me and a lot more media stuff to do. I think I’m just going to try to enjoy it. I’m playing well, so if I stick to my game it will be fine.”
History could also be on the line this week. Despite Italy producing several outstanding players over the years, the Ladies Italian Open has yet to crown a home winner.
“It would be really cool,” Fanali said. “It would be such a dream. If I think about the good players we’ve had and they didn’t have a chance to win this tournament, it would be so good to be the first one ever. It would be my first win on Tour as well, so that would be extra special.”
Anna Zanusso, ranked 16th on the Order of Merit, finished T17th in the La Sella Open last week and the 26-year-old from outside Venice will also be hoping to make that dream a reality, as will Roberta Liti, ranked 41st on the Order of Merit. The 31-year-old from Siena, Tuscany, last played at Golf Club Milano as a 17-year-old, when there was no yardage book available, so she drew her own and has been comparing notes with this week’s book, so knows the course well and is excited to be playing at the venue.
Milan native Alessia Nobilio, (above), who lives just 40 minutes from the venue, is another player hoping to be in the mix come Sunday.
“It’s so exciting to be here at this amazing venue in Monza,” said Nobilio, who notched two top five finishes on the LET in 2025. “I’m just so happy to be at home with my family watching. I’ve been playing the course quite a bit in the last few months, so I feel pretty confident.”
The 25-year-old believes Golf Club Milano will provide a stern examination of every aspect of a player’s game.
“I think it’s a very testing course off the tee and with the approach shots too because the greens are pretty small,” she said. “It will test every part of the game.”
This marks Nobilio’s first home Open as a professional, having last competed in the championship as an amateur in 2021, when she tied for 21st position. Unsurprisingly, the occasion feels different.
“I feel like I’m a little more nervous than usual, so I will try and stay as calm as I can,” she admitted. “At the same time, it’s just so exciting to be here and have all my family supporting me.”
The other Italians in the field include seven invited professionals Matilde Partele, Maria Vittoria Corbi, Emma Lundgren, Paris Appendino, Angelica Moresco, Erika De Martini and Elena Verticchio, as well as amateurs Francesa Fiorellini, Ginevra Tassoni Teg and Stella Vittoria Colombo, who will all be dreaming of a breakthrough victory with the chance to make history on home soil.
