Aartselaar, Belgium – A first victory on the Pro Golf Tour is always special. For someone who had previously missed six consecutive cuts, however, this first title feels entirely different. Jules Lavigne traveled to the Russo Open at Cleydael Golf Club, north of Brussels, with this extraordinary losing streak behind him. He finished the final round with three birdies on the last six holes and celebrated his unexpected first win as a pro. "I don't even know what to say right now. I’m pretty speechless,” said the 25-year-old, who had entered the final day as a co-leader. With his strong finish, Lavigne posted a total score of 11 under par, relegating Leon Breimer of Germany and last week’s winner, Kristof Ulenaers of Belgium, to a tie for second place.
"I didn't play particularly well today. But on the back nine, I turned things around and sank a few putts, starting on the 12th,” Lavigne said, reflecting on his final round. After playing twelve holes, he was at one over par for the day and seemed to be out of the running for the title. "After that, I made everything within about six meters. That helps enormously, of course. It was a great week and a completely unexpected victory.”
“At times, I had almost 40 putts per round”
"I was physically and mentally tired, and I didn't handle it well. As a result, I lost some confidence in my game.” Despite the negative streak, his team helped him regain his confidence. Still, he couldn’t explain why he played so well this week. "But that's just golf." On top of that, he struggled with putting yips that caught up with him over the course of the season. "I didn't know what to do about it anymore. At times, I was taking almost 40 putts per round.” Lavigne switched to a longer putter and slowly got the problem under control. The Belgian model is likely to stay in his bag for the time being.
Leaderboard: All results at a glance
Order of Merit of the 2026 Season
Special thanks go to the title sponsor, Russo, as well as the organizers and the many volunteers at the Cleydael Golf Club. The winner was thrilled with the historic golf course's layout and atmosphere: "I loved the atmosphere. I also thought the layout was great. I think the course is designed very cleverly. That’s why I enjoyed it so much.”
The Russo Open @ Cleydael was the second of three events in the “Belgian Swing” that will conclude the 2026 Pro Golf Tour season. The final stop in the tournament series will be the Hulencourt Masters Pro Golf Tour Grand Final, scheduled for September 29 through October 1. That’s where it will be decided which five players will earn promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour.
With his victory, Lavigne moved up to 26th place in the Order of Merit. The top five remain unchanged, with Dario Antonisse in the lead and Ulenaers as his closest pursuer. Third place is held by Philipp Macionga of Germany, ahead of Mauro Gilardi of Switzerland and Max Schmitt of Germany.
