Francesco Laporta Facts: 14 Things You Didn't Know About The Italian Golfer

Discover more about the Italian professional golfer via these facts regarding his life and career in the game so far...

Francesco Laporta during round two of the 2024 Genesis Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Francesco Laporta is an Italian pro who has spent most of his career in Europe on the DP World Tour and the Challenge Tour. Discover more about his life and career to this point via these facts.

FRANCESCO LAPORTA FACTS

1. Laporta was born in Castellana Grotte, Italy on October 10, 1990.

2. He still lives there and belongs to San Domenico Golf, which is a short drive away out towards the east coast. Laporta calls the trip the “best drive in the world.”

3. As a child, Laporta spent a lot of time in South Africa, spending up to six months a year there while visiting his uncle. As a result, he occasionally mixed an Italian and South African accent when speaking English.

4. He first picked up a golf club in South Africa as a 13-year-old and was instantly hooked. Luckily, a new golf course was built near his Italian home shortly after so he could begin playing all year round.

5. Laporta played in a few pro tournaments on the Alps Tour as an amateur before turning professional in 2013 and joining the Sunshine Tour.

6. Between 2013 and 2015, he played on the Sunshine Tour and enjoyed a best finish of T2nd at the 2013 Zimbabwe Open where he also set a course record 63 (-9).

7. Laporta earned his first crack at the DP World Tour via Q-School in 2015 after coming through all three stages and securing the 15th card at Final Stage. However, he lost his card 12 months later and headed to the Challenge Tour.

8. His first professional victory was at the Italian National Open Championship on the Italian Pro Tour. Laporta won by four strokes.

9. After a multi-year spell on the Challenge Tour, Laporta claimed his first victory at the 2019 Hainan Open, winning by one stroke.

10. Less than a month later, he won the Challenge Tour Grand Final event to rubberstamp his promotion back to the DP World Tour.

11. Laporta says his hero is Seve Ballesteros, having watched the movie about the Spanish legend’s life and been inspired by his work ethic and attitude towards the game.

12. Away from golf, Laporta likes to play football and volleyball with his friends and is a huge fan of Italian soccer club, Inter Milan.

13. Laporta has represented Italy at both amateur and professional level. In 2011, he competed in the European Amateur Team Championship and in 2018, Laporta played in the European Championships.

14. His third Challenge Tour victory arrived at the 2023 Big Green Egg German Challenge, where he once again triumphed by a single stroke.

FRANCESCO LAPORTA BIO

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BornOctober 10, 1990 - Castellana Grotte, Italy
Height5ft 9in (1.75 m)
Turned Pro2013
Former ToursAlps Tour, Sunshine Tour, Italian Pro Tour, Challenge Tour
Current TourDP World Tour
Professional Wins4
Highest OWGR117th

FRANCESCO LAPORTA WINS

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TourEventWinning Score
Italian Pro Tour2019 Italian National Open Championship-16 (four strokes)
Challenge Tour2019 Hainan Open-14 (one stroke)
Challenge Tour2019 Challenge Tour Grand Final-6 (two strokes)
Challenge Tour2023 Big Green Egg German Challenge-7 (one stroke)
Jonny Leighfield
Staff Writer

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and is hoping to reach his Handicap goal of 18 at some stage. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.