England hangs on to win European Nations by one over Spain
The winning team from England
courtesy England Golf
SOTOGRANDE, Spain — England lead Spain by
four
shots entering Saturday's final round at the
European
Nations Tournament. Despite Mario Galiano's
eight-
shot individual title win, Spain's comeback
attempt
fell a single stroke short as England claimed the
team title by one at Real Club de Golf
Sotogrande.
The four-day, team and individual event
pitted
16 European Nations against one another for the
right to claim the Sotogrande Cup. Difficult
playing conditions presented the players as
cool weather and testing winds were the norm,
particularly on the first day when gusts
of up to 25 miles per hour delayed play.
England was led by Ashley Chesters and Ben
Stow, who both finished in sixth place
individually.
Chesters shot 76-74-75-74 while Stow posted
79-72-
73-75. Both player's scores were taken in all
four
rounds.
“With a few holes to play the tournament
was tight," England coach Graham
Walker said. "We needed a big finish and the
team responded in great fashion."
Chesters went one-under in his final four
holes while Stow went three-under,
with an eagle on 15 and birdie on 16.
 |
Mario
Galiano
|
Galiano shot one of only a handful under-par
rounds during the entire event on day two, with
his
four-day total of 287 defeating Robbie Van West
of
the Netherlands by eight shots and Marcus
Kinhult of
Sweden by nine. Galiano opened with 74, then
fired
70-71-72 in rounds two through four.
France took third place at 902, four shots
behind
Spain while first-round leaders Ireland came in
fourth at 904. France was led by Romain
Langasque,
who finished in a tie for fourth place with
Ireland's
top finisher Jack Hume.
ABOUT THE European Nations Cup
An international competition contested over
72 holes of stroke-play with a team and
individual
component. The international team format
features four-man teams in which the three
best
scores each day count towards the team
total.
View Complete Tournament Information