SILVER AND GOLD FOR ENGLAND
England won silver and gold medals at the weekend in the
European Team Championships.
The England Boys Team; Lawrence Allen (Brookmans Park), Matthew
Baldwin (Hesketh), Ben Evans (Rye), Oliver Fisher (West Essex),
Ben Parker (Gut Waldhof), and John Parry (Harrogate) won the
gold medal at Kymen Golf Club in Kotka, Finland beating Spain
in an exciting final.
On the way to the final the boys led the 36-hole stroke play
qualifying, with Matthew Baldwin the leading individual. England
then defeated Sweden 5-2 in the quarterfinal and Belgium 7-0
in the semi final.
The final against Spain was a very close affair. Both morning
foursomes going to extra holes with John Parry and Ben Parker
winning on the 20th hole. Laurence Allen and Ben Evans who
had previously been undefeated unfortunately going down at
the 19th. In the afternoon singles it soon became apparent
that the game between John Parry and Gonzalo Berlin was going
to be the decider and a very tight game always seemed destined
for extra holes. For the second time in the day the 20th hole
proved lucky for Parry as although his birdie putt lipped
out, Berlin three putted to give England the title.
This was England’s eighth victory in the European Boys
Team Championships since 1980.
The England Youths Team; Lawrence Dodd (Thetford), James
Heath (Coombe Wood), Jamie Moul (Stoke-by-Nayland), Matthew
Richardson (The Buckinghamshire), Michael Skelton (Middlesbrough),
and Paul Waring (Bromborough) could not quite match the boys
and lost in a nail biting final 4-3 to Scotland at the Island
Golf Club in Ireland.
Like the boys, the youths led the other 17 nations in the
36 hole stroke play qualifying, they then defeated France
in the quarterfinal 4-3 and Germany in the semi final 4½-
2½ to reach the final.
The final against Scotland was a tight match with the result
resting on the last match between Jamie Moul and Richie Ramsay.
Ramsay, the Scottish Open Stroke Play Champion, 1up on the
final hole, made a solid birdie three under pressure to close
out Moul and bring the title to Scotland.
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