ENGLAND FINISH FOURTH IN EUROPEAN MEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
 England
lost their grip on the European Men’s Team Championship
when they were beaten 4-3 in the semi-finals by Ireland, who
went on to take the title. Then another 4-3 setback against
Scotland denied them third place.
It is never easy to defend a championship but the battle
with the Irish couldn’t have been closer, England’s
hopes dying on the last hole of the final singles.
In a dramatic finish, all chances of a final place rested
on the shoulders of Ireland’s Richard Kilpatrick and
England’s Gary Boyd.
Boyd had led for most of the deciding match - securing a
two-hole cushion by the ninth but being pegged back by the
15th. That glint of hope was enough to get the Irishman back
in to the match, with both players all square by the 17th.
Boyd’s tee shot on the 18th flew out of bounds, then,
after playing a second ball, the 20 year old from Northamptonshire
fired superb approach 15-feet behind the pin. Kilpatrick’s
drive found the middle of the fairway and luck struck again
when his second flew wide but hit a buggy parked by the practice
area.
In a further twist, the Irishman’s chip to the green
hit a sprinkler head which left him 25 feet from the hole.
Kilpatrick’s missed putt then left Boyd needing to sink
his putt to take the bout to extra holes.
However it was not to be, in front of anxious crowds the
ball rolling agonisingly past and Ireland were through to
face France who beat the Scots 4½ - 2½.
In the bronze medal encounter, the foursomes were shared
1-1, England’s win coming from the reliable pairing
of Jamie Moul (pictured - photo courtesy of Tom Ward) and
Gary Wolstenholme over Jonathan King and US Amateur champion
Richie Ramsay by 2&1.
Moul, who was possibly playing his last match for England,
said: “They were good scalps to get. Richie beat me
four years ago at the Youths in Ireland, so it was good to
get a win back.”
Although England took the top two singles through John Parry
and Paul Waring, Scotland hit back with Jonathan King beating
Boyd 3&2 while David Horsey went down 4&3 to Lloyd
Saltman.
It was left to Ramsay to seal the winning point with a 2&1
win over Wolstenholme after the Englishmen three-putted from
just off the green at a critical moment on the 16th hole.
Ramsay’s superb approach shot on the penultimate hole
closed the door to leave the Scots celebrating in the Ayrshire
sunshine.
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