ENGLAND WIN IN SPAIN

England won the First International Match Costa Ballena Golf involving teams from Germany, Sweden and Spain played last week at the new Costa Ballena Golf Club, situated near Cadiz, Andalucia in southern Spain.

The six man team of Paul Bradshaw (Gainsborough GC), Scott Godfrey (St Enodoc GC), Scott Jackson (Bramall Park GC), David Porter (Stoneham GC), Daniel Wardrop (Didsbury GC), Ben Welch (St Mellion GC) were victorious in the round robin event played over three days against Germany, Sweden and host nation Spain, each match comprising three morning foursomes and six afternoon singles.

On Day 1 England comfortably beat Sweden 6-3 whilst Germany surprised the field by defeating host nation Spain 5½-3½.

On day 2 Germany continued to look a serious contender to lift the trophy with a 6-3 win over Sweden whilst England appeared to be stamping their authority on the event leading Spain 3-0 after the morning foursomes. Spain, however had other ideas and rallied to take the afternoon singles 5-1 and earn victory over England by 5 games to 4 in a most exciting hard fought contest.

Three teams could now win the tournament and the captains were carefully calculating by what margins they must be victorious to become champions, if teams tie on number of match points (two points for a match win, one point for a halved match and no points for a defeat) then the title will be decided on number of individual games won.

Spain took an early lead against Sweden, and although they came out eventual winners 5-4 they had not won sufficient individual games to threaten either Germany or England, whose match would now decide the title.

The Germans continued to prove a resilient team taking the morning foursomes 2-1, which now left England needing to win the singles encounter by 4½-1½ at worst to lift the trophy. The England team responded magnificently, not dropping a game in the singles, winning five matches and halving one to beat Germany 6½-2½ and win the first Costa Ballena International trophy.

Points Games won 1 England 4 16½ 2 Germany 4 14 3 Spain 4 13½ 4 Sweden 0 10