BRADLEY NEIL WINS PLAY-OFF AFTER TEAM TIE WITH ITALY
Proud as Punch: National coach Ian Rae with his team and the trophy at Sotogrande. Picture by courtesy of the Scottish Golf Union.
SCOTS WIN EURO NATIONS CUP AFTER
SOTOGRANDE PLAY-OFF DRAMA
Scotland's Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), Scott Borrowman (Dollar) and Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) came from behind on the final day to win the European Nations Cup golf team championship at Sotogrande Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol on another windy day (Saturday).
The Scots tied with Italy for the lowest aggregate - 878 - after four rounds of stroke-play under a best
three from four individual scores to count daily.
Both countries were asked to nominate one player for a title-deciding play-off.
The in-form Neil was Scotland's choice and he beat the rising Italian star, Renato Paratore, with a birdie at the second extra hole.
The last time an SGU squad won this prestigious title was in 2008 when the successful quartet - allo professionals now - were Scott Henry, Callum Macaulay, Wallace Booth and Keir McNicoll.
Scotland had not led in the 2014 tournament until the final totals. Teenager Bradley Neil, the 2013 Scottish boys' U18 match-play champion, played a major part with his consistent scores over the four rounds in keeping the Scots within striking distance and then, fittingly, won the title play-off single-handed.
France and Ireland were joint third on 880.
England, despite a line-up that included US amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and British amateur champion Garrick Porteous (who did not complete the four rounds) played poorly and finished 10th on 910.
Bradley Neil finished joint second in the individual table with rounds of 71 71, 76 and 72 for 290, the same total as Mario Aguilar (Spain). The winner with a total of 287 was Italy's Guido Migliozzi (74-71-72-70)
The Scots emulated the success of countrymen Scott Henry, Callum Macaulay, Wallace Booth and Keir McNicoll who triumphed in the Nations Cup back in 2008.
Neil and McDonald, the 2013 SGU Men’s Order of Merit winner, had counting scores in every round, but GB and I cap Graeme Robertson deserves a mention for seeing the Scots finishing joint top of the scoreboard. He had a gutsy 74 in the windy conditions.
Five shots adrift going into the final day, the Scots dug deep as the Italians faltered, ensuring both countries tied on 878.
Neil and McDonald, the 2013 SGU Men’s Order of Merit winner, had counting scores in every round, but GB and I cap Graeme Robertson deserves a mention for seeing the Scots finishing joint top of the scoreboard. He had a gutsy 74 in the windy conditions.
Five shots adrift going into the final day, the Scots dug deep as the Italians faltered, ensuring both countries tied on 878.
In the play-off, Neil, showing a maturity beyond his years, held his nerve to halve the first play-off hole. Both players got up and down from bunkers for matching pars.
At the par-5 second hole, Neil reached the green in two shots and two-putted for a winning birdie 4 to his opponent's two-putt par 5.
Scotland's national coach Ian Rae said: “It’s been a brilliant week and we’re delighted to win a great event. The guys played nicely all week and we just hung in there. It was windy most of the week so conditions were difficult.
“Everyone played their part, maintaining a course strategy. The players were first class, none more so than Graeme Robertson , who was our last player to come in.
"He had to produce a score when it counted and he made two great pars on the 17th and 18th; an awesome performance under pressure.
“Individually, Bradley also continued his great start to the season, as did Jack McDonald. Bradley showed great nerve to win the play-off.”
With US-based college players like Grant Forrest, now world-ranked 39, and James Ross both missing from the team, Rae feels the win shows the growing strength in depth of Scottish amateur golf.
“We were without our highest-ranked player and other players based in the US,” added Rae. “The win shows the depth we now have, which is pleasing.”
Neil, meanwhile, seems certain to break into the world’s top 100 after his performance in Sotogrande.
FRANCE WIN WOMEN'S TEAM TITLE
"He had to produce a score when it counted and he made two great pars on the 17th and 18th; an awesome performance under pressure.
“Individually, Bradley also continued his great start to the season, as did Jack McDonald. Bradley showed great nerve to win the play-off.”
With US-based college players like Grant Forrest, now world-ranked 39, and James Ross both missing from the team, Rae feels the win shows the growing strength in depth of Scottish amateur golf.
“We were without our highest-ranked player and other players based in the US,” added Rae. “The win shows the depth we now have, which is pleasing.”
Neil, meanwhile, seems certain to break into the world’s top 100 after his performance in Sotogrande.
FRANCE WIN WOMEN'S TEAM TITLE
AS ENGLAND FADE OUT OF LEAD
France (595) won the women's title against of Spain (598) and Denmark (606).England faded into fourth place on 607.
Wales finished eighth on 621.
Scotland and Ireland did not enter women's teams.
MEN'S FINAL TEAM TOTALS
898 Scotland, Italy (Neil won play-off for Scotland with birdie at second extra hole).
880 France, Ireland
887 Holland, Norway
894 Spain
900 Switzerland
903 Norway
910 England
915 Belgium
918 Sweden, Finland
919 Germany
LEADING MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
287 Guido Migliozzi (Italy) 74 71 72 70
290 Bradley Neil (Scotland) 71 71 76 72, Mario Aguilar (Spain) 75 67 73 75
291 Lars Keunen (Holland) 71 74 70 76
292 Jack Hume (Ireland) 73 76 69 74
293 Renato Paratore (Italy) 72 74 73 74, Robbie Van West (Holland) 74 71 74 74
OTHER SCORES
296 Jack McDonald (Scotland) 75 71 78 72 (T11)
298 Cormac Sharvin (Ireland and Stirling Univ) 74 79 76 69 (T17)
301 Gary Hurley (Ireland) 74 73 76 78 (T22)
302 Scott Borrowman (Scotland) 80 73 70 79, Ryan Evans (England) 74 70 80 78 (T25)
303 Mathias Eggenberger (Switzerland and Stirling Univ) 75 76 78 74 (T27)
306 Graeme Robertson (Scotland) 75 75 82 74, Dermot McElroy (Ireland) 79 74 70 83 (T37)
309 Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) 79 75 77 78 (T44)
311 Paul Howard (England) 82 80 76 73 (T42)
Retired - Garrick Porteous (England) 76 78 76 ret
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