England retained the Seve Ballesteros Trophy in thrilling fashion this afternoon as the hosts overcame a five-point deficit in the singles to tie the match 15-15.
Spain were 12.5-7.5 ahead after this morning’s foursomes at Worplesdon GC and had won all three sessions going into the final set of ten singles.
England needed to gain at least 7.5 points out of 10 in the final session to hang on to the trophy they won at Formby in 2019 and managed it in nerve-wracking circumstances. The biennial competition features teams of six male and four female players.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, England Men’s captain Gareth Jenkins said: “I would like to congratulate both sets of players on two outstanding days of golf and commend everyone for the spirit in which this match was played.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of Worplesdon Golf Club who have kindly given up their course to allow us to play this fantastic international match.
“The quality of the golf and the spirit in which the match was played was exceptional and we look forward to playing the fixture once again in Spain in two years’ time.”
The last three matches, all involving England Girls squad members, went down to 18th but once Amelia Wan (Sherwood Forest) lost in the penultimate tie, it all came down to Shrewsbury’s Isla McDonald-O’Brien (pictured above).
The English player was one up playing the last and a par proved enough to claim the hole and her match against opponent Paula De Francisco Liano, who missed her 10-foot par putt which meant her opponent has two for it from three feet but she only needed one.
However just a few hours earlier McDonald-O’Brien and the rest of her team-mates looked destined to lose despite talisman John Gough (The Berkshire) leading from the front to gain his first point of the week. He was always ahead as he took out Lytham Trophy runner-up Luis Masaveu Roncal, eventully sealing it 3&2.
Further down the batting order Lytham Trophy champion Frank Kennedy and Berkhamsted winner James Claridge were struggling. The Florida-based teenager was four down with seven to play while the Enville GC golfer was four down at halfway.
However both fought back brilliantly to get a half point and overall England’s only defeat was Wan, who nearly executed her own great escape having been four down after eight.
Elsewhere today Yorkshire duo Josh Berry (Doncaster) and Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield) both claimed their third point out of four. Having lost in the opening foursomes yesterday, the teenage pair won both their singles matches and combined to stunning effect in the morning foursomes. They were seven under par after 12 holes as they dispatched Carlos Abril Segura & Alejandro Aguilera Martin 7&6. That included a run of five birdies and a eagle, starting at the sixth.
Essex star Arron Edwards-Hill also won both his singles matches and was particularly impressive yesterday as he got to five under par for his opening 11 holes.
Hertfordshire’s Sophia Fullbrook was also never behind in her clash with World No 34 Paula Martin Sampedro. The English Girls champion won the third to go ahead and by the turn was four up. She lost 12 but the next four holes were halved as she won 3&2.
Meanwhile Lincoln’s Ellise Rymer collected her third half point of the week in match No 7. She lost the lead on 14 and the final four holes were halved.
England 15, Spain 15
Thursday foursomes (1.5-3.5)
- Sophia Fullbrook (Brocket Hall) & Ellise Rymer (Lincoln) A/S with Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio & Paula De Francisco Liano
- Isla McDonald-O’Brien (Shrewsbury) & Amelia Wan (Sherwood Forest) beat Paula Martin Sampedro & Cloe Amion Villarino 2&1
- John Gough (The Berkshire) & Arron Edwards-Hill (Chelmsford) lost to Luis Masaveu Roncal & Angel Ayora Fanegas 1 hole
- Frank Kennedy (Trump Florida) & James Claridge (Enville) lost to Carlos Abril Segura & Alejandro Aguilera Martin 1 hole
- Josh Berry (Doncaster) & Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield) lost to Pablo Alperi Lopez & Mercel Fonseca Aguilar 2&1
Thursday Singles (4.5-5.5)
- Sophia Fullbrook lost to Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio 1 hole
- Isla McDonald-O’Brien lost to Cloe Amion Villarino 2&1
- Amelia Wan lost to Paula De Francisco Liano 1 hole
- Ellise Rymer A/S with Paula Martin Sampedro
- John Gough lost to Luis Masaveu Roncal 3&1
- Frank Kennedy beat Angel Ayora Fanegas 2&1
- Arron Edwards-Hill beat Alejandro Aguilera Martin 1 hole
- Josh Berry beat Carlos Abril Segura 4&3
- James Claridge lost to Mercel Fonseca Aguilar 3&2
- Dylan Shaw-Radford beat Pablo Alperi Lopez 2 holes
Friday foursomes (1.5-3.5)
- John Gough & Frank Kennedy lost to Mercel Fonseca Aguilar & Angel Ayora Fanegas 5&3
- Arron Edwards-Hill & James Claridge lost to Luis Masaveu Roncal & Angel Ayora Fanegas 3&1
- Josh Berry & Dylan Shaw-Radford beat Carlos Abril Segura & Alejandro Aguilera Martin 7&6
- Sophia Fullbrook & Ellise Rymer lost to Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio & Paula Martin Sampedro 3&2
- Isla McDonald-O’Brien & Amelia Wan A/S with Paula De Francisco Liano & Cloe Amion Villarino
Friday Singles (7.5-2.5)
- John Gough beat Luis Masaveu Roncal 3&2
- Frank Kennedy A/S with Angel Ayora Fanegas
- Arron Edwards-Hill beat Pablo Alperi Lopez 2 holes
- Josh Berry beat Carlos Abril Segura 3&2
- James Claridge A/S with Alejandro Aguilera Martin
- Dylan Shaw-Radford beat Mercel Fonseca Aguilar 2&1
- Sophia Fullbrook beat Paula Martin Sampedro 3&2
- Ellise Rymer A/S with Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio
- Amelia Wan lost to Cloe Amion Villarino 1 hole
- Isla McDonald-O’Brien beat Paula De Francisco Liano 2 holes