ENGLAND narrowly missed out on the chance to win the European Men’s Team Championship for a record 12th time when they lost to hosts Sweden in the final of this year’s championship at Llunghusen GC.
Tom Sloman, Alex Fitzpatrick and Ben Jones all claimed top-10 finishes as England finished second behind Ireland in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier earlier in the week.
And they went on to defeat both Wales and Scotland by 4-3 before losing 4½- 2½ to the hosts in a keenly contested final in which all but one of the matches went at least as far as the 17th green.
The English team were the first to put a point on the board when Somerset pair Tom Sloman and Tom Plumb recorded their third foursomes win of the tournament with a 2&1 win over Ludvig Aberg and Christoffer Palsson.
But David Nyfjall and Vincent Norrman ensured the scoreline was level at lunch with a 4&3 victory over Alex Fitzpatrick and Matty Lamb.
In the afternoon Harry Hall made it three-out-of-three in the singles with a 2&1 victory over Norrman, and Plumb also halved with Nyfjall – but that was not quite enough to see the team over the line.
The result means England have won three sliver medals in a row having also achieved that feat in Austria in 2017 – and then again in Germany 12 months later.
The men’s team comprised Sloman (Taunton & Puckeridge) Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire), Jones (Northamptonshire County), Plumb (Yeovil), Hall (West Cornwall) and Lamb (Hexham).
For full scores click here.
Women’s team end up in fifth place
•ENGLAND ended the European Ladies’ Team Championship on a high note when they beat Scotland 3-2 to claim fifth place at Is Molas in Sardinia.
The team made up of Lianna Bailey, Roehampton’s Annabell Fuller, Berkhamsted’s Alice Hewson, Stoke by Naylan’s Lily May Humphrey and Cornwall’s Women’s Amateur Champion – Emily Toy, from Carlyon Bay – lost the chance of collecting a medal when they were beaten 5½ – 1½ by Sweden in the opening round of the knockout competition.
But they then defeated Denmark 3½-1½ before rounding the championship out with a win over the Scots. The event was won by Sweden who beat Spain 5-2 in the final.
For full results from the championship click here
Boys also fifth as hosts France win
THERE was also a fifth-place finish for the English team at the European Boys’ Team Championship where hosts France won in front of the own fans at Chantilly.
England – represented by Hallamshire’s Barclay Brown, Stoke Park’s Conor Gough, Bishop’s Stortford’s Max Hopkins, Florida-based Joe Pagdin, Rotheram’s Brabazon Trophy record-breaker Ben Schmidt and Robin Williams, from Peterborough Milton – lost 4-3 to Ireland in the opening round.
But the U18s then defeated Italy 3½-1½ before rounding things by beating Spain by the same scoreline.
Click here for full results
Girls qualify in fifth but lose to hosts
THE English Girls team finished fifth in qualifying at the European Girls’ Team Championship, at Parador El Saler, in Spain, but then lost 4-3 to Spain, 3-2 to The Netherlands and 3½ – 1½ to Sweden to finish eighth.
The event was won for the first time by Denmark who beat Spain in the final. Click here for full results.
ENGLAND GIRLS: Jessica Baker (Gosford Ladies), Rosie Belsham (Whitely Bay), Ellie Gower (Gleneagles), Charlotte Heath (Huddersfield), Euphemie Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow and Caitlin Whitehead (Carus Green).