ENGLAND WIN IN PORTUGAL - 1st Mar 2005

England have won their second team title in as many months by taking the Nations Trophy at the Portuguese Amateur Championship played at Estela Golf Club from 23rd-27th February.

The England team consisting of Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale), Lee Corfield (Burnham and Berrow) and James Ruth (Tavistock), who are all members of the Elite Squad, won the title by a comfortable margin with a 5 under par total of 283.

Ruth, who finished 2nd in the 36 hole stroke play qualifier with a score of 140 (67-73) lost in the second round to Italian Eduardo Molinari. Corfield, 4th in qualifying on 143 (72-71) also lost in the second round to a fellow Englishman, A Squad member Kevin Harper (East Devon).

Baldwin lost on the last hole in the second round to A Squad member Matthew Cryer (Coventry). Cryer, who jointly qualified in 7th position on 146 (73-73), progressed through to the final only to lose narrowly by 2 and 1 to Francois Calmels of France. Although disappointed Cryer was happy with his performance having played some solid golf during the week.

English Golf Union Performance Director Nigel Furniss commented “This is another good international win for our players who have seen individual and team victories in Australia and Spain already this year. Whilst it was disappointing to lose 11 of the 13 English players who had qualified by the second round, it was a great performance by Matt Cryer, whose strong work ethic towards his training programme is beginning to pay off.”

Both the Elite and A squads now turn their attention to the Spanish Amateur Championship and the South African Amateur Championship that are taking place on the 2nd–6th March and 6th–10th March respectively.

Details on the Nations Cup and the Portuguese Amateur Championships can be found on the Portuguese Golf Federation website,

Related Links

• http://www.fpg.pt
• http://www.englishgolfunion.org

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