IRELAND CROWNED SENIOR MEN’S EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS
The Ireland Senior Men’s team that won the European Men’s Senior Team Championship in Austria (Photo: EGA)
The Irish Men’s Senior team were crowned European Men’s Senior Team champions at the Diamond Country Club in Austria where veteran Joe Lyons played a starring role as Ireland landed their first team crown since 2017.
After leading the 36-hole qualifying by a considerable margin of nine stroke, Ireland moved through the knockout stages to tee up a first final since 2019 against France, which they eventually won 3-2 to be crowned champions.
Karl Bornemann & Philip Purdy put the first point on the board for Ireland with their thumping 5 and 4 win over Pascal Grizot and Nicolas Marin.
In the singles, Eddie McCormack was narrowly defeated by one hole to Olivier Dupas, while Jody Fanagan was a 4 and 2 winner against Rodrigo Lacerda Soares. Andrew Morris lost by one hole to Gregorie Brizay to leave matters the anchorman Lyons. The Galway man kept his compsure to seal the overall win with his 2 and 1 success over Albert Galloy.
WINNING COMBINATION
The Ireland Senior Team return to winning ways at Diamond Country Club in Austria (Photo: EGA)
Lyons was also the star man in the qualifying, leading the way with rounds of 78, 66 for a level par aggregate, one ahead of the chasing pack that included Fanagan (75, 70).
In Flight A, Ireland swept past Spain 4–1 in the quarter-finals before defeating Finland 3.5–1.5 in the semi-finals to set up the final against defending champions France.