Ireland Win European Men’s Mid-Amateur
Ireland have won the European Mid-Amateur Men’s Team Championship at Golfclub Föhrenwald in Austria.
This is Ireland’s third team win in the last two months, having already won the European Amateur Team Championships in Estonia and the R&A Men’s & Women’s Home Internationals at Woodbrook.
Defending champions and two-time winners Spain struggled in stroke play qualifying, failing to reach Flight A and opening the door for a new name on the trophy. Ireland set the pace as the team to beat, posting an impressive 23-under-par total from six counting rounds over two days.
Austria, led by golf club member and 2024 European Mid-Amateur Champion Markus Habeler, along with the Netherlands and Finland, completed the top four to contest the medals on Friday and Saturday.
Ireland proved too strong for Finland in the semi-finals, winning both morning foursomes before clinching the deciding point on the 16th in the afternoon. The hosts won the other semi-final, edging the Netherlands 3-2.
Damien Coyne’s side, who had to beat host nation Estonia to win the European Amateur Team Championship, now had another host nation to defeat for victory.
Keith Egan (Carton House) and Gerard Dunne (Co. Louth) paved the way with a 3&2 win in the morning foursomes. David Howard (Fota Island) and David Kitt (Athenry) lost out in the other match.
But Egan claimed a resounding 5&4 win in the afternoon, and that put Ireland in the ascendancy once again. Dunne missed out in his match, but crucially Howard secured the winning point with a 2&1 success.
“Delighted with the win, really good performance from the lads all day,” said Irish captain Damien Coyne. “Did well to get out of the foursomes one each in the final, two really strong matches. To win one on 16, Keith and Gerard played really well. Keith followed it on in the afternoon, winning on the 14th hole. Really strong performance against a good player. And an excellent performance from David Howard against a really good player as well, to get it over the line to win the match for us.”
Photo: Irish Team at European Mid-Amateur Team Championship. (Photo: EGA).
Final scoring here.