Sverige kom på 10e plats i Lag EM
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Vinnare av det europeiska instruktörsmästerskapet, PGA:s of Europe International Team Championship, blev Wales, som slutade totalt 16 under par efter fyra dagars spel.
Noterbart ur svensk synvinkel är att Claes Bjöklund stod för tävlingens enda HIO.
– En stark svensk insats i hård konkurrens med andra lag som innehåller rutinerade tourspelare. Våra instruktörer är beundransvärda, kommenterade den svenska PGA-chefen Mikael Sorling, som var på plats på tävlingen och för den årliga Europeiska PGA-kongress som pågick samtidigt i Murcia.
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Wales exorcised the disappointment of being beaten in a play-off by Austria two years ago by winning the PGAs of Europe International Team Championship at Roda today
And they did so in style, putting three strokes between themselves and their closest pursuer in the 24-strong field after beginning the fourth and final round sharing pole position with England.
England had led the Glenmuir and Calidona-sponsored tournament at the PGA-branded academy and course in Murcia, Spain, from day one but faltered in the final round.
Their team of Paul Simpson, Jason Robinson and Paul Wesselingh posted two-under-par and had to settle for joint-second place with Switzerland.
The challenge of France, Switzerland, and Italy, who overnight were third, fourth and fifth respectively, also failed to materialise.
Not so the Welsh trio, who with the best two scores counting, carded five-under-par to finish the tournament on 15-under.
Jason Powell, as he had in the second and third rounds, led the way with a three-under-par 69 and Andrew Barnett weighed in two-under.
Barnett’s round included an eagle at the par five tenth as a result of him holing out from a greenside bunker. “That got me going,” said Barnett, who was two-over at the turn. “I made two birdies immediately after that.”
The third member of the trio, captain James Lee, was indebted to his team-mates after carding a two-over par 74.
“They helped me out big time today,” he said. “And although I’m a little disappointed with the way I played, I’m delighted with the win. It makes up for losing in a play-off to Austria two years ago. Andy and I were both in that team and it was bitterly disappointing.
Captaining Wales to victory was a perfect finale to a memorable season for Lee who won the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at Dundonald Links in the summer and represented Great Britain and Ireland in the PGA Cup.
“It had been a great year already and this really tops it off,” he added. “It’s great for Wales and a vote of thanks to our sponsors, Asbri Golf, a Welsh company who supplied us with accessories, and Ryder Cup Wales, who have doen a huge amount for golf in the country.”
Meanwhile, defending champions Ireland were left to rue what might have been after finally getting their game together in the final round. The Irish, who turned the tournament into a procession last year, languished on four-under, 11 strokes off the pace overnight.
But a round of eight-under, courtesy of all three members – David Ryan, Peter Martin and John Kelly – carding rounds of 68, saw them finish joint-fourth with France on 12-under.
Final Scores - Click Here
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PGAs of Europe chairman Sandy Jones told delegates attending the second day of its annual Congress that the organisation’s success had been a key factor in setting up the PGA World Alliance.
The day’s programme at La Serena Golf Resort, Murcia, focussed on ‘Working Together’ and Jones began it by outlining the origins of the recently-formed PGA World Alliance and the reasons for its formation.
“The concept (of the Alliance) goes back 30 years,” he explained. “Back then, though, communications were slow. There were no e-mails and conference calls hadn’t been heard of, so that legislated against the idea.
“However, the formation of the PGAs of Europe in 1990 and it subsequent success served to give the idea fresh impetus and proved a blueprint for the World Alliance.
“Best practice was shared, which resulted in the raising of standards by education, improved coaches and the way players are prepared. Now the best young players in the world are coming from Europe. Everybody involved should be very proud of that. All of which made us ask – why can’t this be done across the world?”
Inspired by the success of the PGAs of Europe, progress towards setting up the World Alliance gained momentum. It was debated and discussed at conferences in Florida and at The Belfry before Great Britain and Ireland, Australia and the USA signed the agreement that established the World Alliamce in 2008.
In addition to sharing best practice worldwide the aim of the Alliance was to protect the PGA brand.
“It’s the strongest brand in golf,” Jones said. “We need to protect it and maintain its status. The Alliance will do that.”
John Yapp, PGAs of Europe company secretary, outlined the steps that will be taken to achieve that objective, including the formation of two companies and the registering of the PGA World Alliance trademark.
“It’s essential to protect a professional’s qualifications,” he said. “Some people are not that ethical and we can’t have them turning up at countries across the world claiming to be a PGA professional when they are not and undermining standards and the system.”
The World Alliance will also involve exchanges of ideas involving education and keep abreast of changes and trends.
Kyle Phillpots, a member of the PGAs of Europe education committee, explained: “Nobody has a monopoly on best practice. Assistants beginning their careers now will retire in 2057. What will things be like then? Things 50 years ago were completely different to what they are now. As they will be in 50 years time. That is why lieflong learning is so important.”
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