The European Amateur Team Championships get underway this week as Ireland look to strike gold in the Men’s, Ladies, Boys and Girls events.
It’s another big year for Ireland, after last year’s brilliant hosting of the Men’s at Killarney Golf Club, the European Ladies Team Championships head to County Cavan and PGA National Slieve Russell for what is sure to be another superb week.
Ireland will host the European Ladies Team Championships for second time in five years, following Royal County Down in 2021 with a record 22 teams and 132 players competing.
Spain enter the week as defending champions and as the team to beat on paper. They came from behind in last year’s final to claim the title for a second time in three years and return this summer with four of the top-10 players in the European Women’s Amateur Golf Ranking. The team will be led by the highest ranked player in the field, and reigning European Ladies’ Amateur champion, Paula Martín Sampedro.
Ireland boast a strong lineup themselves in two-time Curtis Cup star Beth Coulter who is set to turn professional after the championships with Irish Girls champion Olivia Costello expected to play a big role for the hosts. Oughterard’s Kate Dillon arrives in great form after her win at the East of Ireland Women’s last month while former European Mid-Amateur champion Jessica Ross has shown up well this year as Rebekah Gardner and Katie Poots complete the squad who will be captained by Gillian O’Leary and coached by Donal Scott.
Hopes will be high of a first Irish victory since 2008 in the Men’s Championship as sixteen teams compete at Estonian Golf and Country Club.
Ireland, captained by Damien Coyne and coached by Michael Colins, are unchanged from the team who finished fourth in Killarney last year.
Newly crowned Amateur champion Stuart Grehan leads the team and will be looking to bounce into next week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. He is joined by experienced campaigners Matthew McClean and Caolan Rafferty while youngsters John Doyle, Thomas Higgins and 2025 Amateur Championship runner-up Gavin Tiernan complete the set.
Italy enter the week as defending champions. They dominated the final against Denmark last year to clinch their first title in the men’s category since 1999. Five of the team’s six winning players last year line out for the Italian in their bid for a successful defence.
Ireland’s girls head to Zurich Golf and Country Club and over 600 metres above sea level for the European Girls’ Team Championship.
The girls in green have a strong squad for their week in Switzerland with West of Ireland winner Ella Cantwell the standout name with Hannah Lee-McNamara, Zoe McLean-Tattan, Kayleigh Mulholland, Jessica Reynolds and Emma Vinarcik. They are captained by Brenda Craig and coached by Chris Jelly.
Meanwhile, the boys in green are in Costa Navarino, Greece for the Boys’ Team Championships Division Two which will be played on the International Olympic Academy course.
Although medals and a trophy are awarded to the top teams, the real prize is earning promotion to the European-titled championships for the following year.
Ireland and Finland are among the bigger golfing nations battling in the Boys’ Division 2 this year, alongside six other teams.
Despite being in the second tier, Ireland have plenty of young talent with John William Burke, Adam Fahey, Luke Furlong, John Moran, Harry O’Hara and Isaac Oliver. They are captained by John Carroll and coached by Stephen Hood.
FORMAT
Contested across five days, the events consist of of two days of stroke play qualifying then three days of match play.
Each team, consisting of six players, completes two individual stroke play rounds on Days 1 & 2 with the five best of each team’s six scores counting towards their stroke play qualifying totals each day.
The top eight teams from the stroke play rounds of each championship qualify for the medal-contention ‘Flight A’ match play bracket. The next eight teams will compete in Flight B, and (where applicable) the remaining teams in Flight C.
Nations go head-to-head in match play on the last three days, with two foursomes matches in the morning and five singles matches in the afternoon.
In the match play brackets, teams are seeded based on their qualifying position, (1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc.). Winning teams advance in their brackets, while losing teams, and all those with no chance of winning medals, continue to play a shortened format of one foursomes match and four singles matches against other ‘defeated’ teams to determine final position.
To win the title, a team must qualify for Flight A (top eight in the stroke play qualifying) and then win all three of its matches. Teams finishing second and third are awarded silver and bronze medals.
In the Men’s and Boys’ tournaments, the bottom three teams will be relegated to the Division 2 events for 2027.
IRELAND SQUADS
European Ladies’ Team Championships
Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle)
Olivia Costello (Roscommon)
Kate Dillon (Oughterard)
Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye)
Katie Poots (Knock)
Jess Ross (Clandeboye)
Women’s Captain – Gillian O’Leary (The Island)
Women’s Coach – Donal Scott
European Amateur Team Championships
John Doyle (Fota Island)
Stuart Grehan (Co Louth)
Thomas Higgins (Roscommon)
Matthew McClean (Malone)
Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk)
Gavin Tiernan (Co Louth)
Men’s Captain – Damien Coyne (Tuam)
Men’s Coach – Michael Collins
European Girls’ Team Championships
Ella Cantwell (Esker Hills)
Hannah Lee-McNamara (Royal Portrush)
Zoe McLean-Tattan (Romford)
Kayleigh Mulholland (Royal Portrush)
Jessica Reynolds (Co Sligo)
Emma Vinarcik (Tralee)
Girl’s Captain – Brenda Craig (Roganstown)
Girl’s Coach – Chris Jelly
European Boys’ Team
John William Burke (Ballyhaunis)
Adam Fahey (Portmarnock)
Luke Furlong (Wexford)
John Moran (Portmarnock)
Harry O’Hara (Clandeboye)
Isaac Oliver (Glasson)
U18 Boys Captain – John Carroll (Cork)
U18 Boys Coach – Stephen Hood.
Leave a comment