Italy (Filippo Ponzano, Michele Ferrero, Giovanni Binaghi, Sebastiano Moro) finished fourth with 664 (+16) shots in the team rankings of the Copa Real Club de Golf Sotogrande European Nations Championship, the prestigious tournament held on the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande course (par 72), in the Spanish city from which the club takes its name, near Cadiz in Spain.
England won with 640 (-8) shots, ahead of Spain (654, +6) and Estonia (655, +7). In fifth place was France (665, +17), in sixth place was Finland (676, +28) and in 13th place was Ireland (691, +43), defending the title.
England, results
In the individual rankings, Estonian Kevin Christopher Jegers dominated, taking the lead in the first round and forcing his opponents into a vain chase. He scored 274 (69 68 70 67, -14) shots, ahead of two Englishmen, Harley Smith, second with 282 (-6) and Daniel Hayes, third with 283 (-5), and the Spaniard Pablo Alperi Lopez, fourth with 285 (-3)
Good performances by Filippo Ponzano, fifth with 290 (70 74 71 75, +2), and Michele Ferrero, tenth with 293 (71 73 75 74, +5), who always remained in the top ten in the four rounds. Further back are Giovanni Binaghi, 24th with 299 (75 79 69 76, +11), and Sebastiano Moro, 57th with 312 (78 82 73 79, +24).
England holds the record for successes with 13 in the 26 editions of the tournament played with the current format. It is followed by Spain (4), Scotland, Wales and Ireland (2), Denmark, France and Germany (1).
The event was born as an individual competition in 1970 (Sherry Cup) of which 28 editions have been held. In 1998 the team competition was introduced and until 2006 the event was called European Nations Cup Sherry Cup, in 2007 European Nations Cup Grey Goose Cup and from 2008 it took its current name. The Italians, who in 2023 came second among the teams where they have never won, have won the individual six times: Alberto Croze made a hat-trick (1971, 1973, 1976) and Francesco Molinari (2004), Nino Bertasio (2010) and Guido Migliozzi (2014) subsequently asserted themselves. The roll of honour includes the names of Irishman Padraig Harrington, Spaniard Sergio Garcia (double) and Northern Irishman, the great Rory McIlroy.
