Lowry sixth as Hutsby wins Sotogrande crown

Shane Lowry finished sixth in the European Nations Championship at Sotogrande as England's Sam Hutsby beat Spain's Carlos Pigem Xammar at the first extra hole of a sudden-death play-off.

Shane LowryDefending the individual title, the Irish number one closed with a 71 to finish eight strokes outside the play-off with a 282 aggregate as Niall Kearney carded a 75 to share eighth place on 285.

Pigem Xammar began his bid for a wire-to-wire victory with a four stroke advantage over Hutsby but could only manage a final round 75 to a 71 by the plus-four handicap English star, who claimed the title at the first extra hole when the Spaniard shanked a pitch.

There was an English double as England won the team title by four strokes from France on 840 with Hutsby well supported by Luke Goddard, Dale Whitnell and Charlie Ford. Spain was third on 849 with Ireland fourth on 855 as Alan Dunbar's closing 70 meant that Cian Curley's 81 was discarded. 

Dunbar and Curley finished tied 46th in the individual title race on 299. In the women's competitions, Italy edged out Spain by a stroke in the Nations Championship as the Netherlands' Marieke Nivard finished two strokes clear of Marion Ricordeau in the individual with an agregate of 290. 

European Nations Championship, Sotogrande

Scoring - Men's individual Men's Team Women's individual Women's Team

Men
274 S Hutsby (Eng) 69 69 65 71, C Pigem Xammar (Sp) 67 65 67 75 (Hutsby won at first extra hole);

279 A Kaleka (Fra) 68 69 71 71;

280 J Lopez Lazaro (Fra) 69 69 69 73; 

281 K Samoos (Fin) 70 70 68 73;

282 Shane Lowry (Ire) 68 71 72 71;

283 M Manassero (Ita) 71 70 67 75;

284 O Serres (Fra) 70 73 70 72; H-P Bacher (Aut) 72 70 71 72; Niall Kearney (Ire) 68 72 70 75; C Ford (Eng) 69 71 69 76; L Goddard (Eng) 68 68 72 77.

Other Irish  299 Alan Dunbar (Ire) 79 75 75 70; Cian Curley (Ire) 74 71 73 81.

Team:  840 England; 844 France; 849 Spain; 855 Ireland; 866 Denmark, Wales; 270 Italy; 873 Sweden; 878 Belgium; 880 Austria; 881 Scotland; 883 Norway; 885 Finland; 889 Holland; 891 Germany; 898 Portugal; 910 Czech Rep.; 915 Slovenia.

Women
290 M Nivard (Ned) 75 72 69 74; 

292 M Ricordeau (Fra) 72 72 75 73;

294 D Nielsen (Den) 71 75 76 72; A Zwanck Saez (Sp) 73 74 71 76.

Team: 586 Italy; 587 Spain; 588 France; 592 Holland; 599 Denmark: 600 Belgium; 601 Germany; 602 Sweden; 608 Czech Rep.; 613 Finland; 615 Wales.