Ireland third as England win European Nations Cup

Adrien Saddier in action during the European Amateur championship at Carton House last year. Picture by Pat CashmanEngland denied France the European Nations Cup as Ireland finished a creditable third at Sotogrande on Saturday.

Garrick Porteous (69), Toby Tree (71) and Max Orrin (69) combined to shoot eight under - Nathan Kimsey’s 73 was discarded - as the English side came from behind to edge out the French by six shots with an aggregate of 856.

Team results

The French had the consolation of taking the individual title as Adrien Saddier (74) beat Germany’s Maximilian Roehrig (71) with a par at the second extra hole, making up for his semi-final loss to Reeve Whitson in the Spanish Amateur Open at La Manga.

Individual results

Saddier and Roehrig finished three shots clear of the field on five under 283 with Headfort’s Rory McNamara’s closing 68 giving him a share of 10th place on two over 290.

Reeve Whitson’s 69 helped him finish tied for 12th on 291 and give Ireland third place in the team competition as Alan Dunbar weighed in with a closing 73.

The reigning British Amateur champion, who will now head to the US for the Georgia Cup and the Masters at Augusta, ended the week tied for 36th in the individual standings with Dermot McElroy (80) on 12 over par.