Spain shines at the European Nations Championship

Spain has shone brightly in this edition of the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande Cup, European Nations Championship, with a victory in the women’s category and a second place in the men’s category. In addition, at the individual level, Mario Galiano distinguished himself as the best, while Natalia Escuriola has been second in the women’s table.

The Spanish women’s team has achieved victory thanks to the good work of Natalia Escuriola, second in the individual ranking, Luna Sobrón and Silvia Bañón, who finished with 611 strokes in total and two strokes ahead of Germany, in a final round of many emotions in which they were able to overtake the Germans, achieving the fourth victory in seven years.

The Spanish women’s team, two strokes behind the German team at the start of the last round, has achieved this victory thanks to the combined action of all its representatives, with special mention for the 71 strokes of Natalia Escuriola in the last round, which additionally served to place her in second position in the individual ranking with 300 strokes, two more than the most inspired, the Dutch Dewi Weber. Along with Natalia Escuriola, Luna Sobrón and Silvia Bañón played a good role with 78 strokes, finishing eighth and twenty-first in the individual ranking.

For its part, the Spanish men’s team has finished second to a single stroke of England and improves the two seventh places of the last two editions. Mario Galiano, individual champion, Victor Pastor, Ivan Cantero and Xavier Gorospe have fought until the end and have been close to reach the champions.

Special mention must go to Mario Galiano, who has maintained his good playing streak and won the individual victory after carding 72 strokes in the last round, 287 in total and eight ahead of Dutchman Robbie Van West.

Meanwhile, Victor Pastor has signed 74 strokes in the last round, Ivan Cantero 76 and Xavier Gorospe, 78, combined actions that have placed Spain in second position. Javier Sainz has done better individually, sixth, 12 strokes behind the champion.

The first day was marked by strong winds, with gusts of up to 35 km / h, and the good role of Luna Sobrón and Mario Galiano, guides of their respective teams. Spain led the women’s competition thanks, mainly, to the extraordinary performance of the Balearic. The strong wind did not stop the best round of the day, 75 strokes (+3). This result was added to Natalia Escuriola’s 80 (+8) -Silvia Bañón’s card (83, +11)- to take Spain to the provisional lead with +11.

In the men’s competition, the Irish team, led by Gavin Moynihan and Jack Hume, took the lead. With 228 strokes, they were ten strokes ahead of the Spanish team (238), fourth. Mario Galiano (74) defied the wind to sign the best round of the first day. His card, together with those of Víctor Pastor (81) and Iván Cantero (83) resulted in a good group performance.

On the second day the wind was again the main protagonist of the day in the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande Cup that reached the halfway point of the test with Spain settled in the lead in the women’s category, and in third place in the men.

Spain maintained the lead in the women’s category in a day as complicated or more than Wednesday. Spain scored a +13 thanks to Natalia Escuriola’s 75 strokes and Luna Sobrón’s 81. This score allowed Spain to dominate the lead with four strokes ahead of France and five strokes ahead of Germany.

The day was especially favorable for teams that did not benefit so much in the first round, such as Austria (+9), Germany (+10) or the Netherlands (+11). Other teams that were expected to be Spain’s direct rivals, such as Switzerland (+16) or Wales (+18), fared worse.

For their part, the boys climbed up to third place thanks to the 70 strokes of Mario Galiano -leader in the individual classification-, the 73 of Xabier Gorospe and the 75 of Iván Cantero. In total, Spain totaled 456 strokes, a good result that put it squarely in the fight for the title.

England led with 450 impacts thanks to a solid joint action in the classification. Second was a French team (455) more inspired than on the first day at La Reserva de Sotogrande.

Spain faced the last round with options. The women’s team was in second place, two strokes behind Germany, while the men’s team was also second, four strokes behind England.

Among the girls, Natalia Escuriola, Luna Sobrón and Silvia Bañón could not hold on to the lead with rounds of 74, 75 and 79 strokes, but kept very close and in sight of the Germans. The men’s team moved up a step in the ranking thanks to Iván Cantero’s 70, Mario Galiano’s 71 and Xavier Gorospe’s 79, while Víctor Pastor’s 81 did not count.

After two rounds with strong winds, the Spaniards faced the third day with good results. Mario Galiano stood out, who with 71 strokes reinforced his lead in the individual classification, and had a total of 215 and two strokes ahead of the Dutch Robbie Van West, who delivered the best card with 69 strokes. Javier Sainz was ninth with 226 strokes, Ivan Cantero fourteenth with 229, and Daniel Berna ninth with 231.

On the women’s side, Natalia Escuriola signed 74 strokes and was the best Spanish player, second with 229 strokes, four strokes behind the leader, the Dutch Dewi Weber, while Luna Sobrón was seventh with 233 strokes, and Silvia Bañón was twenty-second with 244 strokes.

The Spanish men’s team -which has two consecutive seventh places after two years finishing in third position- has been formed by Mario Galiano from Cadiz, Iván Cantero from Asturias, Xabier Gorospe from San Sebastian -all of them members of the Blume National School- and Víctor Pastor from Cordoba. The captaincy has been for Pablo Fisas, while the technical functions fall to Txomin Hospital.

For its part, the Spanish women’s team, winner of three titles in the last five years (2010, 2011 and 2013), was formed by the Balearic Luna Sobrón -current European Individual champion-, Silvia Bañón from Alicante and Natalia Escuriola from Castellón. María Barreiros captained the team.

Women’s Teams Final Results

1.- SPAIN 611

2.- GERMANY 613

3.- FRANCE 617

Women’s Individual Finals Results

1.- Dewi Weber (HOL)298 (77-73-75-73)

2.-Natalia Escuriola (ESP) 300 (80-75-74-71)

3.-Chole Williams (GAL) 302 (78-81-71-72)

Men’s Team Finals Results

1.- ENGLAND 897

SPAIN 898

3.- FRANCE 902