Euro silver and bronze for England’s seniors

Issued 9th September, 2017 England's senior women won the silver medal at their European team championships in Slovakia while the men won bronze in Sweden. Their successes extend England's impressive haul from this season's European championships. Earlier, Alfie Plant won the European men's amateur championship, while in European team championships the England women won gold, the men won silver and the girls won bronze. In addition the mixed England team and, individually, Lily May Humphreys won gold medals at the U16 European Young Masters. The senior women were top seeds for the match play stages of their European team championship at the Golf Resort Skalica and they eased their way to the final. However, their gold medal campaign ended today when they were beaten 3.5-1.5 by France in a four club, swirling wind. Team captain Debbie Richards commented: "The team played brilliant golf but France just holed a few more putts. Next year…." The England foursomes pairing of Caroline Berry and Lulu Housman continued their invincible performance and won their match 4/3, giving them a perfect score of three wins from three games in the match play. But the French always had the upper hand in the singles and won the three points necessary to take the title by beating Fiona Edmond, Aileen Greenfield and Julie Brown. Jackie Foster's game was declared a half. The senior men, playing at PGA Sweden National, qualified in third place for the match play in their European team championship and reached the semi-finals before bowing out of the hunt for the gold medal. It left them in today's bronze medal play-off against Scotland – last year's champions – and although the match was very close in atrocious weather conditions, they had the edge from the start, going on to win 3.5-1.5. After six holes England had a narrow lead in the foursomes and in three singles and they steadily built on it as the afternoon progressed. Ian Crowther and Alan Mew secured the foursomes 3/1 while vital singles points were won by English senior champion Doug Cameron, who hung on doggedly to win 1up, and Stephen East, who beat his opponent 4/3. Mark Stones' match was declared a half. Team captain Roy Smethurst said: "They were absolutely fantastic, they did really well today when the weather was diabolical." The team also won bronze last year and Smethurst added: "We were threatening to do better but we didn't quite make it this year." Teams Women: Caroline Berry (Bromborough, Cheshire), Julie Brown (Trentham, Staffordshire), Fiona Edmond (Ipswich, Suffolk), Jackie Foster (Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire), Aileen Greenfield (Pyecombe, Sussex), Lulu Housman (Wyke Green, Middlesex). Men: Doug Cameron (Henley, BB&O), Ian Crowther (Royal Lytham & St Annes, Lancashire), Stephen East (Leeds Golf Centre, Yorkshire), Bryan Hughes (Hesketh, Lancashire), Alan Mew (Stoneham, Hampshire), Mark Stones (Boyce Hill, Essex). Click here for full scores