Golfers retain second place in team event

Andy Borg, Daniel Holland and J.J. Ver Elst Micallef combined perfectly at the Korpa Golf Course to classify second in the men’s team competition and earn the country a silver medal in the sport’s first showing in the GSSE.

Starting the day with a comfortable 13-stroke lead over third-placed Monaco, the Maltese golfers needed only to administer their advantage to retain their lofty position in the leaderboard.

They produced a solid round on the last day of competition yesterday for a combined score of 17 over par.

The Icelandic trio looked were acquainted with the environs and finished clear gold medal winners with an aggregate score of 14 under par as Monaco preserved third spot behind Malta – 29 over par.

In the individual competition, Borg ended his commitments in sixth place on 10 over par and just ahead of his team-mates. Holland was seventh on 18 over par, one stroke better off than Ver Elst Micallef.

Iceland’s Kristjan Einarsson took gold on six under par while Sandro Piaget, of Monaco, was second – two under par. The bronze medal went to Haraldur Magnus. The home golfer parred the competition.

“Coming into this event we always believed we could challenge for a top three placing here. However, the tricky part was actually to do it when under pressure. That makes us really proud to have attained such a result on our first appearance.”

Holland said: “We are really satisfied with this result. It was tough over all four days of competition but this last round was the most difficult.

“I think all three of us played consistently well and we’re just happy to have given the country this silver medal.”