07 Aug 2023 | Amateur golf |
Aussies play key role in Bonallack Trophy victory
by Golf Australia
Australia’s Jack Buchanan picked up a crucial final day point to help Asia-Pacific to victory over Europe in the Bonallack Trophy at the La Manga Club in Spain at the weekend.
Coming into the 12 singles matches with a solid five-point lead following two days of foursomes and fourball play, Asia-Pacific were in danger of being overrun by the Europeans who won five of the opening six games.
Playing in what turned out to be the pivotal No.9 spot, Buchanan was 3 down on the front nine but came through under pressure to defeat James Ashfield, of Wales, 2&1 as Asia-Pacific went on to claim a 17-15 victory to retain the trophy.
It was one of four points Buchanan claimed for his team with his only loss coming alongside fellow Aussie Harrison Crowe in the Friday foursomes where the Golf Australian High Performance Squad duo lost by one hole to Swedish duo Albert Hansson and Tobias Jonsson.
Playing in the top singles game, Crowe lost by one hole to Norway’s Herman Wibe Senke after being 1 up with two to play, but the Asia-Pacific Amateur champion still finished the three-day event with a 3-2 overall record after teaming up with Buchanan for three straight victories in foursomes and fourball.
In the women’s Patsy Hankins Trophy, Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard was the star for Asia-Pacific with an impressive unbeaten record but her team lost to Europe for the first time since the start of the matches in 2016, with a final score of 19-13.
Hinson-Tolchard, who picked up 4.5 points out of a possible five for the event, defeated world No.3 Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio by one hole in their singles contest, while fellow Aussie Caitlin Pierce lost 4&3 to Francesca Fiorellini to finish the week with 2.5 points.
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