TEAM MALTA AND ANDY BORG FINISH SECOND

14/09/2009

26th HELLENIC INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Malta National Golf Team players, Andy Borg, Chris Bergedahl and JJ Micallef have managed to register an excellent result by placing second in the Nations Cup during the Hellenic Open that was played in Corfu between the 9th and 12th October.

Played over the first 54 holes of the tournament, with the best two individual scores out of three counting on each day, Team Malta registered a total of 452 strokes – 11 strokes behind the first team fielded by the host country and 5 strokes ahead of Slovenia.

The championship also proved to be a personal achievement for Andy Borg who, with 293 (72, 71, 74, 76) strokes over 72 holes play, managed to secure second placing just three shots behind Aaron Leitmannstetter of Germany and three shots ahead of third placed Vangelis Ginis of Greece.

Andy was leading the tournament by three strokes after 33 holes but two bogeys and a par on the next three holes to the German’s birdie, par and eagle resulted in Andy dropping to second place at the end of the second day’s play. The one shot difference was levelled on the first nine holes on the third day of play but the German regained a three-shot lead on the back 9.

The final 18 holes were a roller coaster ride for the top players as the lead was exchanged over with Andy actually levelling and gaining a one shot advantage by the 12th hole of the last day. However this was followed by unfortunate double bogey on the par-four 13th to give Leitmannstetter the advantage that he maintained until the end of play.

The younger Maltese players shared equal fortunes registering 320 strokes and joint 16th place. Chris’ 80, 79, 79 and 82 were played to JJ’s 85, 76, 79 and 82. More importantly, their seventies’ scores in the second and third day of play were vital to the Team Malta placing in the Nations Cup.

With this result, all three players (members at the Royal Malta Golf Club) attained an equitable and historical result for Maltese golf that augurs well for the future.