Another great win for Belfast youngster at Sotogrande

McILROY FINISHES BIRDIE,

BIRDIE TO WIN INDIVIDUAL

TITLE AT NATIONS CUP

Denmark won the inaugural European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) men’s team championship by one stroke from Ireland and England in an exciting finish at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club, Spain today.

But there was an individual sucess for Belfast teenager Rory McIlroy. He hit a nine iron to 6ft and holed the birdie putt at the 72nd hole to tie with Norway's Marius Thorp - winner of the Open championship amateur silver medal at Hoylake last summer - for the individual championship.

Then the confident McIlroy won the first hole of a sudden-death play-off by hitting his approach shot to 3ft and holing the putt for another birdie and another title.

Last summer, Rory (pictured right) won the European individual amateur championship. No wonder he is ranked No 2 in the R&A world rankings. He might even be No 1 by this time next week!

In the team event, the Danes totalled 863 to Ireland and England’s 864.

Wales were sixth on 871 and Scotland finished joint ninth of 16 with a final total of 883.

Scotland’s scorers on the final day were Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) with a two-under-par 70, easily his best of the four days, James Byrne (Banchory) and John Gallagher (Swanston), both with 73s.

James Byrne finished the leading Scot in joint 11th place on 291.

Germany, as expected, ran away with the women’s team championship. Their final total of 644 gave them victory by 13 shots from Spain.

Katharina Schallenberg from Germany, winner of the Spanish women’s open amateur championship a few weeks ago, came from behind over the final round to catch her team-mate Caroline Masson and win the individual women’s title.

Katharina finished with a 69 for 284 – three shots ahead of Caroline who signed off with a 75, her worst score of the four days, for 287.

Kerry Smith (England) was fourth on 292 behind Spain’s third-place Marta Silva Zamora.