Staff WriterThe England Senior Women are back on top of European golf after storming to victory at the European Senior Ladies’ Team Championship at Pula Golf Resort in Spain. And they didn’t just win—it was the sort of performance that makes you wonder if they’d slipped something in the sangria.
After two days of stroke play, England quietly parked themselves in third place, with Kerry Smith, Sarah Naden, and Sally Shayler all elbowing their way into the top 14. In fact, every one of the six English players finished inside the top 31 out of 120 competitors.
That’s not just consistency—it’s the golfing equivalent of turning up at a wedding buffet and finding out every single dish is actually edible.
Their reward? A quarter-final clash against hosts Spain, who were promptly thumped 4-1.
The reigning champions France were next in line, and England dispatched them 3.5-1.5 with the casual menace of a side that looked like it had no intention of leaving without the silverware.
By Saturday, the final against Sweden was more coronation than contest: a 4-1 win and the gold medal was coming home.
Partnerships That Packed a Punch
Cath Rawthore and Tracey Williamson were the pair nobody wanted to see on the tee sheet. Together, they marched through the week like a pair of golfing Valkyries, winning all three of their foursomes matches.
In singles, Smith and Shayler were untouchable, each emerging unbeaten from their three contests.
Points rained in from all corners. Naden, Julia Brook, and Shayler all notched two points from three, while Smith topped it off with 2.5 out of 3. This was no one-woman show—it was a masterclass in teamwork.
The Captain’s Verdict
Team Captain Angela Jones was full of praise: “Pula Golf Club was a wonderful place to hold the championship. It’s a great match play course and was presented in super condition this week.
“I knew I was bringing a good team and now I know how good they really are. Winning at the European level is the summit of senior women’s team golf and they smashed it. It is truly the best team that I’ve had the privilege to be part of.”
Hard to argue with that. When your captain says you’ve “smashed it,” it’s safe to assume you’ve left a few broken spirits behind on the fairways.
A Tougher Tale for the Men
Over in Austria at the European Senior Men’s Team Championship, it was a different story. England battled gamely at Diamond Country Club but went down 3-2 in every one of their match play contests, despite finishing fourth in the stroke play stages. A noble effort, but no cigar.
For now, though, it’s the England Senior Women who have written themselves into the history books once more—gold medals gleaming, spirits soaring, and opponents still wondering what exactly just hit them.
