Cover photo: DGV/ Stebl
The 2021 European Team Championships are underway at five different venues across Europe.
474 golfers representing 30 countries and 79 different teams are competing for six different titles.
The first of two rounds of stroke play qualifying has been completed.
Tee times, livescoring, and updates can be followed from every event throughout the week on the links below:
European Amateur Team Championship
PGA Catalunya, SpainFrance have taken the lead at PGA Catalunya Resort. With five counting scores of level-par or better, the French men's team posted a Round 1 total of 12-under-par.
The Netherlands, who are looking for their first European Amateur Team Championship title this week, are six shots behind on -6. Defending champions, Germany, and 2019 champions, Sweden, are one shot further back on -5.
It's still all to play for in the race for the top-eight with just five strokes seperating fifth to eighth positions.
Six players are tied for the lowest score of the day. Belgian players, Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Jean de Wouters d'Oplinter both shot rounds of 66 (-5) to put Belgium in fifth position on -3. Clément Charmasson (FRA) and Pontus Nyholm (SWE) both also signed for the same score.
2019 and 2020 European Amateur Champion, Matthias Schmid carded a 70 (-1) on day one, while the reigning European Amateur Champion, Christoffer Bring, signed for a two-under-par 69.
Germany enter the week as defending champions, having claimed the title for the first time ever at Hilversumsche Golf Club last year. Matthias Schmid, the 2019 and 2020 European Amateur Champion, will look to help Germany for back-to-back victories.
European Ladies' Team Championship
Royal County Down, Northern IrelandScotland's Hannah Darling was the star of Day 1 at the European Ladies' Team Championship. A round of 68 (-5) at Royal County Down was two shots lower than any other player in the 114-strong field. "I did quite a lot of things well out there today" said Darling after her round. "The conditions were tough and the course is quite demanding in places so I just had to be sensible."
Darling's round helped Scotland into 2nd position in the stroke play qualifying, setting the team up with an excellent chance of qualifying for Flight A.
© Golffile | David Lloyd
Team Sweden, looking for a fourth straight victory in the event, currently find themselves in fifth position on +13. The team is under-practiced on the course compared to the rest of the field however, their golf clubs got stuck at Amsterdam airport during their trip to Northern Ireland, costing them valuable practice time.
The Czech Republic are currently sitting in first place. Five scores lower than 75 (+2) put the team on a total +1, eight shots clear of Scotland. Denmark and England, both with totals of +10, are in third and fourth positions respectively.
European Boys' Team Championship
Fureso Golfklub, DenmarkGermany have taken the lead of the stroke play qualifying at the European Boys' Team Championship in Denmark. The 2019 runners-up posted a -12 total on day one, eight shots lower than their closest rivals.
The Czech Republic (-4) and Italy (-3) were the only two other teams to finish the day under-par.
The lowest round, and the shot of the day both went to Italy's Flavio Michetti. The Italian player holed out for an ace on the par-three 2nd hole on his way to a round of 66 (-6).
European Girls' Team Championship
Montado Golf Resort, PortugalTeam Spain impressed on day one at Montado Golf Resort. Under good weather conditions, Julia López was the star of the day having played the lowest score of 66 (-6). Her round included 7 birdies, 3 of which came on holes 7, 8 and 9.
The second best score on the leaderboard was also accomplished by a Spanish player. Cayetena Fernandez, making a strong finish with three consecutive birdies on the last three holes, finished with a total 67 (-5).
© FPG/ Octavio Passos
French players also stood out during this first round with solid scores of 68 (-4) for both Lilas Pinthier and Constance Fouillet, helping their team into the early lead on 14-under-par.
The host nation, Portugal, are in sixth position on +11.
European Amateur & Boys' Team Championships, Division 2
Estonian G&CC, EstoniaTwo events will be held at Estonian Golf & Country Club this year, host of the 2016 European Amateur Championship. The European Amateur Team Championship, Division 2 and European Boys’ Team Championship, Division 2 will both take place from 7 to 10 July at the venue.
The three top teams from both events, which feature two days of stroke play and two of match play, will secure promotion to the Division 1 championships for 2022.
The Opening Ceremony took place on Tuesday evening.
How do the European Team Championships Work?
Each team is made up of six players. Over Day’s 1 & 2 all players complete two individual stroke play rounds. The team’s five best scores out of the six from each day count towards their stroke play qualifying totals.
Based on finishing position in the stroke play qualifying, the top eight teams from each championship qualify for the medal-contention Flight A bracket.
The format for the three remaining competition days is match play. Nations go head-to-head, with two foursomes matches in the morning and five singles matches in the afternoon.
In the match play brackets, teams are seeded based on their qualifying position, (1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc.). Winning teams advance in their brackets, while losing teams play against other defeated nations to determine final position.
To win the title, a team must qualify for Flight A and then win all three of its matches. Teams placed second and third are awarded silver and bronze medals.
In the men’s and boys’ tournaments, three teams are normally relegated to the Division 2 championships. However, due to the current Covid-19 situation, no teams will be relegated this year.