The St Andrews Trophy match travels to Finland for the first time this week. The match between the best amateur golfers of Great Britain & Ireland and the Continent of Europe, first played in 1956, will be hosted by Linna Golf on 26 and 27 July.
Four foursomes matches will be played in the morning of both days, while eight singles matches are played in the afternoon of the first day and nine singles matches in the afternoon of the second day.
Historically, the biennial match has been dominated by the GB&I side, which has won 25 of the 31 editions. However, the last four matches have been very closely-contested.
The Continent of Europe defeated the GB&I side in 2010 and 2012, but lost in 2014. In the most recent match, both teams finished with 12.5 points, the first tied match in history, meaning GB&I retained the trophy.
The Continent of Europe will be captained for the second successive time by 2017 Swiss Senior Champion, and former St Andrews Trophy player, Yves Hofstetter. The nine players he will captain are:
- Edgar Catherine (FRA)
- Marc Hammer (GER)
- Angel Hidalgo Portillo (ESP)
- Matias Honkala (FIN)
- Frédéric Lacroix (FRA)
- Stefano Mazzoli (ITA)
- Fredrik Nilehn (SWE)
- Lorenzo Filippo Scalise (ITA)
- Sami Valimaki (FIN)
Matias Honkala and Sami Valimaki are on top-form after helping Finland to their first ever European Amateur Team Championship title earlier this month. The Finns defeated an England team that featured six of the nine players selected for the GB&I St Andrews Trophy team, in the final in Germany.
Germany's Marc Hammer is a late substitute, after compatriot, Falko Hanisch, was forced to withdraw from the side due to injury.
You can read more about the Continent of Europe team here. They will face nine players selected by the R&A.
Livescoring from the event (starting Thursday 26 July) can be followed through the link below:
