The EGA is delighted to announce the first six players selected for the 2025 Continent of Europe St Andrews Trophy Team.

The six selections, to be joined by three final selections following the European Amateur Championship this week, will try to defend the trophy against Great Britain & Ireland, at Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro, Spain, on 24 and 25 July.

Selection to play in the biennial match, for male amateur golfers, which has a storied history dating back as far as 1956, recognises the players’ outstanding achievements in the amateur game.

THE SELECTIONS:

Gunnlaugur Arni Sveinsson (ISL)

Tim Wiedemeyer (GER)

Hugo Le Goff (FRA)

Sergio Jimenez Romero (ESP)

Alfons Bondesson (SWE)

Claes Thrane Borregaard (DEN)

Tim Wiedemeyer will extend his Continent of Europe team selection streak and play in the St Andrews Trophy for the second time next month. The German became the first CoE player to win the Jacques Léglise Trophy three-times, and in doing so became the team’s top scorer in the event, with 9 points from three appearances.

Gunnlaugur Arni Sveinsson is no rookie either as he will have another chance to represent a European team at Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro in July. The Icelandic “Arni” was already part of the 2025 Bonallack Trophy in the UAE in January and wore the European colours with great pride. He also participated in the 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup.

The selection of France’s Hugo Le Goff marks his third appearance on a team representing the Continent of Europe. He was part of two victorious matches, having played in the 2023 & 2024 editions of the Jacques Léglise Trophy. This year, Le Goff had an excellent start to his season which was highlighted by his recent win at the prestigious Lytham Trophy in England. At just 17 years, Le Goff will be the youngest member of the team.

The Spanish flag will be represented on the team through the selection of Sergio Jimenez Romero. As the highest WAGR-ranked player from Spain (105), it will be Sergio’s first appearance on a team representing the Continent of Europe. Originally from Madrid and therefore playing on home soil, Sergio will be a great asset to the team and the captain.

Sweden’s Alfons Bondesson and Denmark’s Claes Thrane Borregaard are the two latest additions to the team. Both players will also have the opportunity to represent the European continent for the very first time. Bondesson and Borregaard have had convincing results in the past few months and are eager to represent the Nordic part of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy.

Three additional players, to be selected after the European Amateur Championship, will be announced at the end of the month.

The team will follow in the footsteps of players such as José María Olazábal, Francesco Molinari, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia, all of whom have previously represented the Continent of Europe in the match.

The event also boasts a strong history of former participants on the GB&I side including Rory McIlroy, Robert Macintyre, Shane Lowry, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and many other big names.

THE 2024 WINNING CAPTAIN RETURNS

The Continent of Europe team will once again be led by non-playing captain, Carlos de Corral (ESP). The Spaniard has represented his country in all age categories, both as a player and more recently as a captain. De Corral has led his country’s teams on multiple occasions, including at the World Amateur Team Championship and at the European Boys’ Team Championship, where he has earned gold and silver medals.

The current sports’ director of the Madrid Golf Federation is a two-time European Mid-Amateur Champion having won the event back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.

De Corral took over the reins last year from former team captain, Yves Hofstetter (SUI), and will have the task of defending the trophy against GB&I after a win at Royal Porthcawl, Wales, in 2024.

REAL CLUB DE LA PUERTA DE HIERRO TO HOST EUROPE’S TOP AMATEURS

Consistently regarded as one of Spain’s most prestigious and exclusive clubs, Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro will serve as an iconic setting for this year’s St Andrews Trophy.

Founded in 1895 and relocated to its current site in Madrid in the early 20th century, the club boasts two courses designed and refined over the decades by renowned architects such as Harry Colt and Tom Simpson. Nestled amid the rolling terrain and mature woodland just outside the Spanish capital, it will be the perfect match play playground for some of the best amateurs in the world.

Steeped in history, Puerta de Hierro has long been a cornerstone of elite amateur golf in Spain, regularly hosting national and international championships. This year’s St Andrews Trophy will mark another proud chapter in the club’s storied legacy as it welcomes the best young talents from across Europe and Great Britain & Ireland. 

ABOUT THE ST ANDREWS TROPHY

The St Andrews Trophy is a biennial match played between nine-player teams of amateur male golfers from the Continent of Europe and Great Britain & Ireland.

The match takes place over two days, with four foursomes matches on both mornings, eight singles matches on the afternoon of the first day, and nine singles matches on the afternoon of the second day. With 25 total points on offer, 13 points are needed to secure victory.

The contest is jointly organised by the European Golf Association and The R&A. The EGA selects the Continent of Europe team, while the GB&I team is chosen by The R&A. Identical matches between the two regions also exist for women (Vagliano Trophy), boys (Jacques Léglise Trophy), and girls (Junior Vagliano Trophy). 

The match was first played in 1956, with this year’s edition being the 35th between the two teams. Despite a general GB&I dominance in the match since its inauguration, the last three editions have seen one win from GB&I and two wins from CoE, who are the tenants of the 2024 title. The 2024 victory was the Continent of Europe's largest ever winning margin in the contest (16-9).

A number of high-profile players have represented both sides in the match, including Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Robert Macintyre, José María Olazábal, Shane Lowry, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and many more.