JUNIOR VAGLIANO TROPHY
 Individual records

 CONTINENT OF EUROPE
4pt Isabella Hopfer (Austria)               W W W W
4pt Amanda Linner (Sweden)              W W W W
3.5 Caterina Don (Italy)                        W D W W
3.5 Alessia Nobilio (Italy)                     D W W W

3.0 Blanca Fernandez
                      Garcia-Poggio (Spain)    W W W L
2.5 Emilie Alba Paltrinieri (Italy)         D  L W W



GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND
2.5 Lily May Humphreys (England)     D W L W
0.5 Euphemie Rhodes (England)           D L L L
0.5 Caitlin Whitehead (England)           L D L L
0.0 Sarah Byrne (Ireland)                       L L L L
0.0 Ffion Tynan (Wales)                        L L L L
0.0 Carys Worby (Wales)                       L L L L

  Snow-covered Alps backdrop to Vagliano 


Trophy match in Italy

The snow-covered Alps provided a picturesque backdrop at Bogogno Golf Club, northwest of Milan for the 2017 Vagliano Trophy match. Switzerland is on the other side of these imposing mountains.

Bogogno Golf Club, an excellent, spacious clubhouse and restaurant

Wild life abounds at the Bogogno Golf Resort. There is a lot of water on and around the course, perfect for the families of otters. Above picture was taken by Susan Simpson of the R and A/LGU.

Editor: I saw an egret taking flight from one of the pools but unfortunately did not have my camera with me on that occasion. The wildlife downside at Bogogno ... invisible mosquitoes

that left you with very itchy bits all over the next morning. But some of the bites can be really bad. The aforementioned Susan Simpson tells me that she has had to have hospital treatment,

She arrived at Bogogno several days before anyone else so she was exposed for a longer time to mosquito bites.

2017 Vagliano Trophy: Individual records

Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency


CONTINENT OF EUROPE


3.5pt Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland)  DWWW
3.0pt Morgane Metraux (Switzerland)   WWWL
2.5pt Virginia Elena Carta (Italy)           DLWW
2.5pt Julia Engstrom (Sweden)                DLWW
2.5pt Linnea Strom (Sweden)                   DWWL
2.5pt Puk Lyng Thomsen (Denmark)      LDWW
2.5pt Dewi Weber (Netherlands)              LDWW
2.0pt Matilda Castren (Finland)               WLWL

                                       Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency


GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND


2.5pt Olivia Mehaffey (Ireland)                DWLW
2.0pt India Clyburn (England)                 WLLW
2.0pt Alice Hewson (England)                  WWLL
2.0pt Sophie Lamb (England)                   DDLW
1.0pt Maria Dunne (Ireland)                     LWLL
1.0pt Leona Maguire (Ireland)                  DDLL
0.5pt Gemma Clews (England)                  DLLL
0.0pt Annabel Wilson (Ireland)                 LLLL


+Tomorrow: the Junior Vagliano Trophy individual records

What they had to say after Team Europe's 15-9 Vagliano Trophy win

               Anna Roscio with the Vagliano Trophy and team

                         Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

ANNA ROSCIO
(Continent of Europe captain)

"We played very well, probably better on the Second Day than on the first. Winning the foursomes 4-0 today was a terrific boost. I knew we would not be beaten after that.

"But, to be fair, this was a very good GB and I team who deserved to finish closer than 6pt behind us.

"I never played in a WINNING Team Europe in the Vagliano Trophy so this is a great feeling for me to make it as the captain."

 

ELAINE FARQUHARSON-BLACK

(GB and I captain)

"We are all disappointed in the GB and I camp because we know we have the potential to play better than we did on the second day. We peaked too early, on the first day and for some reason we were not firing on all cylinders on the second day. We just could not get up any momentum.

"I have to say the golf overall was of a very high standard, higher than I can remember in the winning Vagliano Trophy teams in which I played.

"There were a lot of birdies and we had our fair share of them but not enough of them to turn the tide our way on the final day."

 

CLAIRE COUGHLAN-RYAN

(GB and I Junior Vagliano captain)

"I'm very disappointed that we were well beaten by the Europeans but, at the same time, I am very proud of the way our girls fought to the finish.

"It's a great experience for Under-16s to play at this level and they will be all the better for it."

 

LEONA MAGUIRE

World No 1 female amateur who did not

win any of her four matches.

"I didn't play as well as I did in winning the British championship. I think that took a lot out of me. I am really tired after that championship and then this, four rounds over two days."

 

OLIVIA MEHAFFEY

GB and I's world No 13 ranked player

"It really is tougher to beat the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy than it is to beat the Americans in the Curtis Cup, as we did at Dunlaoghaire last year.

"Team Europe had strength in depth and had all their top players on song."

Continent retain Vagliano Trophy by 15-9 margin which did not reflect how well GB and I played

COLIN FARQUHARSON REPORTS
FROM BOGOGNO GC, ITALY


The Continent of Europe have won the Vagliano Trophy biennial women's amateur international match for the sixth year in a row.
They shrugged off the challenge of Great Britain and Ireland, who started the final day level at 6-6, to make a 4-0 clean sweep of the Saturday foursomes and followed that up by taking the final set of singles 5-3.
All of that added up to a 15-9 victory for captain Anna Roscio, winning in her home country at the Bogogno Golf Club, northwest of Milan.
GB and I team captain, Elaine Farquharson-Black, an Aberdeen planning solicitor, said:
"There can't be many events where a team makes 91 birdies over 2 days and finishes runners up. What a fantastic display of golf GB and I put on. We fought hard after a tough morning today, and with 5 of the 8 singles matches going up 18, the final score line of 15-9 does not tell the whole story. Well played, team!"Even rival skipper Roscio agreed that GB and I deserved better than to be beaten by 6pt. It didn't reflect the overall closeness of the match. GB and I, who have not won the biennial match since 2005, were at their best on Friday when they gave as good as they got.
Golf is a funny game but the GB and I camp is not laughing. For some reason their high hopes of winning the prestigious trophy for the first time since 2005 never got off the ground.
To lose the foursomes 4-0 was the killer blow from which Elaine Farquharson-Black's team never recovered.
There were individual wins today by Olivia Mehaffey (1 hole against Matilda Castren), Sophie Lamb (3 and 2 over Linnea Strom) and a grandstand finish by Indian Clyburn who won the 18th for a one-hole win over Morgane Metraux, a victory that smashed the Swiss player's  100 per cent winning record through the first three sessions of play.
An indication of the high standard of play came from Mehaffey, who is ranked No 13 in the world:
"I was seven under par in my first singles match and five under par in my second singles ... and only just managed to be the winner by one hole in both," said Olivia, from the Royal Co Down Ladies Golf Club.
+The 2019 Vagliano Trophy and Junior Vagliano Trophy matches will be hosted by Royal St George's Golf Club, Kent.

FINAL RESULTS

CONTINENT OF EUROPE  OUTCLASS GB AND I IN JUNIOR VAGLIANO

 

The Continent of Europe team, pictured above, outclassed Great Britain and Ireland in the six-a-side Junior Vagliano Trophy match for Under-16s.

The Continentals ran out overall winners by a 15-3 margin (7-2 on Day 1, 8-1 today), equalling their victorious scoreline at Royal Porthcawl in 2011.

They had the match won within three sessions of play, i.e. leading 10-2 after the Day 2 foursomes.

Claire Coughlan-Ryan captained GB and I when they lost by only 3pt two years at Malone Golf Club, Belfast and she led the team again this weekend but it has to be said that the Continentals were much the better team, seemingly more mature at 16 than their opposite numbers.

 

Amanda Linner (Sweden) and Isabella Holpfer (Austria) both won four out of four wins over the two days.

 

 

 

JUNIOR VAGLIANO TROPHY

GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND 3,

CONTINENT OF EUROPE 15

 

DAY 1 SCORE: GB and I  2, CONTINENT OF EUROPE 7

 

DAY 2 SCORE: GB and I 1, CONTINENT OF EUROPE 8

FOURSOMES (0-3)
Sarah Byrne (Ireland) and Carys Worby (Wales) lost to Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Spain) and Caterina Don (Italy) 2 and 1.
FfionTynan (Wales) and Caitlin Whitehead (England) lost to Emilie Alba Paltrinieri (Italy) and Alessia Nobilio (Italy) 5 and 3.
Euphemie Rhodes (England) and Lily May Humphreys (England) lost to Amanda Linner (Sweden) and Isabella Holpfer (Austria) 3 and 2.

 

SINGLES (1-5)
Humphreys bt Garcia-Poggio 2 and 1.
Rhodes lost to Nobilio 5 and 4.
Worby lost to Paltrinieri 2 and 1.
Tynan lost to Don 9 and 7.
Byrne lost to Linner 4 and 3.
Whitehead lost to Holpfer 1 hole.

Vagliano Trophy play restarts after 45min suspension

Play suspended at 3.15pm local time in the Vagliano Trophy and Junior Vagliano Trophy matches at Bogogno Golf Club, northwest of Milan in Italy.

Rain, thunder rumbling, lightning flashing ... by no means for the first time in the past six days or so.

Later news: Play restarted at 4pm local time

LIVE SCORING

Vagliano Trophy report and results

Saturday morning clean sweep by Team Europe but GB and I not ready to throw in the towel

Still smiling, Helen Hewlett (second left) and Elaine Farquharson-Black (fifth left) with the GB and I team at Bogogno GC, near Milan, Italy.

COLIN FARQUHARSON

reporting from Italy 

It all went pear-shaped for Great Britain and Ireland in the Day 2 foursomes of the Vagliano Trophy women's amateur international match at Bogogno Golf Club, near Milan, Italy.

Giving as good as they got in the opening day 6-6 scoreline, GB and I's hopes of scoring a first win in the biennial match since 2005 were given a severe knock when Team Europe won all four Saturday morning foursomes to go into the final set of eight singles with a 10-6 lead.

But the GB and I leadership are certainly not ready to throw in the towel.

Said team captain Elaine Farquharson-Black:

"Yes, of course, we are disappointed that we did not play nearly as well as we did on the first day. But give Team Europe their due. They did play well, very well in fact.

"We may have lost this morning's 'battle,' but we have not lost the 'war' yet. Four points are a lot to make up over eight singles but it's been done before and it can be done again.

"Our players are ready to go out there and show what they can do when the chips are down."

Said Team Manager Helen Hewlett, who beat Elaine in the British women's open amateur championship final at Hoylake in the early 1990s:

"We have to believe we can still win it. And I think that if we get the momentum going in the singles, it is not impossible for us to make up the leeway this afternoon."

Alice Hewson lost her 100 per cent winning record over the first day when she and India Clyburn lost by two holes to Dewi Weber and Puk Lyng Thomsen. All square after 15, the Team Europe pair won the 17th and the 18th for the match.

Gemma Clews and Sophie Lamb went down by 4 and 3 to Virginia Elena Carta and Albane Valenzuela after being all square through the turn. The Continentals gained the edge with successes at the 10th, 13th and 14th for a three-hole lead.

Clews and Lamb were three over par for the holes played.

Leona Maguire and Olivia Mehaffey, GB and I's top world ranked players, got off to a bad start, slipping three down after five holes and they could not recover against Mathilda Castren and Morgane Metraux who won by 3 and 2.

It was a first defeat of the tournament for both Leona and Olivia.

Team Europe's biggest win of the morning came from the Swedish pairing of Linnea Strom and Julia Engstrom who beat Maria Dunne and Annabel Wilson by 6 and 4 after being three up at the ninth, and added to that with successes at the 10th, 13th and 16th.
The Under-16s Junior Vagliano Trophy has been retained by the Continent after only three sessions of play. Leading 7-2 overnight, Team Europe took the foursomes 3-0 to establish an unassailable lead of 10-2 with only six singles to come in the afternoon




VAGLIANO TROPHY
OVERALL SCORE: GB and I 6, TEAM EUROPE 10
DAY 1 SCORE: GB and I 6, TEAM EUROPE 6
DAY 2 SCORE GB and I 0, TEAM EUROPE 4
FOURSOMES (0-4)
GB and I names first
Alice Hewson (England) and India Clyburn (England) lost to Dewi Weber (Netherlands) and Puk Lyng Thomsen (Denmark) 2 holes.
Gemma Clews (England) and Sophie Lamb (England) lost to Virginia Elena Carta and Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland) 4 and 3.
Leona Maguire (Ireland) and Olivia Mehaffey (Ireland) lost to Matilda Castren (Finland) and Morgane Metraux (Switzerland) 3 and 2.
Maria Dunne (Ireland) and Annabel Wilson (Ireland) lost to Linnea Strom (Sweden) and Julia Engstrom (Sweden) 6 and 4

JUNIOR VAGLIANO TROPHY
OVERALL SCORE: GB and I  2, TEAM EUROPE 10
DAY 1 SCORE: GB and I 2, TEAM EUROPE 7
DAY 2 SCORE: GB and I  0, TEAM EUROPE 3
FOURSOMES (0-3)
Sara Byrne (Ireland) and Carys Worby (Wales) lost to Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Spain) 2 and 1.
FfionTynan (Wales) and Caitlin Whitehead (England) lost to Emilie Alba Paltrinieri (Italy) and Alessia Nobilio (Italy) 5 and 3.
Euphemie Rhodes (England) and Lily May Humphreys (England) lost to Amanda Linner (Sweden( and Isabella Holpfer (Austria) 3 and 2.

ENDS

Team Europe take an unassailable 10-2 lead


in Junior Vagliano match

      The Continent of Europe's Junior Vagliano Trophy team.


FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON
at Bogogno Golf Club, nr Milan, Italy


Team Europe have retained the Under-16s' Junior Vagliano Trophy before they even play the final afternoon session of six singles.
This morning, on another glorious day of sunshine, Great Britain and Ireland's young team lost all three foursomes. Coupled with Team Europe's 7-2 lead from the first day, that meant that the Continentals had extended their lead to 10-2, an eight-point lead which it will be impossible for Claire Coughlan-Ryan's team to make up.
GB and I's lead-off pair of Sara Byrne and Carys Worby lost by 2 and 1 to Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggo and Caterina Don by 2 and 1 after having the better of the outward half exchanges to be one up at the turn. Team Europe won holes 10 and 11 to take the lead and went two up after 14, a lead they maintained to the finish.
Ffion Tynan and Caitlin Whitehead lost by 5 and 3 to the all-Italian pairing of former British girls champion Emilie Alba Paltrinieri and Alessia Nobilio after being one down at the turn.
Euphemie Rhodes and Lily May Humphries went down by 3 and 2 to Amanda Linner and Isabella Holpfer by 3 and 2. Team Europe were two up after only three holes and had extended that lead to five holes after seven. The GB and I pair played much better after the turn and cut their deficit to two holes after 15 ... but lost the 16th hole for the match. 




Bogogno Golf Club, Italy.


JUNIOR VAGLIANO (Under-16s)

GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND v TEAM EUROPE
DAY 2 FOURSOMES (0-3)


Sara Byrne (Ireland) and  Carys Worby (Wales) lost to Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Spain) and Caterina Don (Italy) 2 and 1.

Ffion Tynan (Wales) and Caitlin Whitehead (England) lost to Emilie Alba Paltrinieri (Italy) and Alessia Noblio (Italy) 5 and 3.





Euphemie Rhodes (England) and Lily May Humphreys (England) lost to Amanda Linner (Sweden) and Isabella Holpfer (Austria) 3 and 2.


OVERALL SCORELINE NOW GB and I  2, TEAM EUROPE 10

  Another picture of the Team Europe Junior Vagliano sextet



VAGLIANO

08.30 Alice Hewson (England) and India Clyburn (England) v Dewi Weber (Netherlands) and Puk Lyng Thomsen (Denmark).




TEAM EUROPE ONE UP AFTER 17 HOLES.


08.40 Gemma Clews (England) and Sophie Lamb (England) v Virginia Elena Carta (Italy) and Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland)


TEAM EUROPE 3 UP AFTER 14 HOLES


08.50 Leona Maguire (Ireland) and Olivia Mehaffey (Ireland) v Matilda Castren (Finland) and Morgane Metraux (Switzerland).


TEAM EUROPE 3 UP AFTER 14 HOLES.

Maria Dunne (Ireland) and Annabel Wilson (Ireland) lost to Linnea Strom (Sweden) and Julia Engstrom (Sweden) 6 and 4





Singles from 1pm 

Vagliano Trophy match at Bogogno Golf Club, Italy

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND LEVEL WITH


CONTINENT OF EUROPE AFTER FIRST DAY

COLIN FARQUHARSON REPORTS
FROM ITALY
Great Britain and Ireland are level with the Continent of Europe after the first day of the Vagliano Trophy in Italy.

GB and I, who have not won the biennial competition since 2005, go into the second and final day at Bogogno Golf Club, tied on six points each with the Continent of Europe, who are bidding for six wins in a row. The morning foursomes were shared 2-2 and the singles 4-4.

GB and I’s Leona Maguire, number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking^TM, recent winner of the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship and Curtis Cup player, had to be content with two halved matches, first in the foursomes in partnership with WAGR^TM No.13 Olivia Mehaffey, and then in her singles tie against Dewi Weber.

Maguire was three down in the initial stages but chipped away at her deficit, capping her fightback by squaring the match at the 17th and halving the last.

Star performer for GB and I was another Curtis Cup player, Alice Hewson, who was five-under-par in foursomes partnership with India Clyburn and three-under-par in registering a 3 and 2 singles win over Matilda Castren from Finland.

Long-hitting Hewson was behind in the early stages but got her nose in front by the turn and stayed in the driving seat to go three up after the 15th.

Olivia Mehaffey defeated last year's youngest ever Ladies’ British Open Amateur Champion Julia Engstrom, now 16, by one hole. Mehaffey was two up after the 10th but had to dig her heels in to hold the talented youngster at bay. Engstrom squared the match by winning the 17th but Mehaffey kept calm to win the 18th for the match.
The Royal Co Down Ladies member was round in a bogey-free 65.

Despite recording five birdies, Gemma Clews lost by 3 and 2 to a brilliant performance by WAGR^TM No.3, Albane Valenzuela, who had an eagle and seven birdies and was two up at the turn.

Following defeats for India Clyburn (3 and 1 by Morgane Metraux), and Annabel Wilson (3 and 2 by Linnea Strom (Sweden), The Continent of Europe led 5½-4½ with two matches to finish.
Sophie Lamb, last year's British Women's Stroke Play Champion, halved with Puk Lyng Thomsen, who won the 14th and 15th to square the contest. The 17th was halved in birdie threes and the honours were shared after a half at the last.

With the score at 6-5 in favour of the Continent of Europe, it was left to the oldest member of the GB and I team Maria Dunne, to bring match to all square.

Up against WAGR^TM No.18 Virginia Elena Carta, Dunne played well to lead the match almost from the start. Two up after eight, Dunne went three ahead after the 12th hole. Although her lead was cut back, the former Curtis Cup player was never under severe pressure and ran out a 2 and 1 winner to level the overall score at 6-6.
In the Junior Vagliano Trophy, the Under-16s version of the competition, the Continent of Europe took the foursomes 2½-½ and the singles 4½-2½, to lead GB and I 7–2 at the halfway stage of the six-a-side match.

Lily May Humphreys was the only GB and I singles winner, defeating former British girls champion Emilie Alba Paltrinieri by 3 and 1 after being three up at the 10th.

GB and I’s Caitlin Whitehead, a late call-in to the team for Italy, fought back from two down after three to battle her way to a square match with Caterina Don.

Full results in both the Vagliano Trophy and the Junior Vagliano Trophy are available at Randa.org.

Key Quotes

Elaine Farquharson-Black

“I am happy with the outcome of the first day. It really was a roller-coaster of a day in which we were behind at one stage, got on level terms, fell behind again but our tailed wagged to share the singles.

"I thought the general standard of play in the afternoon was very high, on both sides. There were a lot of putts holed. We came from behind at Malone Golf Club two years ago and got to within one point of catching Team Europe over the final singles. So 6-6 represents a much more promising scenario for GB and I. I am really looking forward to it.


OLIVIA MEHAFFEY ROUND IN SEVEN-BIRDIE 65


As befits a planning lawyer, Elaine Farquharson Black keeps notes aboutverything. With the help of her sons Nicholas and Michael marking cards of players' hole-by-hole scores, she knew exactly how her team members had played on Day 1
Captain Elaine added:

"Just done our stats and we made 50 birdies over the first day, 35 of the in the singles which is pretty impressive. Olivia Mehaffey (pictured right) had seven  birdies and no bogeys, shooting 65.

"Four other players all made five birdies each. We only had 12 bogeys in the eight matches, so it was high-class golf from both teams."

DAY ONE SINGLES

Leona Maguire halved with Dewi Weber

Alice Hewson bt Mathilda Castren 3 and 2

India Clyburn lost to Morgane Metraux 3 and 1

Olivia Mehaffey bt Julia Engstrom 1 hole.

Annabel Wilson lost to Linnea Strom 3 and 2.

Gemma Clews lost to Albane Valenzuela 3 and 2.

Sophie Lamb halved with Puk Lyng Thomsen

Maria Dunne bt Virginia Elena Carta 2 and 1.


Overall Day 1 score at end of Friday's play


GB and 6, Continent of Europe 6

All set for the Vagliano Trophy match at Bogogno GC, Italy

Best female amateurs in Great Britain and Ireland

Team captain Elaine Farquharson-Black, centre front row,  with GB and I squad for the 2017 Vagliano Trophy match against Team Europe at Bogogno Golf Club, northwest of Milan, Italy.
Back row (left to right): Leona Maguire, India Clyburn, Helen Hewlett (team manager), Sophie Lamb, Alice Hewson. Front row (l to r): Olivia Mehaffey,  Maria Dunne, Elaine Farquharson-Black, Gemma Clews, Annabel Wilson.  Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Team captain Claire Coughlan-Ryan, centre front row, with the GB and I squad of six for the Under-16s' Junior Vagliano Trophy match against Team Europe's youngsters. Back row (left to right): Ffion Tynan, Caitlin Whitehead, Lily May Humphreys, Carys Worby.  Front: Euphemie Rhodes, Claire Coughlan-Ryan, Sarah Byrne. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

The foursomes line-ups for the opening morning at Bogogno Golf Club are:

VAGLIANO TROPHY

GB and I names first

08.00 Leona Maguire (Ireland) and Olivia Mehaffey (Ireland) v Linnea Strom (Sweden) and Julie Engstrom (Sweden).Sa

08.10 Maria Dunne (Ireland) and Annabel Wilson (Ireland) v Matilda Castren (Finland) and Morgane Metraux (Switzerland).

08.20 Alice Hewson (England) and India Clyburn (England) v Puk Lyng Thomsen (Denmark) and Dewi Weber (Netherlands).

08.30 Gemma Clews (England) and Sophie Lamb (England) v Virginia Elena Carta (Italy) v Albane Venezuela (Switzerland).

JUNIOR VAGLIANO TROPHY

GB and I names first

08.40 Euphemie Rhodes (England) and Lily May Humphreys (England) v Emilie Alba Paltrinieri (Italy) and Alessia Nobilio (Italy).

08.50 Ffion Tynan (England) and Caitlin Whitehead (England) v Bianca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Spain).

09.00 Sara Byrne (Ireland) and Carys Worby (England) v Isabella Holpfer (Austria) and Amanda Linner (Sweden).

+There will be eight afternoon singles in the Vagliano Trophy and six afternoon singles in the Junior Vagliano Trophy. The second-day schedule will be exactly the same as Friday's programme.

Great Britain and Ireland have not won the biennial Vagliano Trophy match since 2005. Which means that Team Europe are bidding for a sixth win in a row.

COLIN FARQUHARSON REPORTS FROM ITALY
Olivia Mehaffey (left) and Leona Maguire pose above for the Cal Carson Golf Agency cameraman before today's final practice round prior to the start of the two-day Vagliano Trophy match between GB and Ireland versus the Continent of Europe to be played at the magnificent B.
ogogno Golf Club, a two-course golf resort 30 odd miles northwest of Milan.
Olivia (Royal Co Down Ladies) and Leona (Slieve Russell) hail from different sides of the Irish Border but they have a common purpose in the Vagliano Trophy match ... play a major part in GB and I winning the trophy in this biennial fixture since Chantilly GC in 2005.
Yes, the Continentials are bidding for a sixth win in a row and as far as GB and I are concerned, World No 1 Maguire and World No 13 Mehaffey hold the key to turning the tide,
If they play well in the foursomes-singles format which is repeated on the second day, all eight players per team playing in every sesson, then GB and I have a chance.
Fingers crossed!
The foursomes lines-up will be announced later today.
Team photographs are being taken at 5pm so plenty of reasons to rejoin this website early evening!

CONTINENT OF EUROPE TEAMS NAMED FOR VAGLIANO TROPHY AND JUNIOR VAGLIANO TROPHY MATCHES

CONTINENT OF EUROPE VAGLIANO TROPHIES TEAMS ANNOUNCED

The EGA Selection Committee has chosen the Continental teams to face Great Britain and Ireland in the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano Trophies to be played at Bogogno Golf Club, Italy, from 30 June to 1 July. 

The eight-player ladies' and six-player girls' (U16) teams are: 

 

VAGLIANO TROPHY TEAM  Captain: Anna Roscio (ITA) Virginia Elena Carta (ITA) Matilda Castren (FIN) Julia Engström (SWE) Morgane Metraux (SUI) Linnea Strom (SWE) Puk Lyng Thomsen (DEN) Albane Valenzuela (SUI)  Dewi Weber (NED)  Reserve: Frida Kinhult (SWE)

JUNIOR VAGLIANO TROPHY TEAM  Captain: Ane Urchegui García (ESP) Caterina Don (ITA) Blanca Fernández García-Poggio (ESP) ​Isabella Holpfer (AUT) Amanda Linner (SWE) Alessia Nobilio (ITA)  Emilie Alba Paltrinieri (ITA) Reserve: Natalia Aseguinolaza (ESP)

No Scots Player chosen but Elaine to Captain GB & I Vagliano Team

There is no Scottish player in the GB and I squad of 10 named for a preliminary Vagliano Trophy team get-together at The Belfry on December 21 and 22.

The only Scottish connection is the retention of Aberdeen solicitor Elaine Farquharson-Black (Deeside) - pictured right  as the team captain for the two-day match against the Continent of Europe at Circolo Golf Bogogno, Italy on June 30 and July 1, 2017.

She led GB and I to memorable victory over the United States in the Curtis Cup match at Dun Laoghaire GC near Dublin last June.

Elaine, an honorary member of Deeside Golf Club and its junior convenor, said, “I am delighted to be continuing as captain of the GB and I team for the Vagliano Trophy. I look forward to working with another talented group of golfers to prepare for the challenge of winning the match against the Continent of Europe next year.”

The players chosen for The Belfry session are:

Emma Allen (Eng)
Lianna Bailey (Eng)
Gemma Clews (Eng)
India Clyburn (Eng)
Maria Dunne (Ire)
Alice Hewson (Eng)
Sophie Lamb (Eng)
Leona Maguire (Ire)
Olivia Mehaffey (Ire)
Lizzie Prior (Eng).

Ireland's Claire Coughlan-Ryan will continue as captain of the GB and I team of six Under-16 players for the Junior Vagliano Trophy match at the same Italian venue.

England's Helen Hewlett will be manager of both teams.

It generally considered that it is harder for GB and I to beat the Continent of Europe than it is to win against the United States.
Last year, at Malone Golf Club, Dublin, GB and I, captain by Elaine Farquharson-Black, got within one point of drawing with the Continent in the Vagliano Trophy match, the closest since the 2005 match won by GB and I at Chantilly.

The Continent have won the biennial fixture in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

The loss of Bronte Law, who won all five matches in the Curtis Cup match but is bound for the pro ranks, is a blow but Leona Maguire's decision to delay turning pro for at least another year is a big bonus for skipper Farquharson Black.