The 5th World Cup of Pitch and Putt was held at El Torrent course, Xixerella, Andorra, and was won by the team from Ireland. Final Placings:

Matching 4.5 to 0.5 semi-final victories over Galicia and Great Britain respectively see Ireland and Catalonia contest the 2016 World Cup Final in Andorra on 3rd July.  Brtain and Galicia will now play-off for third place. Although Ireland and Catalonia have dominated the World Cup of Pitch and Putt, this will be the first time that the Catalans and the Irish will face off in a World Cup final.  The teams have met four times in European Team championship finals, Ireland winning three times to Catalonia's lone success in 2010.  Norway and Andorra will contest 5th and 6th place.  7th and 8th places rest bewteen Basque Country and France.  Switzerland continue to lead the battle for 9th position.

Full semi-final details here

Sunday pairings here

Ireland qualified to play Galicia in the World Cup semi-final after Saturday morning play at Xixerella in Andorra.  Catalonia will face Great Britain in the other semi-final.

Quarter final scores:

Ireland 4 Basque Country 1
Catalonia 3 France 2
Great Britain 3 Norway 2
Galicia 3 Andorra 2

All four quarter finals were tied overnight:

Ireland 1 Basque Country 1 (John Walsh lost to Kepa Ikutza)
Catalonia 1 France 1 (Josep Martinez lost to Franck Menard)
Great Britain 1 Norway 1
Andorra 1 Galicia 1

The V World Cup has been declared open in Xixerella, Andorra by Mr. Victor Moscatel, President FIPPA.

Mr. Moscatel was joined by Laura Alfonso, Secretary Associacio Andorrana Pitch and Putt and by Mr. Ramon Mas of main sponsor Credit Andorra.

Each of the ten competing teams was presented to the large attendance.

The first round draw for the Strokeplay qualifying round to be played on Friday 1 July is here - the same pairings to play the second round at 11.00 a.m.

Ten teams will contest the 2016 World Cup of Pitch and Putt, which will be played at the El Torrent course, Xixerella, Andorra on July 1-3.  Main event sponsor is Credit Andorra.

Steve Deeble (Great Britain) will break the appearance record.  He will have played in all five World Cups.  Great Britain’s best World Cup finish was 4th at Papendal in 2008.  Deeble will probably renew his foursomes partnership with son John.  The pair have most foursomes wins overall in the event with five.

Chile will have travelled the longest distance to play in the World Cup.  They were 5^th at Papendal in 2008 but have finished 11^th in each of the last two World Cups.  Pablo Caviedes and Enrique Desmaras were members of the 2012 Chile team in Royal Meath.

Hosts Andorra recorded their best ever performance in the championship when they finished second their debut at Teia in 2006.  Since then they have been 7^th, 9^th and 9^th.  Toni Armengol has represented Andorra twice in the World Cup.  He halved and beat Sean Downes in successive singles matches as Andorra shocked Ireland in the 2006 semi-final.

Catalonia won the 2014 European Team championship over the Xixerella course.  Netherlands finished second (they won’t be at World Cup ‘16).  Ireland didn’t play in 2014.  Galicia were 3^rd at the 2014 European Team championship; Andorra 4^th, France 5^th; Norway 6^th; Basque 7^th; Switzerland 8^th.   Marc Lloret will seek a record breaking third win having won with Catalonia in 2004 and in 2006.

The only newcomers to World Cup action are Basque.  They finished 7^th at Xixerella in the 2014 European Team championship.  Two of the Basque players (Gerard Pagalday and Txema Baita) then will play in the World Cup. Andorra have one player from their 2014 side– Josep Escabros.

Galicia have two survivors from the team that came 3^rd in the ETC 2014 at Xixerella – Peter Mervin Henry and Marco Gomez.  Catalonia have three of their winning team then– Marc Lloret, Enric Sanz and Josep Martinez.  Lloret, Sanz and Martinez came through a rigorous selection process, which included a weekend at the championship venue.

France return to World Cup action having missed the 2012 tournament.  Jean Rouch played in the 2014 European Team championship at the Xixerella course.

The Swiss have finished sixth in the last two World Cups. Edy Planzer and Felix Eberle were at Euro 2014.

Catalonia’s Strokeplay scores from Xixerella 2014 were Enric Sanz 48+49=97, Marc Lloret 50+49=99, Jordi Saborit 45+55=100, Dani Giménez 47+55=102, Jordi Serra 54+52=106, Josep Martínez Disq.+50=Disq.  That could translate to 241 for the World Cup format (best five out of six 18 hole scores), which would be close to Ireland’s record of 238 – set at Royal Meath in 2012.  36 holes Strokeplay will be played on Friday to decide the draw for the Matchplay stages.  The final will be played on Sunday (a foursome and a singles followed by three singles).

Holders Ireland will seek a three in a row.  It’s a formidable Irish line-up.  Jon Walsh and John Ross Crangle who were members of the successful 2012 trio will seek to equal fellow countryman Ray Murphy’s feat of two World Cup wins.  Crangle and Irish No. 1 Walsh are joined by 2014 Irish Open winner Eamon Gibney, who finished second in the trial at Portmarnock.

Catalonia’s World Cup record is probably the most consistent – 1, 1, 3, 5. although Ireland has DNC, 3, 1, 1.  Unfortunately, Netherlands won’t get to improve on 2, 4, 2, 3.

Looking forward to three spectacular days of action at a lovely setting in the Pyrenees.

Toni Armengol - World Cup Record W6, H2, L4

Josep Escabrós - played in the 2014 European Team championship in Andorra. World Cup Record W1, H1, L4

Gonzalo Mendoza, winner Andorra National Ranking 2015/16. 

Xavier Linde will be captain.

Marc Lloret, twice a World Cup winner, 2004, 2006.  World Cup Record - W12, H4, L2.

Enric Sanz, three times Anorra Open winner.  Played on Catalonia teams that won European Team championship in 2010 and 2014.

Josep Martinez, European Team championship winner 2014.

Xavi Ponsdemenech is coach.

Iban Alberdi - won Final Circuito Norte qualifier to make the team

Gerardo Pagalday - played for Basque in the 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella.

Txema Baitia - played for Basque in the 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella.

Basque non-playing captain will be Kepa Ikutza.  Kepa Ikutza was a late replacement for Txema Baitia.

Pablo Caviedes, World Cup Record W0, H1, L3

Enrique Desmaras, World Cup Record W0, H1, L3

Joaquin Cataldo.

Franck Ménard (Rennes)

Thierry Gendreau (Fontenelles)

Jean Rouch (Ariege) - played for France in the 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella.

The team will be captained by Damien Ducept.

Marcos Gómez, Played in 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella. 

Nacho Prada, won a Matchplay qualifier in Montealegre, Galicia to make the team.  Juan Iglesias Surribas was a late replacement.

Peter Mervin - World Cup Record W2, H1, L3. Played in 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella. 

Steve Deeble - World Cup Record W10, H3, L11.

John Deeble - World Cup Record W9, H2, L7.

Jamie Deeble - World Cup Record W2, H0, L4.

John Ross Crangle, Won World Cup with Ireland in 2012.  World Cup Record W5, H0, L1

Eamon Gibney, 2014 Irish Open champion, team captain

John Walsh, Won World Cup with Ireland in 2012.  World Cup Record W5, H0, L1

Joint team managers: Michael Murphy and Mark Keohane.

Roger Wernerson, 1st Norwegian Order of Merit

Helge Eggja, 2nd Norwegian Order of Merit

Frank Kristiansen, 3rd Norwegian Order of Merit

Felix Eberle, played in 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella.  Felix will captain the team.

Edi Planzer, played in 2014 European Team championship at Xixerella

Claudio Naiaretti

All three played in the 2015 European Strokeplay chanpionship in Orvelte, the Netherlands.