World Cup Team and Individual Statistics
The recent World Cup at EL Vendrell represented the sixth staging of Pitch and Putt’s most prestigious team event.
167 different players have played in the six World Cups. No player has featured in every single World Cup. Steve Deeble, Rolf Kwant and John Deeble have all played in five, Toni Armengol and Marc Lloret in four and Fernando Cano and Jean Claude Richard in three. 25 more players have played in more than one World Cup
18 different associations have fielded teams in at least one World Cup. They are (best performance in parentheses):
- Ireland (four times winners)
- Catalonia (twice winners)
- Netherlands (twice runners-up)
- Australia (runners-up in 2012)
- Andorra (runners-up in 2004)
- Portugal (runners-up in 2024)
- Galicia (third in 2016)
- France (third in 2004)
- Britain (twice fourth)
- Norway (twice fourth)
- Chile (5th in 2008)
- Italy (6th in 2004)
- Switzerland (6th in 2012)
- San Marino (8th in 2004)
- Basque (8th in 2016)
- Germany (10th in 2012)
- Denmark (12th in 2006)
- Belgium (14th in 2008)
Norway have used 18 players in the World Cups they have contested, Switzerland 16, Catalonia 15, Ireland 13, France 12, Andorra 11, Australia 10, Chile 10, Netherlands 9, Germany 8, Britain 8, Italy 7, Galicia 7, Basque 7, San Marino 6, Portugal 3, Denmark 3 and Belgium 3.
Rolf Kwant and Steve Deeble have played the most matches overall with 30. Rolf has won 20 of those matches to hold the record for the most wins.
Steve Deeble has played the most Foursomes matches with 15. Steve's son John Deeble has played in 11 foursomes encounters and John's win total of 7 is the best in hstory.
Rolf Kwant has played the most singles matches with 21 and has won 14 of those to claim the most singles victories.
Patrick Luning (Netherlands) and Toni Armengol (Andorra) have both halved four matches, which is the highest in the tournament's history.
Eighteen players are undefeated in World Cup Matchplay combat. Seven of those boast 100% records:
- Paul O'Brien - won six matches from six in 2008
- Enric Sanz - - won six matches from six in 2016
- Kieran Earls - won six matches from six in 2024
- Ian Dillon - won six matches from six in 2024
- Phil Martin - won five matches from five in 2024
- Claudio Naiaretti - won six matches from six in 2016
- Damien Fleming - won two matches from two in 2024
- Tony Eder - five wins and one half in 2008
- Magnus Viken - five wins and one half in 2004
- Marco Galassi - five wins and one half in 2008
- Iosu Casajus Gorostiaga - four wins and one half in 2024
- Pepe Garcia - three wins and one half in 2012
- Pablo Perez - three wins and one half in 2012
- Fernando Cano - four wins and two halves in 2012
- Angelo Fusco - four wins and two halves in 2008
- Francesc Perez - two wins and two halves in 2012
- Ray Murphy - nine wins and three halves across 2008 and 2012
- Claus Mandalka - one win and three halves in 2012
Three more players recorded a 100% record in a single tournament:
- Ueli Lamm (Switzerland) 4 wins from 4 (2006)
- Gonzalo Mendoza (Andorra) 6 wins from 6 (2016)
- John Deeble (Great Britain) 5 wins from 5, 2024
Ireland has been the leading Strokeplay qualifier on four occasions, France once (2004) and Catalonia once (2006).
The best Qualifying Score as a team was delivered by Ireland with 238 at Royal Meath in 2012. Patrick Luning (Netherlands) carded the best Qualifying Score as an Individual, with 93 at Papendal in 2008.
The highest leading team qualifying score was 263 by France at Chia in 2004, when Fabio Grossi (San Marino) scored 101 to be best individual.
Biggest improvement in classification from Strokeplay to Matchplay was achieved by Netherlands in 2004. Fifth after the Strokeplay, the Dutch ultimately contested the final in which they lost to Catalonia.
Switzerland scored 310 for eighth place in the Stroleplay in 2004 (the highest total in history to achieve that position). The Swiss also filled eighth position at El Vendrell in October with 277 (the lowest ever total to claim eighth).
Detailed stats are in the attached file.