English placer Stephen East wins the European Mid Amateur Championship in Rio Real

Weak performance by the Spaniards, after the unexpected score of Paradinas in the last round.

The English player Stephen East proclaimed victory in the XIX European Mid Amateur Championship, which finished this afternoon in Rio Real Club, Marbella.  The Brit participated in an emotional duel with his fellow countryman Nigel Sweet, who began the day as leader and finished second, just one shot from the champion; and with the Brazilian Rodrigo Lacerda, coming in third, two shots under East.  The winner scored a total of 217 shots, 1 over par, after having scored 72 today.
The ample Spanish representation in the tournament did no
t have the opportunity to fight for the victory after the unexpected score of Gonzalo Paradinas, who started the day in 9th position and finished 23rd, after having scored 81.  In the end, the best Spanish players were José Ignacio Márquez and Ignacio González Martínez, who finished 17th, with a total of 227 shots in the three rounds of the tournament.  With one additional shot, and thanks to his last round scoring 71, the best of the day, classifying in 20th position was José María Zamora, winner of the European Mid Amateur Championship in 2005.
East was very happy with his victory: “I feel fantastic, but it wasn’t easy:  I’ve had to work hard to achieve the victory.  I had a two shot advantage with four holes to play, when I hit a double bogey in the 15th.  In hole 16 I got stopped behind the trees but I was able to get out well and score a birdie… I suffered a bit”.
Regarding the setting for his victory, the Englishman commented “it’s a magnificent course, and even more now that I’ve won”.  In the awards ceremony, there were the presidents of the Royal Spanish and Andalusia Golf Federations, Gonzaga Escauriaza and Ángel de la Riva, and the president of Rio Real Golf Club, Luis Figueroa.
Escauriaza highlighted the excellent sporting atmosphere that he experienced during the tournament, praising the facilities and the service at Rio Real Golf and Wellness resort, and presenting the president of the Rio Real Golf Club with a commemorative plaque as a sign of gratitude.
If on Thursday the elite spectator at Rio Real was Gonzalo Fernández Castaño, today at the Marbella club we found the International basketball player Jorge Garbajosa, former player with Unicaja and the NBA, and currently playing on the Russian Khimki BC team.

Marbella, 6th of June, 2009

Photograph: Stephen East

European Mid Amateur Championship Press Department
Contact:  Eduardo Garcia Palacios
Tel:  952 82 89 76   Mobile: 649090666
E-mail: editorial@andaluciagolf.com