England Men Triumph in Spine-Tingling Finish to Lift Octagonal Match Trophy

England’s Men’s Squad has once again hoisted the Octagonal Match trophy, capping off four exhilarating days at Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club in Spain with a finish that could have been scripted by Hollywood’s finest.

It all came down to a nail-biter against Switzerland, where young Ben Bolton orchestrated a heroic bunker shot on the 18th to level his match and secure the 4.5-4.5 tie that clinched the title on matches won.

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The week was jam-packed with standout performances from Eliot Baker, Ben Bolton, Daniel Hayes, Tom Osborne, Dylan Shaw-Radford, and Charlie Rusbridge. England charged through the group stages with strong showings—breezing past Ireland (8-1), the Netherlands (6.5-2.5), and Spain (7-2)—before facing that tense deadlock in the final.

For the fans back home, it was pure drama. Heading into the afternoon singles, the squad only needed half a point. Cue the bunker magic: with England down in his match and the suspense climbing, Bolton holed a birdie from the short-side sand on 18, turning defeat into a halved match and sending England’s contingent into rapturous celebration.

As if the moment couldn’t be any sweeter, this victory marks England’s seventh triumph at this prestigious event since its inception in 2001, adding the 2025 title to successes in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2014, 2016, and 2020.

The Octagonal Match—hosted each year in sunny Andalusia—follows a round-robin format that includes three foursomes in the morning and six singles each afternoon, pushing every competitor to bring their best over a demanding schedule.

Reflecting on the team’s achievement, England Golf Men’s Performance Manager, Ben Gorvett, beamed: “Overall we’re very pleased and we dealt with the week well. We had the intensity we wanted on and off the course and we always tried to have that winning mentality throughout. We showed this in the group stages with some dominant performances and we got the result we wanted.

“Credit must go to the Switzerland team who showed their quality and it was a fantastic battle to the very end.

“We were well prepared for what the final was going to bring and we were pleased with our morning outcome, but as the games went on it was very up and down, and we felt it was going to come down to some of the tight matches at the end.

“Ben Bolton came down the last one down, and with spectators and his teammates watching, he holed a bunker shot for birdie which gave us the half point to tie the match.

“This result is fantastic for all involved and it puts us in good stead for 2025, which is a big year for us with Home Internationals, European and World Championships, and for the players looking for Walker Cup selection too.”

In the end, England’s successful pursuit of the Octagonal Match trophy embodied everything fans love about match play—a gripping test of skill, nerve, and camaraderie that left spectators on the edge of their seats until the very last putt.

It’s a fitting testament to the depth of talent in England’s ranks and a story that will surely be told for years to come.