MELBOURNE (AFP) – Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry held off Mexico and a charging Australian team to win Belgium’s first ever golf World Cup by three shots on Sunday.
The pair began the final day of foursomes action, where teammates take it in turns to play the same ball, with a five-stroke lead at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Golf Club.
But Australia’s Mark Leishman and Cameron Smith narrowed the gap to two coming down the home straight with three birdies in a row, and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and Roberto Diaz were also closing in.
It set up an exciting finale. The Belgians restored their three-stroke lead with a birdie on the 16th but a nervy bogey on the next meant they had to keep their focus on the final hole. A perfect approach shot eased the pressure and they holed out for a closing 68 and a famous 23-under-par win, with Australia and Mexico joint second.
