MELBOURNE: Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry held off Mexico and a charging Australia to win Belgium’s first ever golf World Cup by three shots in a “dream come true” 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.
In a tense finale, the Belgians restored a three-stroke lead with a birdie on the 16th but a nervy bogey on the next meant they had to keep their cool on the final hole.A perfect approach shot eased the pressure and they holed out for a closing 68 and a 23-under-par win, with Australia and Mexico joint second.
Danish defending champions Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen carded a 65 to tie for fourth alongside Canada’s Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, six behind Belgium. Greece finished last from the 28 teams.
“It’s a dream come true to play it, let alone win it,” said Detry, 25, after pocketing the biggest cheque of his short two-year professional career.“It was a huge thrill to play with Thomas (Pieters).”
