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📆 July 5, 2003

⛳ Royal The Hague G&CC (Netherlands)

▶2003 European Team Championships for Men. Spain fielded a team of six players who would go on to become successful professionals: Álvaro Quirós, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, Sebastián García Grout, Alejandro Cañizares, Pablo Martín, and Alfredo García Heredia. Between them, they achieved 19 European Tour victories!

The expedition was captained by José Miguel Sagnier, with Pepín Rivero serving as coach. The delegation also received support from Ernesto Fernández de Gamboa and Fernando Ramírez de Haro, both from the Men's Amateur Technical Committee. Gonzaga Escauriaza, the current President of the RFEG (Royal Spanish Golf Federation), attended in his capacity as Vice President of the European Golf Federation (EGA).

▶The team's performance improved throughout a week of great excitement. After a solid qualifying campaign, finishing fifth, Spain faced their first direct confrontation with a victory against Wales (5-2); in the semifinals, they faced Alex Noren's Sweden, who lost in a nail-biting match (4-3); and in the final, they faced Ross Fisher and Oliver Wilson's England, who fell 5-2. The final putt sparked an explosion of euphoria, captured in this image that holds a special place in our golf history.