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Iceland going for second gold at Gleneagles
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Iceland going for second gold at Gleneagles

Iceland are guaranteed a second European Golf Team Championships medal after seeing off Spain 2 in the semi-finals of the Men's Team competition.

Birgir Hafthorsson and Axel Boasson

Birgir Hafthorsson and Axel Boasson won the Mixed Team event alongside Valdis Thora Jonsdottir and Olafia Kristinsdottir on Saturday and they will go for a second gold against Spain 1 in Sunday afternoon's final after beating Spanish pair Santiago Tarrio Ben and David Borda 2 and 1 in the last four.

Spain 1's Scott Fernandez and Pedro Oriol finished with three birdies to turn their semi against Italy 2 on its head and win by two holes.

Italy 2 and Spain 2 will battle it out for bronze at 1.15pm before Iceland and Spain 1 meet 15 minutes later.

As the format switched to foursomes match play for Sunday's games, Iceland started brightly at a very wet Gleneagles, winning the first two holes with a par and an eagle to take an early lead.

Their advantage was cut to one as Spain 2 won the third hole but a birdie at the next had Hafthorsson and Boasson two ahead once again.

Spain 2's par at the fifth was enough to win the hole but they soon found themselves four down after Iceland won three in a row from the eighth.

Tarrio Ben and Borda mounted a late fightback, winning the 11th, 12th, 14th and 16th, but with Iceland taking the 13th and 15th, Spain 2 could not close the gap.

The contest between Italy 2 and Spain 2 was delicately poised after both teams won two holes in the first six.

Francesco Laporta and Alessandro Tadini took control when they claimed the ninth and 11th holes to go two up.

But after winning the 13th, Fernandez and Oriol saved their best for last, winning the 16th, 17th and 18th to claim a two-hole victory.

Fernandez said: "We turned it around today.

"We were behind in the match from the ninth hole until near the end but we hung on in there."

Oriol said: "We've got this far so now we are aiming for the gold medal."

 
In the Women's Team event, Sweden 3 will face France 2 in the final, with Great Britain 1 and Great Britain 3 meeting in the Bronze Medal Match.

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