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IBGA EVENT - RESULTS

IBGA Vision Cup 2024 Results

Wien-Suessenbrunn Golf Club, Vienna, Austria

July 24 - 26, 2024

Austria was a beautiful place to host the 16 best blind golfers from North America verses the 16 best blind golfers from the Rest of the World.

The 2024 Vision Cup was won 17-15 by the Rest of the World with North America coming up a point short of retaining the cup.

Staged at Suessenbrunn in Vienna, Austria, this edition of the prestigious ISPS Handa Vision Cup may hereafter be remembered as The Miracle of Vienna; Das Wunder von Vien, due to an incredible final day comeback to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat reminiscent of the famous Miracle of Medinah in the Ryder Cup.

Background:

The ISPS Handa Vision Cup is a prestigious golf competition for blind golfers, organised by the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA). Every two years since 2013, the best blind golfers (and their sighted guides) from North America (Team NA, with players from USA and Canada) have competed against Team Rest of the World (Team ROW, which this time included players from Austria, Korea, Israel, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, England and Wales) in a match play format. The venue for this special event alternates between North America and international locations, giving the competition a global and diverse dimension. The competition is based on the famous Ryder Cup, in which the best professional golfers from the USA and Europe compete against each other on a team basis.

This year, this important event took place in Austria for the first time. Sponsored by the IBGA, the Austrian Blind Golf Association (ABGA) and the Austrian Golf Association (AGV) were delighted to host the Vision Cup 2024 from 24 to 26 July at Golfclub Wien Suessenbrunn. This event was supported by aspern Seestadt, a pioneering urban development project in Vienna, which became the participants' home base during the tournament.

Competition Day 1:

The day proved to be a good one for the defending champions, with Team NA taking a 5-3 lead into the second day.

Competition Day 2:

Despite many close matches, four of which went all the way to the 18th hole, it was Team NA that again dominated. The only one of the eight matches won by Team ROW was due to Korean In Chan Cho who was partnered with former World B1 Champion, Zohar Sharon from Isreal.

This gave Team NA a 5 point lead, 10 1/2 - 5 1/2 to take into the final day's singles matches.

The Final Day:

Team ROW knew they would need to get off to a very fast start if they were to have any chance of clawing their way back into the competition, and that is exactly what they did.

After taking three of the first four points played for (B3 category) and the same in the next (B2) category, the game was on. Karin Becker took the first of the ladies matches and scores were tied.

Team ROW then slowly pushed ahead and when Team NA's talented youngster, Amanda Cunha, tied her match with Team ROW's Charlene Pienaar, it all came down to the final B1 match btween Team ROW's Alejandro de Miguel and Team NA's Mario Tobia. Holding his nerve down the par 5 16th hole, with a large gallery of spectators following the last match on the course, de Miguel took the hole to win the match and give Team ROW the decisive point to regain the trophy.

Congratulations also go to the team captains and vice-captains: John Eakin, Andy Gilford and Karin Becker (Team ROW) and Greg Hooper (non-playing captain) and Kiefer Jones (Team NA), for all of the effort and encouaragement the provided throughout.

Afterwards a delicious traditional Austrian meal, with Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz was served in the clubhouse to celebrate three intense but enjoyable days of golf for everyone involved.