Picture from Thaiger sponsored second green of Luís Figo & Carlos Tevez.

 

England’s footballing greats dominated the World Team with an emphatic 72-33 victory to claim the Rainwood Icons of Football championship at Robinswood Golf Club, Rainwood Park. The event, held for the first time in Asia, saw an impressive turnout and widespread interest.

 

The second day of the competition began with the third session, featuring an alternate-shot format. The atmosphere was electric, with football and golf fans alike gathered to witness the action.

 

Morning Alternate-Shot Matches

 

• Teddy Sheringham & Lee Sharpe (England) bt Ruud Gullit & Ronald de Boer (World) 5-3

• Jimmy Bullard & John Terry (England) lost to Gabriel Batistuta & Gianfranco Zola (World) 3-4

• Paul Scholes & Phil Jones (England) bt Luís Figo & Carlos Tevez (World) 5-1

• Theo Walcott & Jermaine Jenas (England) drew with Nemanja Vidić & Diego Forlán (World) 3-3

• Robbie Fowler & Paul Ince (England) bt David Ginola & Patrik Berger (World) 6-0

• Phil Jagielka & Joe Hart (England) bt Nigel de Jong & Hamit Altıntop (World) 5-2

 

At the end of this session, England led 39-21.

 

Afternoon Singles Matches

 

The singles matches in the afternoon further cemented England’s dominance.

 

• Teddy Sheringham (England) bt Ronald de Boer (World) 4-1

• Lee Sharpe (England) bt Ruud Gullit (World) 8-3

• Paul Scholes (England) lost to Patrik Berger (World) 2-3

• Theo Walcott (England) lost to Luís Figo (World) 1-6

• Phil Jones (England) bt Carlos Tevez (World) 6-4

• Jermaine Jenas (England) bt Diego Forlán (World) 5-4

• Robbie Fowler (England) bt Nemanja Vidić (World) 6-2

• Paul Ince (England) bt David Ginola (World) 9-1

• Joe Hart (England) lost to Hamit Altıntop (World) 5-6

• Phil Jagielka (England) lost to Nigel de Jong (World) 2-6

• Jimmy Bullard (England) bt Gianfranco Zola (World) 7-3

• John Terry (England) bt Gabriel Batistuta (World) 5-4

 

With England winning 72-33 overall, they secured victory in the inaugural Asian edition of the event.

 

The trophy presentation was attended by Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, Vorapanit Ruairungruang, CEO of Rainwood Group, and Thomas Brooks, CEO and founder of the Icons Series. As part of the tradition, the English team was also awarded brown championship jackets.

 

Vorapanit Ruairungruang expressed her satisfaction with the success of the event, noting the large attendance on the final day. She emphasised the need for greater promotion in future editions, as many spectators were unclear whether footballers were playing golf or vice versa.

 

With a two-year contract in place for the tournament, next year’s event is expected to be even bigger. Rainwood Group also plans to expand facilities, including a 6,000-seat stadium and an on-site hotel, ensuring a more immersive experience for visiting fans.

The Rainwood Icons of Football tournament brought together 24 footballers, pitting Team England against Team World in a golfing showdown.

 

Team England featured:

 

Jimmy Bullard, Robbie Fowler, Joe Hart, Paul Ince, Phil Jagielka, Jermaine Jenas, Phil Jones, Paul Scholes, Lee Sharpe, Teddy Sheringham, John Terry, Theo Walcott. They were captained by golfing star Lee Westwood.

 

Team World included:

 

Gabriel Batistuta, Patrik Berger, Ronald de Boer, Nigel de Jong, Luís Figo, Diego Forlán, David Ginola, Ruud Gullit, Carlos Tevez, Nemanja Vidić, Gianfranco Zola, Hamit Altıntop. They were led by Spanish golfer Sergio García.

 

The event successfully combined football nostalgia with golfing prowess, boosting sports tourism in Thailand and setting the stage for an even grander edition next year.

 

Related article.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1353268-england-lead-team-world-on-day-1-of-rainwood-football-icons-golf-tournament/

 

-- 2025-03-03

 

What a great article and picture Georgealbert, you caught that putt 🏌️‍♂️   and the sponsor banner behind just right, well done 🙂