Team Europe claims the World Champions Cup on the Champions Tour with a strong final round and key contributions from German players.
Team Europe secured the World Champions Cup on the Champions Tour with a dominant performance on the final day. After two closely contested rounds, the Europeans surged ahead in Sunday’s singles matches, scoring 102.5 points to pull away from the competition. In total, Europe amassed 230 points, comfortably beating Team USA (213.5) and Team International (204.5).
Alex Cejka Leads the Charge for Team Europe
From Thursday onward, Europe showed its strength in the team format. Alex Cejka was in the thick of it from the start, collecting 20 points alongside Søren Kjeldsen, including seven birdies in best ball. With Bernhard Langer sidelined due to illness, Cejka stepped up to anchor the team early on. He continued to deliver on Friday, especially when the USA applied pressure through Stewart Cink and Jason Caron.
Sunday was when Europe truly took control. Cejka opened his singles match with 12.5 points, setting the tone with pinpoint approaches, solid short putts, and a crucial up-and-down. Kjeldsen followed with a blazing start, carding five consecutive birdies and finishing with 12 points – a clear statement of intent.
Langer Returns with Impact
Then came Langer. After a cautious start on Friday, the 66-year-old proved on Sunday why he remains a reliable scorer on the Champions Tour. He went six-under-par through the first five holes, landing approaches close, saving from the sand, and tapping in to cap his round. His 12 points added to Europe’s growing momentum and all but sealed the outcome.
The competition didn’t go down without a fight. Caron was a model of consistency throughout the event, finishing as top scorer with 60.5 points. Steven Alker gave Team International a brief spark with 13.5 points early Sunday. But Europe always had an answer at the right moment.
Ryder Cup captains Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjørn, and Colin Montgomerie laid the foundation in the morning, each leading their group and combining for 34.5 points. From there, Europe rolled on, building on their strong start and closing with a commanding 102.5 points to secure a well-earned victory.