THORPE Hall’s Matthew Southgate finished as leading points scorer for England as they finished second in the annual Costa Ballena Quadrangular Tournament title they last won in 2006.

English golf’s first international tournament of the year was played out over the Costa Ballena, Ocean Golf Club, close to Cadiz in Spain.

England, Finland, Germany and Spain battled it out on the wet but beautiful Andalusian course.

The six man teams played over three days.

The games were played as foursomes in the mornings followed by singles in the afternoons.

Southgate’s three out of three wins in the singles and two out of three halves in the foursomes contributed greatly to England’s eventual runners-up spot in the contest.

Southgate, 21, broke onto the national scene last year.

He finished as runner-up to Chris Lloyd in the English County Champions Tournament at Woodhall Spa — having won his first Essex Championship at Clacton earlier in the season.

He also helped Essex to their first ever English County Championship crown in the finals at Chipping Sodbury last September.

Against Germany Southgate lost one down in the foursomes and won his singles 4 and 3.

He halved his foursomes against Finland and had a one up singles success.

Against hosts Spain he again enjoyed a half in the foursomes and took his singles one up.