It was the country’s first medal in 32 WATC appearances.

“The key point today is that I have seen our players winning without thinking about the results,” said Italian captain Matteo Delpodio. “They were winners on the golf course. When you see players playing this way with this attitude, the results do not matter. What matters is that they played like champions.”

Italy’s 72-hole hole score of 31-under-par was one stroke better than silver-medal winning Sweden and four better than the bronze medal winners from the USA.

In a tightly contested back nine, Italy and Sweden gained a slight separation from the field, but the par-5 14th hole proved to be pivotal because of the play of Florioli and Bovari.

Florioli was the first Italian player out and holed a chip shot on the 14th and Bovari followed with an eagle for a three-stroke gain on Sweden.

“I was feeling that I was going to make a birdie on that chip, and I made it,” said Florioli, a 17-year-old from Bergamo. “I played the last four holes in par, par, par, par and that is a great final on this golf course.”

Bovari, a college golfer at the University of Virginia, reached the 569-yard 14th with a 3-wood that stopped on the green, 70 feet from the hole.

“They were winners on the golf course. When you see players playing this way with this attitude, the results do not matter. What matters is that they played like champions." - Matteo Delpodio.

“Sometimes it happens,” Bovari said of his eagle putt. “Today was one of those days. It went in the dead middle of the cup. I didn’t have the strength in me to yell. I put my arms up to celebrate.”

Italy’s Filippo Celli, the low amateur in the 2022 Open Championship, shot a non-counting 70.

“Florioli played so well on the back nine with a fantastic attitude,” said Delpodio. “He was under pressure, but he was making it so easy. Bovari had two big putts on 13 and 14. To win such a tournament there must be some magic.

“You cannot pre-plan everything. There must be some moments when you understand everything is coming together. I realized on 14 that it was our moment. I was pretty sure it was going to end with a victory.”

Italy is one of nine nations to participate in all 32 World Amateur Team Championships since 1958. Their previous best finishes were a tie for fourth in 2004 and 2008.

“I thought about playing my best golf and I think I did,” said Florioli. “I shot six-under bogey-free in the last round and I am proud of it. It is a memory forever because it is the first time for Italy in history. It’s a great feeling.”

Completing the top-10, Norway was fourth, its best-ever finish, Spain was fifth, France was sixth, Japan, the 18- and 36-hole leader was seventh, Austria and Wales shared eighth and Finland was 10th.

Italy receives custody of the Eisenhower Trophy until the next World Amateur Team Championship in Dubai, UAE, in October of 2023.

Although there is no official recognition, Sweden’s Tobias Jonsson was the low individual with a score of 17-under 269.

The Australian team finished in 15th at 13-under, while Connor McKinney was the best in the individual competition sharing 19th on eight-under with Harrison Crowe four shots further back and Hayden Hopewell rounding out the trio in 76th.