ChAmpionShipS mediA GUide - USGA

WATC
6 World Amateur Team
Leaders
Round 1 — France, at 7-under-par 137 (BAGC), by two strokes
over Canada (OGC). Round 2 — France, at 7-under par 279
(OGC), by one stroke over Denmark (OGC).
Weather
Sunny and breezy with highs in the lows 70s on Thursday.
Sunny and windy start Friday but play was suspended at 9:21
a.m. because of dangerous weather and resumed at 11:35 a.m.
at Olivos G.C. and 11:50 a.m. at Buenos Aires G.C. Rain continued
during the afternoon and play was suspended again
at 4:51 p.m. Sunny Saturday with increasing clouds and winds
up to 40 mph later in the day. Play was suspended because of
darkness at 6:50 p.m. at Buenos Aires G.C. and at 6:56 p.m. at
Olivos G.C. Sunny and cool Sunday with gusty winds, mostly
between 15-25 mph with temperatures in the low-to-mid
60s.
Championship Notes
Two holes-in-one were made in the first round: Oliver Farr, of
Wales, on the fourth hole and Tomas Cocha, of Argentina, on
the 17th hole at Olivos G.C. … Hak Shun Yat, of Hong Kong,
China, made a double-eagle 2 at the par-5 second hole at
Buenos Aires G.C. in the first round.
General
Olivos Golf Club became the first course to ever host the
World Amateur Team Championship twice, have previously
served as host club in in 1972. ... Because of the poor weather
in the second round, the championship was reduced to 54
holes for only the second time … The Eisenhower Trophy
competition went 23 consecutive competitions of 72 holes
before weather forced the championship to just 54 holes in
2004 (although a 54-hole cut was made in 2002) … A total
of 69 teams competed, just one shy of the previous high of
70 from South Africa (2006) … Guam, the Republic of Serbia
and the United Republic of Tanzania made their first appearances
in the World Amateur Team Championships … Kenya
played for only the second time and first time since 1958 …
Three teams that finished in the top 10 in 2008 had at least
two players returning for the 2010 championship. Third-place
Sweden had Jesper Kennegard and Henrik Norlander. Italy,
which tied for fourth in 2008, returned Andrea Pavan and
Nino Bertasio. The Argentines, who tied for ninth in 2008,
had Jorge Fernandez-Valdes and Emiliano Grillo as returners
… Pakistan was the only nation to field the same team as
in 2008. Muhammad Safdar Khan, Muhammad Ali Hai and
Hamza Taimur Amin finished 47th in 2008 ... In January 2010,
2010 Championship Notes
the Copa de las Americas, a team event for nations in the
Americas region, was played at Olivos Golf Club and Buenos
Aires Golf Club … In that championship, the United States of
America won the overall and women’s championships and
finished second in the men’s competition … Peter Uihlein, the
reigning U.S. Amateur champion, was a member of the men’s
team. Argentina won the men’s event by five strokes over the
USA with two members also on the 2010 World Amateur
team — Grillo and Tomas Cocha … Grillo was the lowest
individual scorer in the men’s event at 279, including a 64 in
the third round at Buenos Aires Golf Club, which is the lowest
score in the four Copa de las Americas competitions … Four
players who were named to the 2010 College Golf Coaches
Association first-team All-America squad played in Argentina:
Scott Langley of the USA (University of Illinois and the 2010
Arnold Palmer Award winner as the NCAA Division I Men’s
individual champion); Andrea Pavan, of Italy (Texas A&M
University and a member of the 2009 NCAA Championship
team); Peter Uihlein, of the USA (Oklahoma State University),
and Eugene Wong, of Canada (University of Oregon and
the 2010 Jack Nicklaus Award winner as the Division I player
of the year) … Norlander (Augusta State University, which
won the 2010 NCAA Division I Team Championship) was a
second-team selection. David Chung, of the USA (Stanford
University); Dylan Frittelli, of South Africa (University of Texas);
and Kennegard (Arizona State University) were named to the
third team … Espen Kofstad, of Norway (University of Denver),
was an honorable-mention selection … At 15 years old,
Gonzalo Leon, of Ecuador, was believed to be the youngest
player, although not all biographical forms were returned …
Jose Hernandez, of the Dominican Republic, was also 15 but
turned 16 the month after the championship … At 49, Guam’s
playing captain Lon Lindsey was believed to be the oldest
player … The 2009 Argentine Amateur was played at Buenos
Aires Golf Club and the two finalists played for their countries
at the World Amateur: Romain Wattel, of France, defeated
Ross Kellett ,of Scotland, 7 and 5, in the final on Nov. 22, 2009
… Fred Ridley served as the captain of the USA Team, the sixth
time a U.S. Amateur champion did so, joining Robert T. Jones
Jr. in 1958, Jess Sweetser in 1966, William C. Campbell in 1968
and 1986 and Vinny Giles in 1992 ... The USA won gold in 1968
with Campbell but was second the other four times … Gordon
Brewer, who was the 1994 and 1996 USGA Senior Amateur
champion, was captain for the USA victory in 2002.