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The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Spirit International
Tournament information
LocationTrinity, Texas
Established2001
Course(s)Whispering Pines Golf Club
Par72
Length7,473 yd (6,833 m)
FormatBest ball
Month playedNovember
Current champion
 United States

The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship is a biennial amateur golf tournament which takes place in alternating years with the World Amateur Team Championships. The competition consists 20 countries represented by teams of four (two men and two women) and takes place at the Whispering Pines Golf Club, located 80 miles outside of Houston in Trinity, Texas.[1]

Added in 2013, the winner of the individual men's competition receives a sponsor exemption to the PGA Tour’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.[2]

Format

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Teammates compete in a 72-hole best ball competition in which medals are awarded to the top three places in each of the five following categories; International Team (combined men's and women's teams), men's team, women's team, men's individual, and women's individual. The winners of the men's and women's individual competitions are determined by the player with the most birdies and eagles.[3]

Team selection

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The majority of the participating countries are invited based on the previous year's World Amateur Team Championship combined results. Each nation then establishes its own selection criteria to determine the best individual participants available. In 2009, the field consisted of 76 National Champions.[4] Notable past champions who have gone on to become established professionals include; Brandt Snedeker, Martin Kaymer, Jordan Spieth, Paula Creamer, and Lorena Ochoa.

Results

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Source:[5][6]

Overall champions

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Year Winning team Score Runner(s)-up Score Winning team members
2021  United States −28  Canada −7 Sam Bennett, Rachel Heck, James Piot, Rose Zhang
2019  France −37  Norway
 South Korea
−35 Adrien Pendaries, Julien Sale, Candice Mahé, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard
2017 Not held – club hosted charity events for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts instead[7]
2015  United States −38  Mexico −37 Philip Barbaree, Will Zalatoris, Mariel Galdiano, Hannah O'Sullivan
2013  United States −33  France −27 Jordan Niebrugge, Scottie Scheffler, Ally McDonald, Ashlan Ramsey
2011  United States −31  Mexico
 Argentina
−21 Kelly Kraft, Nathan Smith, Austin Ernst, Emily Tubert
2009  United States −45  South Korea −41 Jordan Spieth, Ben Martin, Jennifer Johnson, Lexi Thompson
2007  England −32  South Korea
 United States
−30 Gary Boyd, Danny Willett, Liz Bennett, Naomi Edwards
2005  England −43  South Africa
 United States
−35 Oliver Fisher, Jamie Moul, Sophie Walker, Felicity Johnson
2003  United States −53  Australia −37 Brandt Snedeker, Matt Rosenfeld, Paula Creamer, Jane Park
2001  Mexico −51  South Korea −44 Alberto Valenzuela, Maruricio Mendez, Lorena Ochoa, Violeta Retamoza

USA has won 6 matches, England 2, and France and Mexico 1 each.

Team champions

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Year Men Women
Team Members Team Members
2021  Sweden Albin Bergström & Hugo Townsend  United States Rachel Heck & Rose Zhang
2019  United States Cole Hammer & Andy Ogletree  South Korea Jeong Hyun Lee & Ina Yoon
2017 Not held
2015  United States Philip Barbaree & Will Zalatoris  Mexico María Fassi & Ana Paula Valdes
2013  United States Scottie Scheffler & Jordan Niebrugge  France Mathilda Cappeliez & Eva Gilly
2011  United States Kelly Kraft & Nathan Smith  South Korea Kim Hyoo-joo & Baek Kyu-jung
2009  Italy Lorenzo Scotto & Filippo Zucchetti  United States Lexi Thompson & Jennifer Johnson
2007  England Gary Boyd & Danny Willett  South Korea Kim Sei-young & Yang Soo-jim
2005  Germany Martin Kaymer & Stefan Kirstein  England Felicity Johnson & Sophie Walker
2003  United States Mathew Rosenfeld & Brandt Snedeker  United States Paula Creamer & Jane Park
2001  Australia Thomas Kogler & Martin Wiegele  Mexico Lorena Ochoa & Violeta Retamoza

Individual champions

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Year Men Women
2021 United States Sam Bennett United States Rose Zhang
2019 Australia Jack Trent South Korea Lee Jeong-hyun
2017 Not held
2015 United States Will Zalatoris Mexico María Fassi
2013 France Julien Brun
Finland Toni Hakula
Sweden Daniel Jennevret
United States Jordan Niebrugge
United States Scottie Scheffler
Canada Brooke Henderson
2011 Canada Mackenzie Hughes
United States Kelly Kraft
Mexico Carlos Ortiz
Belgium Thomas Pieters
South Africa Ruan de Smidt
United States Nathan Smith
Argentina Victoria Tanco
2009 South Korea Chae Bum-geun United States Lexi Thompson
2007 England Danny Willett South Korea Yang Soo-jim
2005 Germany Stefan Kirstein Sweden Pernilla Lindberg
2003 Thailand Chinarat Padungsil United States Paula Creamer
2001 United States Robert Hamilton United States Lorena Ochoa

References

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  1. ^ "Fay to Captain USA Spirit International Team". Spirit International. USGA. September 28, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  2. ^ Martin, Sean (November 4, 2013). "Brun earns Crowne Plaza invitation". PGA Tour. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  3. ^ Bailey, Mike (November 2, 2013). "U.S. turns strong finish into Spirit International golf title". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  4. ^ "The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship Preview". Global Golf Post. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "Spirit International Amateur Championship Final Results". The Spirit International. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  6. ^ "Spirit Champions". The Spirit International. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  7. ^ "The Spirit & Harvey". The Spirit International.
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  • Official site - most of the information is in the archive sections