The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship

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]

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
 England

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
2024   England −44   South Korea
  Spain
−5 Dominic Clemons, Matthew Dodd-Berry, Nellie Ong, Patience Rhodes
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 Players Team Players
2024   England (tie)
  Mexico
Dominic Clemons & Matthew Dodd-Berry
Gerardo Gomez & Omar Morales
  Denmark Emma Bunch & Marie Madsen
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   Austria Thomas Kogler & Martin Wiegele   Mexico Lorena Ochoa & Violeta Retamoza

Individual champions

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Year Men Women
2024   Josiah Gilbert   Carla Bernat Escuder
2021   Sam Bennett   Rose Zhang
2019   Jack Trent   Lee Jeong-hyun
2017 Not held
2015   Will Zalatoris   María Fassi
2013   Julien Brun
  Toni Hakula
  Daniel Jennevret
  Jordan Niebrugge
  Scottie Scheffler
  Brooke Henderson
2011   Mackenzie Hughes
  Kelly Kraft
  Carlos Ortiz
  Thomas Pieters
  Ruan de Smidt
  Nathan Smith
  Victoria Tanco
2009   Chae Bum-geun   Lexi Thompson
2007   Danny Willett   Yang Soo-jim
2005   Stefan Kirstein   Pernilla Lindberg
2003   Chinarat Padungsil   Paula Creamer
2001   Robert Hamilton   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