ChAmpionShipS mediA GUide - USGA

World Amateur Team 13PositionRd. 1 Rd. 2 Rd. 3 Scores TotalT57 T58 --- botswana .................. *160 #161 --- ---Stuart Smith ..................... 79 80 --- ---Diane Lucas ..................... 81 82 --- ---Mpho Kelosiwang................ 86 81 --- ---Championship HistoryThe idea of a World Amateur Team Championship and theWorld Amateur Golf Council grew out of a suggestion that theUSGA received to sponsor a team match between the USAand Japan in 1957.The USGA, which received many such invitations from othercountries, simply could not accept them all.The USGA instead suggested a team competition that wouldbring together the best players of all countries, accommodatingall possible interests. Even those American advocates ofadding golf to the Olympics seemed satisfied with the WorldTeam Championship idea.In January 1958, the USGA Executive Committee approvedin principle a plan for such a championship. That March, agroup of USGA representatives, including USGA PresidentJohn D. Ames, met with officials of the Royal & Ancient GolfClub to discuss the plan. St. Andrews was proposed as thesite of the first championship later that year. The R&A joined inimplementing the idea. In May, representatives of the nationalamateur golf associations of 35 countries attending a planningconference in Washington, D.C., formed the World AmateurGolf Council. The council had 32 member organizations andplanned the first championship.President Dwight D. Eisenhower received the delegates inthe Rose Garden of the White House and consented to thenaming of the championship prize as The Eisenhower Trophy.Eisenhower endorsed the concept, saying, “Both officially andpersonally I am interested in the plan advanced by the USGAfor an amateur team golf championship among nations. I visualizeit, as you do, as a potent force for establishing goodwilland friendship between yet another segment of the populationsof nations.”The championship received yet another stroke of good luckwhen Bob Jones agreed to be captain of the first USA Team.Jones had taken the first leg of his 1930 Grand Slam at St.Andrews by winning the British Amateur, but 22 years hadpassed since he had visited there last.The first championship was played over the Old Course of St.Andrews in October 1958, and 115 players representing 29countries played. Australia won in a playoff with the USA. Thelowest individual scores for the 72 holes were 301s by WilliamHyndman III, of the USA, Bruce Devlin, of Australia, and ReidJack, of Great Britain & Ireland.Jack Nicklaus, who represented the USA in 1960 at MerionGolf Club (East Course), in Ardmore, Pa., holds the 72-holeindividual scoring record of 269, although individual scores arenot recognized with a prize.While the USA has prevailed in 13 of the 27 competitions,Great Britain & Ireland has won four times, and countries asdiverse in the world of golf as Australia, Canada, Japan, NewZealand, Netherlands, Scotland and Sweden have each capturedthe Eisenhower Trophy.The World Amateur Team Championship has now been conductedin 24 nations.The organization’s name changed to the International GolfFederation in 2003.WATC