Women's World Amateur falls to South Africa
IN: News | Amateur Golf | World Amateur Team Championships (2006) | Wrap | by Anthony Powter | 22 Oct 2006
For just the second time in its history the Women's World Amateur needed to be determined through a tiebreaker equation, the numbers eventually falling to host nation South Africa, at the expense of defending champions, Sweden. The difference in the two teams being the non-counting score of the third round, with South Africa's Ashleigh Simon's 73 in contrast to Sweden's Sofie Anderson's 77.
Sweden had swallowed up the overnight four shot difference early during the final round as the South Africans appeared to stall, the Swede's pushed by a 3 under par 69 from Caroline Westrup, which at one stage had them in front.
The South African's were not scoring low on the final day, but were consistent, with teenagers Ashleigh Simon and Kelli Shean each recording 2 over par 74. It was just enough to prevent a slide and enable them to remain alive and force the championship into the tiebreaker equation.
It was 2002 when a tiebreaker at the World Amateur was last required and at that time the numbers fell Australia's way over Thailand. In 2006, the Australians were unable get the kick start they desperately needed after a sluggish opening round and would end the championship in 14th position.
New Zealand powered through the championship finishing a very creditable 7th, only three shots behind South Africa and Sweden. Sarah Nicholson was the standout performer, recording 284 for a 4 under par. Although there is no official recognition of an individual winner, Nicholson finished T5th in the individual total, only four shots behind leader Caroline Westrup at 280 or 8 under. Francis Bondad finished the best of the Aussies at T29th with 5 over 293.
Seventeen appearances were required before the Espirito Santo Trophy would fall into South Africa's possession and the joy was obvious in the Team Captain's comments at the press conference.
"It is still amazing to me that we won. I thought that after we had a slow start, we might have a strong finish and we did."
Even the players were having trouble coming to grips with defeating the Swedish machine, the only country to finish in the top 10 in all 22 championships.
"I don't think anybody was expecting us to win, but we proved we could," were Ashleigh Simon's remarks and the 2004 Women's South African Open Champion is probably correct.
No one, other than probably the South African's themselves, expected a South African victory. All the attention in the lead up to the championship was on USA, France and Sweden, the traditional strong arms. No one was even taking much notice of Colombia, yet they finished 3rd with strong final round performances from US Collegate players Elieen Vargas, who plays out of Pepperdine University in California and finished T4th at the 2006 NCCA Championships and Carolina Llano, also from Pepperdine University, a three time conference Player of the Year.
The rest of the leaderboard had France finishing the championship in 4th position with Japan and Germany tied fifth.
South Africa's victory this morning may have something to do with a home ground advantage. To give them credit, the South African's hung in there since being tied for second following the first round and they simply did not go away. You get the feeling it may also have to do with their preparation, with past players being brought in to mentor the team, both on the course as well as getting physically prepared for the championship. Whatever it was, it has worked.
What then of the Australian's? The 2008 World Amateur will be played at Royal Adelaide and The Grange Golf Clubs in Adelaide, Australia; they will then be hoping the hometown advantage will also rub off like it did for the South Africans.
Photo - Carl Fourie/USGA
