USA ahead as Aussies stall in Adelaide
BY Anthony Powter | Amateur Golf Tour | 2008 World Amateur Team Championships | Round One | 16 Oct 2008
The USA has opened the World Amateur Championship in style with a team total of 10-under-par for a two-stroke lead over Scotland in the first round of the 2008 World Amateur Team Championship.
Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark combined well at Royal Adelaide Golf Club, with matching 5-under-par 68s.
“We are off to a good start. All three played well,” USA captain Walter Driver said of his team.
“Conditions were benign here at Royal Adelaide. Until we play both courses, it’s hard to tell exactly where you stack up against the field.”
Folwer, the world’s number two, made five birdies in his first nine holes and finished with seven against two bogeys.
Lovemark, carded an eagle, four birdies and one bogey. Billy Horschel’s score of 1-under 72, under the two best score format of the Championship, did not count. All three players were members of the 2007 victorious US Walker Cup team.
“The last four days of practice rounds, it was windy every day,” said Flower, 19, a two-time winner of the Sunnehanna Amateur and the 2007 Players Amateur champion.
The Oklahoma State University sophomore made the cut at this year’s US Open at Torrey Pines and was the recipient of the Phil Mickelson Award, as the top US collegiate freshman in 2007.
“We were looking forward to playing in tough conditions with the wind blowing and today it was a just a little breeze. We took advantage of it,” Fowler said.
Scotland had three players under par to post 8-under 136 at The Grange Golf Club’s par-72 West Course, with a 5-under-par 67 from Callum Macaulay and 3-under-par 69 from Gavin Dear.
Puerto Rico are at third place at 7-under-par, with Mauricio Muniz recording the Championship’s lowest round of the day, an 8-under-par 64, at The Grange’s West Course. Muniz’s round was one stroke off the championship record of 63 by Jason Dawes of Australia in 1994.
“I think I got the speed of the greens just right,” Muniz said.
“I was reading the putts. The key was the speed of the greens. They are a lot faster than in Puerto Rico.”
New Zealand are off to a solid start to be in T6th position at be 3-under-par. World number one Danny Lee opened with a 3-under-par 70 at Royal Adelaide to be T5th position in the individual score. Jared Pender’s even par round added to Lee’s score, whilst James Gill opened with a one-over-par 74.
Australia registered a 1-over-par 147 around Royal Adelaide and is in T17th position, with Matthew Griffin carding a 1-under-par 72 and Rohan Blizard finishing with a 2-over-par 75.
Tim Stewart had a disappointing 3-over-par 76, which included five bogeys. The Australians will play their second round tomorrow at The Grange and will have to improve on today’s efforts to have any showing in this championship.
The USA has prevailed in 13 of the 24 World Amateur Team Championships to have the highest winning margin of the 68 teams competing this week.
