Women’s World Amateur Team 1 29th Women’s World Amateur Team Championship Record Book Hong Kong Golf Club (Old and New Courses) Hong Kong, China 2 Women’s World Amateur Team United States of America Wins the 2018 Championship The United States of America won the Women’s World Amateur holes to a 10-stroke victory. Team Championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy for the 14th time with a flourish. For the second consecutive day, the Norwegian duo of Renate Hjelle Grimstad (67) and Karoline Stormo (70) forged another Bolstered by nearly perfect scoring conditions and the perfor- strong move up the leaderboard with a two-score total of mances of two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Kristen 7-under 137 on the Montgomerie Course. Over the last two Gillman and McCormack medal winner and World No. 1 Jennifer rounds, Norway moved from T33rd to T12 and then to 10th. Their Kupcho, the USA eased to a 10-stroke victory over Japan on the 130-137 finish in the last two rounds was 267, 13 under par. O’Meara Course for its first gold since 1998 in Chile. The USA has won 20 total medals in the Espirito Santo Trophy “I am so proud of these girls,” said American captain Stasia competition (14 gold, three silver, and three bronze). Collins. “I am so proud of this team, and I am really happy for them and thrilled for the United States. They will always be The Republic of Korea has won eight medals (four gold, two silver known as the gold medal winners for the 2018 World Amateur and two bronze) Team Championships – no one can take that away from us.” Juyun ‘Birdie’ Kim, captain of the Republic of Korea team, won The USA, in winning its first medal since Argentina in 2010, post- the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open. ed a 29-under-par 551. The best round of the day at either course was an 8-under-65 by Gillman was the driving force of the day, making an eagle and Jacklyn Lee of Canada on the O’Meara. four birdies against one bogey in her first nine holes to make The top three individual scorers all played with the last group the turn at 5-under. She added a birdie on the 13th en route to of their country and were the last players on the course. Yuka 6-under 67. Yasuda of Japan (-15), Ayean Cho of Korea (-17) and Jennifer Kupcho fired a 4-under-69 to give the USA a 10-under fourth- Kupcho of the USA (-15) were a combined 47-under par. round total of 136. She and Gillman and Lilia Vu were also mem- The 2020 Espirito Santo Trophy competition will be played in bers of the victorious USA Curtis Cup Team in June. Hong Kong at the Old and New Courses of Hong Kong Golf Club. “We have the strong bond already from the beginning, especially QUOTABLE yesterday when we were all struggling we all fought for each other,” said Kupcho, who won the NCAA Women’s individual title Tomoko Sakamoto, Japan captain: “I am very, very happy. I don’t in 2018. “We all wanted to win for each other, and I think that know what to say! I was hoping to at least finish third, so they was a big thing coming out of yesterday. And, I think that’s how could raise the national flag. The fourth is the best finish we have we got our big lead coming into today.” had – so this is the best. This team is probably the strongest Japan team we have had. It’s so huge because last week the boys Japan’s first appearance on the medal podium in 28 appearances won the gold medal at the Asian games and now the girls have was formulated by a pair of 3-under 70s from 18-year-olds Yuri got the silver here. So, the news carries on and it’s going to have Yoshida and Yuna Nishimura a big impact in Japan.” Their final total was 19-under 561. Previously, its best finish was Brenda Corrie-Kuehn, Dominican playing captain who was a fourth in 1984. member of the last USA team to win the Esprito Santo Trophy Defending champion Republic of Korea stalled in its attempt to in 1998: “Back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, the U.S. had historically overtake the USA and captured the bronze medal, which is its dominated the WATC. The fact that it has taken us 20 years to fifth consecutive medal-winning performance. The Koreans, who gain the victory back shows how strong women’s golf worldwide had won three of the previous four WWATCs, withstood a late has become. Both victories were marked by decisive margins. rally from fourth-place People’s Republic of China to finish at The U.S. brought an amazing team this year, and we all knew they 18-under 562 were the unspoken favorites. They played as champions from beginning to end and deserved the win! Although there is no official recognition, Korea’s Ayean Cho was the low individual scorer at 17-under 273. Kristen Gillman, USA: “It means so much to us. We worked so hard and we fought on every shot. When three people are all NOTABLE playing well, it is tough to beat us.” The USA took the lead when Gillman and Kupcho fired 8-under 65s on the O’Meara Course in round two and went from a one- stroke lead through 36 holes to a five-stroke lead through 54 Women’s World Amateur Team 3 Championship Results: 1964 to 2018 1964 (Oct. 1-4): St. Germain G.C., St. Germain, France 1 France ...............588 Scotland. 624 19 Japan ...............649 2 USA .................589 11 Belgium ..............626 20 Argentina .............658 3 England ..............597 12 South Africa .........627 21 Spain ................663 4 Canada. 606 13 Wales ................634 22 Portugal ..............668 5 Australia ............. 613 14 Ireland ...............637 23 Denmark .............682 T6 New Zealand ..........616 T15 Italy .................641 24 Bermuda .............689 Sweden ..............616 Philippines. .641 25 Austria ............... 713 8 Germany ............. 621 Netherlands ...........641 T9 Mexico ...............624 18 Chile ................645 1966 (Oct. 20-23): Mexico City C.C., Mexico City, Mexico 1 USA ................580 New Zealand .......... 613 15 Japan ...............648 2 Canada. 589 South Africa .......... 613 16 Brazil ................659 3 France ...............597 10 Sweden .............. 617 17 Venezuela ............690 4 Belgium .............. 611 11 Australia ............. 621 18 Chile ................703 5 Great Britain & Ireland. .. 612 12 Netherlands ...........625 19 Bermuda ..............711 T6 Italy ................. 613 13 Germany ............. 631 Mexico ............... 613 14 Spain ................647 1968 (Oct. 2-5): Victoria G.C., Victoria, Australia 1 USA .................616 7 Argentina ............. 651 13 Netherlands ...........665 2 Australia ............. 621 8 New Zealand ..........653 14 Japan ...............666 3 France ...............622 9 Philippines. .654 15 Mexico ...............670 4 Sweden ..............638 10 Italy .................655 16 China ................671 5 Canada. 643 11 South Africa .........659 17 Bermuda .............773 6 Great Britain & Ireland. ..649 12 Belgium ..............661 1970 (Sept. 30 – Oct. 3): R.S.H.E. Club de Campo, Madrid, Spain 1 USA .................598 9 Belgium .............. 631 17 Brazil ................663 2 France ...............599 T10 Italy .................632 18 Japan ...............670 3 South Africa ..........606 Sweden ..............632 19 Uruguay ..............672 4 Canada. 610 12 China ................633 20 Switzerland ...........673 5 Argentina .............624 13 Spain ................634 21 Norway ..............676 6 Great Britain & Ireland. ..626 14 Netherlands ...........640 22 Venezuela ............697 7 Australia .............629 15 Philippines. .642 8 Germany .............630 16 New Zealand ..........653 4 Women’s World Amateur Team 1972 (Oct. 11-14):: The Hindu C.C., Buenos Aires, Argentina 1 USA ................583 8 Argentina .............605 15 South Africa .........638 2 France ...............587 9 Spain ................610 16 Chile ................643 3 Sweden ..............594 10 Italy ................. 612 17 Brazil ................653 4 Australia .............601 11 New Zealand .......... 621 18 Peru ................665 T5 Canada. 602 12 Germany .............622 19 Colombia .............666 Great Britain & Ireland. ..602 13 Netherlands ...........624 20 Uruguay ..............680 Japan ...............602 14 Belgium ..............628 1974 (Oct. 22-25): Campo de Golf, Cajuiles, La Romana, Dominican Republic 1 USA ................620 9 Switzerland ...........654 17 Chile ................692 T2 Great Britain & Ireland. ..636 10 Canada. 655 18 Jamaica .............. 712 South Africa .........636 11 Japan ...............657 19 Dominican Republic ..... 718 4 Australia .............637 12 Brazil ................665 20 Puerto Rico ...........722 5 Spain ................639 13 Netherlands ...........668 21 Venezuela ............732 6 Italy .................640 14 New Zealand ..........676 22 Bermuda .............814 7 France ...............647 15 Argentina .............682 8 Sweden ..............650 16 Belgium ..............687 1976 (Oct. 6-9): Vilamoura G.C., Portimao, Algarve, Portugal 1 USA ................605 T10 Germany .............641 T19 Denmark .............685 2 France ...............622 Sweden ..............641 Mexico ...............685 3 Brazil ................626 12 Japan ...............643 T21 Norway ..............701 4 Italy .................635 13 Great Britain & Ireland. ..645 Sri Lanka .............701 T5 Australia .............636 14 Argentina .............649 T23 Rhodesia .............702 Canada. 636 15 Switzerland ...........663 24 Portugal ..............762 7 China ................638 16 Netherlands ...........669 25 Dominican Republic ....777 T8 South Africa .........639 17 Belgium ..............674