The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship

The Spirit International
Tournament information
Location	Trinity, Texas
Established	2001
Course(s)	Whispering Pines Golf Club
Par	72
Length	7,473 yd (6,833 m)
Format	Best ball
Month played	November
Current champion
	United States

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]

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

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

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

Source:^[5]^[6]

Overall champions

Year	Winning team	Score	Runner(s)-up	Score	Winning team members
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

Year	Men		Women
Year	Team	Members	Team	Members
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	Australia	Thomas Kogler & Martin Wiegele	Mexico	Lorena Ochoa & Violeta Retamoza

Individual champions

Year	Men	Women
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

^ "Fay to Captain USA Spirit International Team". Spirit International. USGA. September 28, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
^ Martin, Sean (November 4, 2013). "Brun earns Crowne Plaza invitation". PGA Tour. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
^ Bailey, Mike (November 2, 2013). "U.S. turns strong finish into Spirit International golf title". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
^ "The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship Preview". Global Golf Post. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
^ "Spirit International Amateur Championship Final Results". The Spirit International. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
^ "Spirit Champions". The Spirit International. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ "The Spirit & Harvey". The Spirit International.

External links

Official site - most of the information is in the archive sections

[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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