Wales show their mettle against best in the world at Eisenhower
WALES showed their mettle on the international stage as the men finished tied for 18th at the World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy at Carton House, Ireland.
Welsh Amateur champion Thomas Williams (Wrexham) (pictured), Jake Hapgood (Southerndown) and Ben Chamberlain (Padeswood & Buckley) were given the responsibility of leading Wales against 71 other nations, and they performed admirably.
With two of the best three scores in each round counting towards the nation’s overall score, Wales started with 141 thanks to 69 from Chamberlain and Hapgood’s 72.
Williams’ opening score of 73 didn’t count but he improved in the second round with 70.
This time Hapgood led the way with 68 while Chamberlain carded 74, which wasn’t added to the total.
Williams shot the worst score in round three with 75, which saw Chamberlain (70) and Hapgood (72) bolster the tally before Williams struck 69 over the final 18 holes with Hapgood’s 70 leaving Wales on 560, 20-under par.
South American trio Argentina, Chile and Colombia also finished on 560 with Wales.
European Amateur champion Nicolai Hojgaard and his identical twin Rasmus, both 17, led Denmark to their first ever victory pipping USA to the title by one point with 541.
Spaniard Alejandro del Rey was the most consistent performer with rounds of 70, 64, 68 and 65 helping his side to a top-three finish.
Wales will be hoping to continue that form this week with the Men’s Home Internationals at Conwy before the Seniors take the spotlight at Southerness, Scotland next Tuesday.
Newport’s Andrew Williams will lead the side for the first time since being named Wales Seniors captain.
The 60-year-old will be joined by Welsh Seniors champion Colin Jones (West Sussex), North Wales Senior Open champion Nigel Evans (St Mellons), 2017 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship winner Nick Grimmitt (Glamorganshire), Wales Golf Senior Men’s Order of Merit winner Philip Sutton (Dunstable Downs), Michael Calvert (Walmley) and John Williams (Prestatyn).
The Senior Ladies’ Home Internationals is also just around the corner with Royal St David’s Ann Lewis set to spearhead the attack at Burnham & Berrow in early October.
Patricia Fernon (St Pierre), Jane Hallows (Llandudno, Maesdu), Chris Harries (Llanwern), Jane Rees (Minchinhampton), Sharon Roberts (Ashburnham) and Janette Williams (Royal St David’s) have also been selected for international duty.
Lewis will hope to replicate the form she found as she managed to defend her Welsh Open Senior Ladies’ Championship crown with a battling victory at Rolls of Monmouth.
She led the field after the first round with a one-under 72 as she cancelled out four bogeys with five birdies, including three on holes 14, 15 and 16.
Gillian Brown (Burnham & Berrow) was her closest challenger on 74.
A double bogey on the fifth in round two saw her tally slip a little bit but she managed to hit a further three birdies and three bogeys to finish with a two-over 75, which left her on 147 for the tournament.
The second round proved problematic for the majority of the field with three-time former champion Rees the only golfer to better Lewis’ score on the second day with 74.
And that saw Lewis reclaim her title, beating Englishwoman Caroline Berry (Bromborough) by six shots.
Rees was third on 154 with Amanda Mayne (Saltford) on the same tally.