Sweden takes the lead in the amateur team WC
Sweden takes the lead in the amateur team WC
Sweden, powered by an 8-under-par 64 from Tobias Jonsson and a 6-under-par 66 from Ludvig Aberg, passed Japan, which led after rounds 1 and 2, to take the lead at 23-under-par 407 after three rounds of the 32nd World Amateur Team Championship at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche. – We don’t win the world championship with the brakes on, said Swedish coach Jonnie Eriksson about Saturday’s final round at Le Golf National. “We have to do our absolute best and hope something goes our way. There are seven or eight teams competing. It will be fantastic tomorrow.”
The Swedes climbed 10 spots on the leaderboard based on their 14-under 130 in the third round, which is the second-best round 3 team score in Eisenhower Trophy history. The U.S. set the mark at 128 in Japan 2014, powered by Bryson DeChambeau’s championship-record 61.
Entering the final round at Le Golf National, site of the 2018 Ryder Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games, Sweden is one stroke ahead of first and second round leaders Japan, Italy and the United States. The hosts from France trail by two strokes in fifth place.
“We decided to be very aggressive today because we were a few shots back,” Jonsson said. “I went for it today and I played well from the start.” The Mercer University junior shared the day’s low honors with Ashita Piamkulvanich of Thailand, who shot a bogey-free 7-under 64 at Le Golf National.
Italy, who had a solo second place at the start of the day, drew a 3-under 69 from Pietro Bovari and a 2-under 70 from 2022 Open Championship low amateur Filippo Celli.
“We didn’t play our best to be honest,” Italy captain Matteo Delpodio said. “It’s been a tough day. We had to save a lot of pars. Celli was good on the back nine, but he didn’t play his best golf but was able to score a good score. It’s pretty good because there’s room for improvement, and we know that tomorrow we have to go low to take home this championship.”
Japan, who held a five-stroke advantage in the middle, surrendered its lead as it could not withstand Sweden’s low-scoring surge.
Taiga Semikawa posted a 3-under 69 but World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR® No. 1 Keita Nakajima’s 3-over 75 was a tally.
“I think playing with the big lead on the first day and then a big lead after the second day, it’s always going to be a tough day,” Gareth Jones, Japan captain. “Hopefully it’s Day 3 that’s the tough day and not Day 4. You never want to defend the lead. You can’t do that. I think today is a lesson for the guys that we have to keep playing because there are great players out here. “
The USA combined a 4-under from Michael Thorbjornsen with a 3-under from Austin Greaser to put themselves back in contention and ousted a 1-under from Gordon Sargent.
“They ran it beautifully,” said USA captain Diana Murphy. “We struggled with the greens but in terms of their off-the-tee game it was really impressive. I’d say it was our strongest day. The greens got us today, but they found a deep composed spirit again. We’re here for to give this a really good fight. We’d love to go home with the Eisenhower Trophy.”
Completing the top 10, Spain have sixth place followed by Norway in seventh, Argentina in eighth, Wales in ninth and fast-moving Austria in 10th.
See results for Men’s Amateur Team
IF Men’s amateur team
In 1958, the United States Golf Association asked The R&A to join them in sponsoring a worldwide event for amateur golf teams played twice a year in non-Walker Cup years. Between 35 and 40 nations were represented at the first meeting, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower presented the trophy that bears his name. The committee for the event would be called the World Amateur Golf Council and is now the International Golf Federation. Teams of four players from each country competed over 72 holes with the top three scores from each round counting. The first competition was held between 29 nations at St Andrews, where Australia beat the USA in a play-off. In 2002, the format was changed to teams of three with the leading two points counting.
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