Italy makes history, wins the World Amateur Team Championship in Paris
Italy made history last Saturday.
Teenager Marco Florioli shot a bogey-free 6-under 66, and a 3-under 68 from Pietro Bovari led Italy to the Eisenhower Trophy in the men’s World Amateur Team Championship on Saturday at Le Golf National in Paris, France. It was the country’s first medal in 32 WATC appearances. Italy beat Sweden by one stroke, and the United States finished third, four strokes behind Italy.
“The key point today is that I have seen our players win without thinking about the results,” Italy captain Matteo Delpodio said. “They were winners on the golf course. When you see players play this way with this attitude, the results don’t matter. What matters is that they played like champions.”
The World Amateur Team Championship is four rounds of stroke play with the two lowest individual scores from each team counting each day.
The par-5 14th hole was central along the stretch. Florioli was the first Italian player out and held a chip, then Bovari followed with an eagle for a three-stroke win in Sweden.
“I felt like I was going to birdie that chip, and I made it,” Florioli said.
Although there is no official recognition, Sweden’s Tobias Jonsson was the low individual with a score of 17 under 269.
Austin Greaser played well for the USA, playing in the 60s all four days. Norway finished fourth, its highest ever finish.