D.J. Trahan Leads USA to Victory |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (28 October) - Bolstered by a 6-under-par 66
from Clemson All-American D.J. Trahan, the national college player of the year, the USA overcame a three-stroke deficit and won the 2002 World Amateur Team Championship by three strokes over third-round leader France at Saujana Golf & Country Club in Malaysia. "That was as fine a round of golf as you will see at the amateur level," said USA captain O. Gordon Brewer Jr of Trahan's final round. "He picked the team up on his shoulders." Trahan's round, which included five birdies, a bogey and an eagle, boosted the USA to a four-day total of 8-under-par 568 and a successful defense of the Eisenhower Trophy, which they won for the 12th time. Trahan, was 2-under-par at the turn, then eagled the par-5 13th hole and finished with birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to clinch the victory for the United States. For the champions, 2002 U.S. Amateur champion Ricky Barnes shot 2-over-par 74 and helped the USA register a 4-under-par total of 140 on the final day. Trahan's 66 tied for the lowest individual score of the championship and was the second-lowest final round in 23 playings of the WATC. "He played very good golf. He holed many putts and hit good iron shots. His game was perfect," said Eric Chaudouet of France, who played with Trahan. France began the final round with a three-stroke lead over the USA but, according to their coach, the critical point was at the 14th and 15th holes. "We made a bogey on the 14th and didn't hole our birdie putts on the 15th," said French coach Anne Leconiat of their 5-under-par total of 571. The USA, meanwhile, made two pars each on those key holes and did not lose ground. Trahan's eagle on the par-13th, however, was another critical play, according to Brewer. "Prior to that it was nip and tuck," said the USA captain. The French runner-up finish was their highest in 23 times in the championship, besting their third-place ranking in 1992. Heavy early morning rain and lightning activity forced a change in the championship format. Invoking a condition of play, the WAGC Championship Committee decided to implement a cut following the third round and limited play in the fourth round to the leading 20 teams. Play started at the first and 10th tees of the Palm Course at 10 a.m. All teams in positions 21-63 did not play a fourth round and their final positions were determined by their total scores after 54 holes. Although no individual honors are awarded by the WAGC, it did recognize Marcus Fraser of Australia, who shot 7-under-par 281. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Results of Sunday's (27 October) fourth round of the World Amateur Team Championship, played at the Saujana Golf & Country Club (Palm Course: par 36-36--72, 6,343 meters, 6,939 yards: Palm Course (Final Round Only) Place, Team, Scoring Rounds, Total, score To par Thru Today 1 2 3 4 1 USA -8 F -4 137 149 142 140 568 2 France -5 F +2 142 144 139 146 571 T3 Australia -2 F -2 152 143 137 142 574 T3 Philippines -2 F -4 146 145 143 140 574 T5 Austria -1 F -3 150 140 144 141 575 T5 New Zeal. -1 F -4 149 142 144 140 575 7 England +2 F -1 143 147 145 143 578 8 Colombia +4 F -3 143 153 143 141 580 9 Italy +5 F E 150 150 137 144 581 10 Spain +6 F +3 148 147 140 147 582 T11 Chin.Taipei +7 F E 150 141 148 144 583 T11 Sweden +7 F E 144 154 141 144 583 13 Netherlds +9 F -2 150 152 141 142 585 14 Wales +10 F +4 151 143 144 148 586 T15 Argentina +12 F +8 143 146 147 152 588 T15 Germany +12 F +5 148 144 147 149 588 T15 Switz. +12 F +2 151 145 146 146 588 18 Finland +15 F +8 143 148 148 152 591 19 Norway +16 F +6 150 148 144 150 592 20 Thailand +17 F +9 143 152 145 153 593 Final Individual Top 20 1 Marcus Fraser, AUS -7 F -2 74 70 67 70 281 2 Gregory Bourdy, FRA-6 F E 70 69 71 72 282 3 Angelo Que, PHI -5 F E 72 70 69 72 283 4 Tim Wilkinson, NZL -4 F -3 77 69 69 69 284 5 Camilo Villegas, COL-2 F -1 68 75 72 71 286 6 Hunter Mahan, USA E F +5 68 72 71 77 288 7 Martin Wiegele, AUT+1 F -2 78 71 70 70 289 T8 Jamie Elson, ENG +2 F -1 71 77 71 71 290 T8 Edoardo Molinari, ITA +2 F -1 76 77 66 71 290 T10 MichaelThannhauser, GER +3 F +2 72 72 73 74 291 T10 D.J. Trahan, USA +3 F -6 76 78 71 66 291 T10 Gary Wolstenholme, ENG +3 F E 74 71 74 72 291 T13 Matias Anselmo, ARG +4 F +6 70 71 73 78 292 T13 Pablo Martin, ESP +4 F +4 73 75 68 76 292 T13 Francesco Molinari, ITA +4 F +1 74 74 71 73 292 T16 Ricky Barnes, USA +5 F +2 69 77 73 74 293 T16 Thomas Kogler, AUT +5 F -1 72 76 74 71 293 T16 David Price, WAL +5 F +2 77 70 72 74 293 T19 Lars-Petter Brovold, NOR +6 F +3 78 72 69 75 294 T19 Julien Clement, SUI +6 F E 79 70 73 72 294
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