Canada Finishes Fourth at Women’s World Amateur Team Championship

Adelaide, Australia (RCGA) – Team Canada, consisting of Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Windsor, Que., Kira Meixner of Richmond, B.C. and Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont. finished the 2008 Women’s World Amateur Team Golf Championship on Saturday in fourth place with a combined team score of 583. The team finished strong, combining for a fourth round 3-under par 141 and posting a four-day total of 147-148-147-141--583 (+3) to jump from seventh to fourth.

LeBlanc was the top Canuck Saturday, shooting a 3-under par 69 in the final round to aid Canada’s cause. She finished with a four-day total of 73-75-71-69--288 (-2) good enough for a fourth place finish in the individual standings.Sherlock finished with a four-day total of 299 (+9), while Meixner, who is making her second appearance at the World Amateur’s finished with a total of 301 (+11). In its 23 appearances at the Women’s World Amateur Championship, Canada has finished 15th or better 18 times. Its best results came in 1966, 1978 and in 2004 when Canada finished in second place.

While Canada made their move on the last day, Sweden held the lead from start to finish, capturing the Espirito Santo Trophy by 12-strokes over Spain. The Swedes finished at 19-under-par 561, just three strokes off the lowest score in championship history set by the USA in 1998 (558). Spain followed in second this year at 7-under 573, two strokes ahead of the USA at 575 (-5). Canada finished fourth at 583, followed by Japan in fifth at 584, Germany in sixth at 585, England in seventh at 586, Netherlands and Denmark tied for eighth at 587 and defending champion South Africa in 10th at 588. Although there is no official individual recognition, Caroline Hedwall of Sweden was the low scorer at 10-under par 280.In the biennial Women’s World Amateur, each team, which has two or three players, plays 18 holes of stroke play for four days. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day 72-hole total is the team’s score for the championship.

The winning team receives custody of the Espirito Santo Trophy for the ensuing two years. Members of the winning team receive gold medals, with silver and bronze medals go to the teams who finish second and third respectively.The 2010 championships will be played in Buenos Aires, Argentina.Next week the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship will take place in Adelaide, Australia. Canada will be represented by Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Jordan Irwin of Calgary and David Markle of Shelburne, Ont. The International Golf Federation was founded in 1958 to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship. The IGF is recognized as the international federation for golf for the International Olympic Committee and comprise the national governing bodies of golf of more than 110 countries.More information, including full scores, about the World Amateur Team Golf Championship is available online at http://www.internationalgolffederation.org/.

Non-playing captain of the Women’s team, eight time World Amateur Team veteran and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mary Ann Lapointe of Georgetown, Ont. also kept a blog from Australia on the RCGA website: (http://www.rcga.org/).

FINAL RESULTS Women’s World Amateur Team Golf Championship Adelaide, AustraliaThe Grange Golf Club’s East and West Courses East: 6,260 yards/ 5,724 meters and par 37-36--73 West: 6,149 yards/ 5,622 meters and par 36-36--72

Team Results (Top 10 of 48)
1 Sweden 137-138-147-139--561 (-19)
2 Spain 145-138-150-140--573 (-7)
3 United States of America 152-144-142-137--575 (-5)
4 Canada 147-148-147-141--583 (+3)
5 Japan 146-147-143-148--584 (+4)
6 Germany 148-150-145-142--585 (+5)
7 England 149-147-150-140--586 (+6)
T8 Denmark 149-149-145-144--587 (+7)
T8 Netherlands 150-142-148-147--587 (+7)
10 South Africa 147-143-150-148--588 (+8)

Individual Results (Top 10 of 144)
1 Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) 67-70-73-70 –280 (-10)
2 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 70-68 -74-69—281 (-9)
3 Azahara Munoz (Spain) 71-72-74-70—287 (-3)
4 Maude-Aimée LeBlanc (Canada) 73-75-71-69—288 (-2)
5 Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 77-68-70-74—289 (+2)
T6 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 71-73-71-75—290 (+3)
T6 Jodi Ewart (England) 73-72-75-70--290 (E)
T6 Caroline Masson (Germany) 75-74-71-70—290 (E)
T6 Maria Jose (Colombia) 73-73-72-72—290 (E)
T6 Alison Walshe (United States of America) 78-73-69-70—290 (E)

Other Canadians
T27 Stephanie Sherlock (Canada) 75-73-79-72—299 (+9)
T36 Kira Meixner (Canada) 74-78-76-73—301 (+11)