Nathan Smith, Kelly Kraft, Austin Ernst and Emily Tubert played the final five holes at 5-under par, sealing the victory
TRINITY, Texas (Nov. 5, 2011) -- When you
beat a field the best amateurs in the world by
10 shots, as the U.S. Team did Saturday at
the sixth playing of The Spirit International at
Whispering Pines Golf Club, there’s really not
much left to say.
American Nathan Smith found some fitting
words, however.
“That was a perfect ending to an amazing
week,” said Smith, who ignited the final rally
with a tap-in eagle on the 14th hole that
pushed the U.S. Team to a lopsided gold medal
performance in the coveted International Team
Division. The Americans posted a final score of
31-under par in the 72-hole, best-ball stoke
play championship.
Argentina and Mexico tied for the silver medal
at 21-under, and Korea took home the bronze
with a score of 20-under par. For the U.S.,
this was the second straight team title and
third overall. The Americans also won gold in
2003.
Under sunny skies and perfect playing
conditions, the U.S. started the final round
with a three-shot lead. They played textbook
team golf throughout the day and finished with
a a flurry. Smith, Kelly Kraft, Austin Ernst and
Emily Tubert played the final five holes—
considered by many as the best closing
stretch in Texas—at 5-under par, including
Smith’s eagle and a 35-foot bomb for birdie by
Ernst on the 18th hole.
“This is just awesome,” said Ernst, who along
with Tubert also claimed the bronze in the
Women’s Team Division. The U.S. Team shot a
combined 11-under in the final round and
suffered only one team bogey.
“When you’re in the lead by three shots going
into the final day, playing mistake-free golf is
key,” Ernst said. “You want someone to have
to come take it from you. But we played pretty
flawlessly today and didn’t let that
happen.”
Mexico mounted the biggest threat, playing
10-under as a team to vault from seventh
place into second. Paced by the stellar play of
Carlos Ortiz and Sebastian Vazquez, Mexico
trailed the U.S. by just four shots before Smith
took aim at the green on the gorgeous par-4
14th hole that plays over an inlet of Lake
Livingston.
“The marker said 392 yards, but it was
downwind and I cut the corner,” said Smith, a
33-year-old lifetime amateur who has won
three national championships as USGA Mid-
Amateur. “Kelly hit a great drive down there
and I knew he was going to make par or birdie.
He turned me loose, and I went for it.”
Smith’s drive hit the middle of the green, rolled
up a slope and came back down to finish one
foot from the pin. He tapped in the eagle putt
to get the U.S. to 28-under par. Smith then
drained an 11-foot birdie on No. 15 to give the
Americans a comfortable six-shot lead with
three holes to play. They finished in style,
carrying the American flag over the stone
bridge that leads to the 18th green to the
chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A” from the excited
gallery.
“There has been some talk recently about the
American teams’ ability to close out these
kinds of tournaments,” said U.S. captain David
Fay, the former executive director of the
USGA. “This great team punctuated a fabulous
week and showed that Americans can still
close.”
Smith and Kraft did more than that. Their final
round combined score of 8-under-par 64 lifted
them into rarified air. The talented duo won
the Men’s Team Division at 18-under 270. They
also tied five other players for the Men’s
Individual title. The American men join
Americans Paula Creamer, Lorena Ochoa and
Lexi Thompson and England’s Daniel Willett as
the only players in the history The Spirit to win
three gold medals in a single competition.
“This was a bit of redemption for me and
Nathan both,” said Kraft, the reigning U.S.
Amateur and two-time Texas Amateur
champion. “We both played for the U.S. in the
Walker Cup, but we lost. Everyone said we
were the heavy favorites over there, but we
didn’t get it done. Playing for your country is
such a special honor, but you really want to
win. It feels great to take the gold here at The
Spirit.”
The U.S. was so dominant in the final round
that it would be easy to overlook Mexico’s
performance. But the Mexicans played nearly
as well as their neighbors to the north. Ortiz
said they will head home content with the
silver medal.
“This feels great,” said Ortiz, who won the
2011 individual Sun Belt Conference title at the
University of North Texas. “I’m not surprised,
because we knew we could win this
tournament. Maybe not this year, but we will
be back.”
Mexico also won silver in the Men’s Team
Division, tying with the gritty Canadians at 16-
under par. Canada’s Garrett Rank fought
through a stomach virus and dehydration that
sent him to the hospital for several hours after
the first round. Japan won the bronze medal in
the Men’s Team Division.
The Korean women won gold in the Women’s
Team Division with a score of 15-under par.
Argentina, led by the torrid play of potential
future LPGA star Victoria Tanco, took silver in
the Women’s Team Division at 14-under. The
U.S. women took the bronze.
Tanco, who recorded a final round hole-in-one
on the 159-yard par-3 third hole, won the
Women’s Individual title. She made 16 birdies
and the eagle on the week. Tanco, a four-time
participant in the Women’s U.S. Open as an
amateur, heads to the final stage of LPGA
Qualifying School on Nov. 30.
“I chose this as my final amateur tournament
because it is so important and special,” Tanco
said. “I enjoyed my amateur career and look
forward to what comes next.”
Germany’s Sophia Popov won the silver in the
Women’s Individual Division, and Korea’s Kyu-
Jung Baek won the bronze.
The Men’s Individual competition finished in a
logjam. Seven players tied for the gold medal,
including Kraft, Smith, Ortiz, Thomas Pieters
from Belgium, Mackenzie Hughes from Canada
and South Africa’s Ruan de Smidt.
Four competitors tied for men’s individual silver
medal: Lorenzo Scott, Italy; Clement Sordet,
France; Hideto Kobukuro, Japan; and Mexico’s
Vazquez. Another six tied for the men’s
individual silver medal, including Rank, Ireland’s
Reeve Whitson, France’s Joel Stalter, German
Benedict Staben, Brad Moules from Australia
and Kaster Kjaer Estrup of Denmark.
About the The Spirit International Amateur
The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship is world class golf event played every other year. It features the world’s best amateur men and amateur women golfers as they represent their respective country in team and individual competitions. T...
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