Van Doren wins Belgian Amateur for his country

KAPELLEN, BELGIUM (July 21, 2018) – For the third consecutive year, the Belgian International Amateur trophy has gone home with a Belgian player. This year, Yente Van Doren won it for his country, besting Philip Bootsma of the Netherlands by a shot at Royal Antwerp Golf Club.

Van Doren won on the strength of his second and third rounds – a 7-under 65 followed by 8-under 64. He bookended those with rounds of even-par 72 to reach 15 under for the week. Van Doren carded 23 birdies at Royal Antwerp. A bogey at the 18th on Saturday shrank his margin of victory, but still let him safely on top.

Van Doren has played college golf in the United States for the past three years at Lindenwood University, an NCAA Division II school near St. Louis, Mo. He had seven top-5 finishes this past season.

Bootsma, meanwhile, started hot with three rounds in the 60s – 68, 66, 69. His 1-under 71 was not quite enough to earn him the trophy. Bootsma was fourth at this event in 2017, and earlier this year, he was T-5 at the Italian International Amateur. He won the Dutch Amateur in 2016.

Van Doren’s countryman Giovanni Tadiotto was another shot behind Bootsma at 13 under. Four players tied for fourth at 12 under, including Alan The Bondt, who plays out of Royal Antwerp, Pier Francesco De Col of Italy, Jean de Wouters d’Oplinter of Belgium and Daniel Hebenstreit of Austria.