Spirit International: Tommy Morrison shines on first day at Whispering Pines
Tommy Morrison leads the Men's individual. (The Spirit invitational)
Spirit International started on Thursday at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas. Eighty amateurs from 20 different countries are competing as teams and individuals.
During the 54-hole event, five different competitions are happening concurrently. Each event awards gold, silver, and bronze medals.
Here’s a rundown of how each of the five events stands after 18 holes.
Overall Team EventIn the overall team event, the best ball scores from each the men’s and women’s scores are combined. Team Australia (Josiah Gilbert, Kai Komulainen, Momo Sugiyama, and Keeley Marx) leads after shooting 15-under par. England is one shot behind after the men’s team of Dominic Clemons and Matthew Dodd-Berry shot 63 and the women’s team of Nellie Ong and Patience Rhodes shot 67.
Men’s Team EventAustralia’s duo of Josiah Gilbert and Kai Komulainen shot 12-under par in the best ball format. Their 60 was three shots better than any other team. The United States team of Tommy Morrison and David Ford fired a 63. Morrison played stupendous golf, carding seven birdies and an eagle. Ford’s two birdies came on holes that Morrison also made a birdie on. Omar Morales and Gerardo Gómez of Mexico also shot 63. Team England was the third team to shoot 63 on Thursday.
Women’s Team EventSpain and Denmark both shot 7-under 65 and a cluttered leaderboard. Five other countries sit one shot back after rounds of 66. Team USA (Jasmine Koo and Asterisk Talley) shot 70 and sit five shots off the pace
Men’s IndividualThe individual events do not use 54-hole scores. Instead, the only thing that counts are birdies and eagles. Tommy Morrison leads the way with nine “instances” of under-par holes. He made seven birdies and one eagle. Mexico’s Morales made eight birdies and just behind him sits both Australians. Gilbert and Komulainen each had seven “instances.”
Morrison, Morales, and Gilbert were named on the Haskins Final Fall Watch List this week.
Women’s IndividualThere’s a four-way tie at the top of the women’s individual event after 18 holes. Soomin Oh (Rep. of Korea), Adela Cernousek (France), Meja Örtengren (Sweden), and Emma Bunch (Denmark) all made six birdies to pace the field.
View results for The Spirit International Amateur
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. The 96 participants enjoy an
Olympic-like experience from the
Opening/Closing Ceremonies, international
village and competing for gold medals.
The World Health & Golf Association and
Texas Golf Association invite 24 countries
from six continents to participate. Established
in 2001, The Spirit is a biennial event that
alternates tournament years with the World
Amateur Team Championships.
Part of the uniqueness of the Spirit International are
the five simultaneous competitions:
Combined International Championship, Men’s Team
Championship, Women’s Team
Championship, Men’s Individual and Women’s
Individual.
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