THE SPIRIT INTERNATIONAL AT WHISPERING PINES

SCOTLAND A DISAPPOINTING 15th AS
UNITED STATES WIN BY 16 STROKES

SCOTLAND finished a disappointing 15th of 24 behind the United States, winners by a commanding 16-stroke margin of The Spirit International mixed amateur better-ball golf team championship over the Whispering Pines golf course, north of Houston in Texas.
The Americans had their female pairing of Jane Park and Paula Creamer to thank for the clear-cut victory as they topped the women's standings by 12 strokes from Australia (Dana Lacey and Katy Jarochowicz) with a splendid 28-under-par total of 260 for the four rounds.
The American men, Brandt Snedeker and Matthew Rosenfeld headed the men's totals with a 25-under-par score of 263 but only by two strokes from New Zealand.
The final overall team placings were: 1 United States (523), 2 Australia (539) and joint 3rd Finland and New Zealand.
Australia's male partnership was Nick Flanagan and Michael Sim.
The Scots' combined men's and women's total of 143 for the fourth and final round was only one under par, the same as their opening round. The countries who finished above Scotland were all getting under-par scores from their men's and women's teams.
Scotland (561) even slipped two shots behind England (559) in the final tallies. Scotland were represented by Walker Cup player Stuart Wilson (Forfar) and past Scottish champion Andrew McArthur (Windyhill) as well as the women's pairing of Centenary Scottish title-winner Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) and fellow Vagliano Trophy team player, Clare Queen from Drumpellier.
Wilson and McArthur shot a final round of two-under-par 70 which included two counting bogeys at the 13th and 16th. They had birdies at the second (McArthur), third (Wilson), 12th (both), and 17th (McArthur). Scotland finished tied 13th in the men's standings on 15-under--par 273, the same total as England's Gary Wolsteholme and Ross Fisher.
The Scotland women finished 15th in the female table with a level-par total of 288, losing a few places over the final round by not being able to put together a better-ball score under the par of 72. They returned a 73 which included a double-bogey 6 at the 11th and bogeys at the fifth and 10th. Their birdies came at the sixth (Queen), 14th (Queen) and 18th (Queen).
England finished tied 11th with 286 in the women's standings. Their pairing was British women's open amateur stroke-play champion Shelley McKevitt and Vagliano Trophy team player Fame More.



FINAL TEAM TOTALS (PAR 576)
523 UNITED STATES 128 129 126 140
539 AUSTRALIA 133 133 134 139
550 FINLAND 140 138 131 141, NEW ZEALAND 135 138 135 142.
551 KOREA 131 147 136 137, NETHERLANDS 134 140 139 138.
553 THAILAND, COLOMBIA
554 GERMANY.
556 AUSTRIA.
559 CANADA, ITALY, ENGLAND 140 140 139 140.
560 MEXICO.
561 SCOTLAND 143 137 138 143.
562 PHILIPPINES, SWEDEN
565 DENMARK, ARGENTINA.
566 SOUTH AFRICA.
569 NORWAY.
585 TAIPEI.
608 MALAYSIA
696 CROATIA

FINAL MEN'S TEAM TOTALS (PAR 288)
263 UNITED STATES 64 66 62 71
265 NEW ZEALAND 68 65 64 68.
266 THAILAND 64 70 65 67.
267 MEXICO 70 69 65 63, AUSTRALIA 66 63 68 70.
268 FINLAND 68 64 64 72.
269 PHILIPPINES.
270 SWEDEN, AUSTRIA, COLOMBIA.
272 SOUTH AFRICA, NETHERLANDS.
273 CANADA, SCOTLAND 69 66 68 70, ENGLAND 66 72 67 68.
274 GERMANY.
275 NORWAY, ITALY, ARGENTINA.
276 KOREA
283 DENMARK.
291 TAIPEI.
296 MALAYSIA
332 CROATIA

FINAL WOMEN'S TEAM TOTALS (PAR 288)

260 UNITED STATES 64 63 64 69.
272 AUSTRALIA 67 70 66 69.
275 KOREA 64 72 69 70.
279 NETHERLANDS.
280 GERMANY.
282 FINLAND, DENMARK.
283 COLOMBIA.
284 ITALY.
285 NEW ZEALAND.
286 CANADA, AUSTRIA, ENGLAND 74 68 72 72.
287 THAILAND.
288 SCOTLAND 74 71 70 73.
291 ARGENTINA.
292 SWEDEN.
293 PHILIPPINES, MEXICO.
294 SOUTH AFRICA, NORWAY, TAIPEI.
312 MALAYSIA.
364 CROATIA