© Amateur Golf World Cup

Amateur Golf World Cup, 1st day

After a week and a month full of emotion, the golf course of Hacienda Del Alamo is finally ready to host the AGWC international final. Indeed, after the bad weather occurred a week before the event, the whole team of gardeners and the golf manager, mobilized to prepare and repair this magnificent course as well as possible. The golf course was even closed four days just before the event in order to manicure it as well as possible.

First day of competition, under the sun already striking at 7:30 am, the 34 players of this final and the 16 guests tackled the very long course of "Hacienda Del Alamo", 6 m for a par 375.

Between 8:30 am and 9:50 am, the parts of the finalists started at hole number one and those of the guests at hole number 10, under an exceptional blue sky and a rather pleasant temperature.

Along the way the wind started to rise and big clouds arrived but without consequences apart from a few drops of rain.

From a sporting point of view, the competition is played by adding the gross and net score of each player of the team over a period of three rounds, two individual rounds and one scramble round.

Regarding the result of this day, the Czechs come out on top with a score of 131 points followed closely by the Japanese (128 points), defending champions, then a little detached Ivorians (111 points)

Our French in search of a first victory point to sixth place in the ranking with 24 points behind.

The reactions of our hot French people:

Gauthier Massard:

“My name is Gauthier, I qualified for the national final at Léry Poses. It was the last qualifying competition. I won it by playing 76, + 4. Then the national final at Saint-Omer Golf Club which I won in gross to go to Spain in Murcia. It was a huge pleasure. "

“Very stressed at the start of the 1st, especially with the photographer, the speaker, I found myself in the hardest from the first stroke of the 1. The first 3-4 holes were quite complicated with the stress to manage then I succeeded to relax. "

“It's a very difficult course, there is not a lot of rough to stop the balls, just a kind of soil mixed with stones. We also had to be very careful with the grain of the greens, which greatly influences the speed of the ball and the trajectory. We also suffered from the heat, at the start of the 3rd we had already drunk all the water from the Gifts of the 1st. ”

"We have been extremely well received from day one and we are happy to represent France for the Amateur Golf World Cup"

Romain Darracq:

“Course second series, start of the yellow, very complicated for me because it is very long. Departures are not easy because you arrive directly at the obstacle which leaves long clubs for the green attacks. "

“The Greens are not easy like the rest of the course. I did some good things but on the slightest bad thing I paid dearly for it. So we finish sixth after the first round. "

“The setting is incredible, the atmosphere that LeClub has managed to set is really superb and we are very lucky to be there and represent France. "

“Tomorrow's goal is the podium, we are four strokes from the third. Gauthier just has to maintain his level by nibbling a point or two more and I have a big effort to do and I think we can make up this delay to be able to give everything on the scramble. "

The French team - © Amateur Golf World Cup

Amateur Golf World Cup, 2nd day

After the stress of the first day of competition, our 17 nations arrived this morning with the desire to do battle on the course. The twice mowed and rolled greens have proven to be a real challenge for all of our seasoned golfers. All the conditions were met to score this morning, which did not fail.

The Japanese as well as the Czechs stood out a little more from the competition with a respective total of 256 points of 254 points.

Note the good performance of our French, which points to third place in the ranking with a delay of 21 points over the Japanese, for a total of 235 points. First place will be complicated but we are counting on the French team's cohesion to secure a place on the podium.

Attention also to the Moroccans, author of an exceptional day, in fourth place in the ranking, 2 points behind the French. Beautiful performance by the young Moroccan Bouchra Laktir, author of 63 points.

The reactions of our French people after their second round:

Romain Darracq:

"In the warm, the second round was much better, this time all the starts and the iron were impeccable, it was just missing the putting, 2-3 putts on each hole, it hurts and I woke up too late. Gauthier played very well he released a +6, very fit… "

“We will first wait for the results of all the games and then rest and see how we are for tomorrow, then give everything on this last lap. "

Gauthier Massard:

"In good shape, just a small error in hole number 11. I have a superb drive, I had 100 meters left, I scratched the approach, I missed my chip, I made one again and I made two putts so double bogey . A bit of a shame but overall a solid game whether it is small or large. "`

“The referee followed us for most of the day. He timed all of our shots, glued us so that we could move forward, that put a little pressure. But at least he was there and we were able to ask him questions and ask him. "

The Japanese team - © Amateur Golf World Cup

Amateur Golf World Cup, 3nd day

The last day of the Amateur Golf World Cup 2019 final took place in a festive atmosphere where emotion and tension were present until its conclusion. After a fierce battle for first place between the Czechs and the Japanese, who have been in the lead since the start of the competition, Japan is the big winner of this 2019 edition of the AGWC.

Unfortunately for the Czechs, a recording error resulting in disqualification deprives them of a good second place.

Our French shone on this last day despite a complicated end of the course, especially on the last three holes. They therefore finish second in this edition. The third team is Morocco. They were in the same game as the French on the last lap and fought to the end without ever letting go.

In conclusion, all participants attended the gala dinner and the awards ceremony. This was animated by a spectacular circus performance and a party where the Stolen group animated the evening until late at night.

During this evening, we were able to announce that the Shangri-La hotel in Sri Lanka, will host the final of AGWC2021, offering all players a stay in its premises. We are now focused on the AGWC 2020 which will take place next June at the Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Spa Resort, in Mauritius.

Reaction of our French:

Gauthier Massard:

“We both played well but we lacked realism and concentration. In particular on two occasions. Or I played my ball before Romain played for the birdie, which gave us two par on two clear birdie chances. "

"The putts didn't come in, we didn't manage to get close to the flags, but we held on. "

Romain Darracq:

“We played well, we were solid throughout the game, but we cracked at the end with two bogeyes on the last two holes. But we are second with the unfortunate disqualification of the Czechs "

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To know more : http://www.theamateurgolfworldcup.com/fr/