RECORD NUMBER OF TEAMS – A total of 53 teams are competing in the 24th Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, topping the previous high of 48 from Puerto Rico (2004) and Australia (2008).
FIRST TIME PARTICIPANTS – Guam, Nigeria, Slovenia and the United Republic of Tanzania are making their first appearances in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championships.
DEFENDING CHAMPION – Sweden is vying to become the first team to win back-to-back Espirito Santo Trophies since the USA won in 1988 and 1990. The Swedes are the only nation to finish in the top 10 in all 23 previous Women’s World Amateur Team Championships. Their sole returning player from the victory in 2008 in Australia is Caroline Hedwall, the 2010 NCAA Division I individual champion (playing for Oklahoma State University). Hedwall was also the low individual scorer in the 2008 Espirito Santo championship. With another team victory, Sweden would have three gold medals in the competition, second only to the 13 victories of the USA, which has not won since 1998.
HOST NATION – Argentina is playing in its 22nd Espirito Santo competition. The best finish for the Argentine women is fifth place in 1970. The team placed eighth in 1972 at The Hindu Country Club in Buenos Aires, the last time the World Amateur was contested in Argentina. The last host nation to win the Espirito Santo Trophy was South Africa in 2006. South Africa (2006), USA (1980) and France (1964) are the only host nations to win the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. Additionally, Maria Olivera, who had played on 10 consecutive Argentine Espirito Santo teams from 1990-2008, is not a member of the 2010 team.
CLOSE TO HOME – Ronnie Damm, the golf course superintendent at Olivos Golf Club, played in the World Amateur Team Championship for Argentina in New Zealand in 1990.
SECOND TIME, SECOND TEAM – The USA’s Jessica Korda, the runner-up at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur, is playing in her second Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. Her first appearance was as a 13-year-old playing for the Czech Republic in South Africa in 2006.
COLLEGIATE ALL-AMERICANS – Five members of the National Golf Coaches Association All-America First-Team are participating in the 2010 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship: Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Juliana Murcia of Colombia (at Arizona State University), Cydney Clanton of the USA (at Auburn University), Hedwall of Sweden (at Oklahoma State University) and Marta Silva of Spain (at University of Georgia). Kelli Shean of South Africa (University of Arkansas) was a second-team selection. Honorable mention choices who are playing: Jennifer Kirby of Canada (University of Alabama), Sara-Maude Juneau of Canada (University of Louisville), Lisa McCloskey of Colombia (then at Pepperdine University) and Sally Watson of Scotland (Stanford University).
YOUNGEST – The youngest players in the field are 13 years old. Marijosse Navarro of Mexico just celebrated her birthday in September and Lydia Ko of New Zealand turned 13 in April.
OLDEST – At 62, Beatriz de Arenas of Guatemala is the oldest of the competitors, and is representing her country for the seventh time as a player. A painter/artist by trade, she is a 10-time national champion.
2010 CURTIS CUP RE-VISITED – Five members of the Great Britain and Ireland team and two members of the USA team from the 2010 Curtis Cup Match are representing their countries at the 2010 World Amateur. Watson of Scotland, Holly Clyburn of England and twins Leonaand Lisa McGuire and Danielle McVeigh of Ireland were on the team that was defeated by the USA, represented by Korda and Clanton, at Essex County Club near Boston, Mass., this summer. Watson also played in the 2008 Match.
