The 2005 Championship

With a thrilling display of world-class golf, defending champions Canada captured the second edition of the “Copa de Las Americas.”

The second Pan-American team championship was played at El Tigre Golf Club in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, June 22-25.

The winning team of Laura Matthews, Lindsay Knowlton, James Lepp and Richard Scott combined for a four-day, 16-round total of 1,156 strokes, four over par, to finish two strokes ahead of host Mexico.

The ladies championship went to a sudden-death playoff between Colombia and Mexico when the teams tied at 587, Colombia’s Paola Moreno and Juliana Murcia coming out the victors when Murcia holed a 55-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to edge the Mexicans by a stroke.

Canada’s men added to their national collection, Lepp and Scott taking the men’s section with a total of 559, 17 under par for their total of eight rounds of the 7,239-yard par-72 “El Tigre” golf course in Paradise Village, Nuevo Vallarta. Argentina finished second on 564, five strokes behind the winners.

Canada began the final rounds with a five-stroke advantage but by the closing holes faced a two stroke deficit to Mexico. Scott’s six-birdie 68 and Lepp’s valuable birdie at the 18th for 71 brought the teams level. The pendulum swung Mexico’s way when Knowlton did not get up and down from greenside sand at the final hole, but Matthews clutch-birdied the 17th and Canada’s narrow victory was assured when Mexico’s Violeta Retamoza’s second shot found water on the final hole.

“It was almost more exciting that we wanted it to be,” Canada’s captain-coach Dean Spiddle said. “I’m extremely proud of my team. They performed magnificently all week and particularly well when the pressure was on.”

The USA team of two USGA mid-amateur and two senior amateur champions finished fifth. Captain and USGA Executive Committee member Loren Singletary said: “This was a very good course and I congratulate the Mexican Golf Federation on their excellent organization of the event and their fine performance this week. These results indicate the growing strength of golf in the entire Americas.”

The 2003 Championship

Canada pulled off an amazing “Copa de las Americas” hat trick when the women’s team blistered back from seven-shot deficit to a one-stroke victory over the USA’s Becky Lucidi and Kathy Hartwiger. Laura Matthews bed-rocked the Canadian comback with a remarkable 68, setting a new course record as she blistered through the final seven holes in four under par.

The inaugural championship was played at Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, June 25-28.

In the men’s division, Peter Laws and James Lepp, leading by 15 strokes, coasted home victorious over the USA’s Ricky Barnes and Ryan Moore by nine strokes. Canada thus claimed the inaugural Copa de las America, awarded for the lowest combined aggregate men and women team score, 10 over par for 16 rounds.

The USA also took second place in the overall category with Mexico in third place, ahead of Arentina and Peru. The Puerto Rican team claimed sixth place.

Other highlights of the final round included a 2-under-par 70 by Argentina’s Maria Olivero, Ryan Moore’s best of the day 69 and five birdies by Ricky Barnes in his even-par 72.

“We came here with the belief we could win, of course,” said Dean Spiddle, the Canadian women’s team coach, “but starting the day seven shots behind a USA team consisting the U.S. Amateur champion and the Mid-Amateur champion, and that was a daunting task. Today was one of these great days, these golden days, when everything went perfectly for us. Laura was magnificent and Lisa took care of business all the way to the end. A fantastic day for Canadian golf.”

Lucidi missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff for the women’s crown: “That’s how I putted all day,” the U.S. Amateur champion said. “I played really solidly, hit 16 greens, but took 36 putts. Just not my day. But my hat’s off to Laura. She was awesome!”

On behalf of the organizers, Sidney Wolf, president of the Puerto Rico Golf Association, said, “This is an excellent start for the newly formed Americas Golf Association and I believe demonstrates to the world at large that there is a vast pool of golf talent thoughout our continent.