WORLD AMATEUR AT CARTON HOUSE, IRELAND
World Amateur Team Championships WORLD AMATEUR EISENHOWER TROPHY A BRIEF HISTORY For as long as golf has captivated the world, golfers have dreamed of playing on the world stage. Golf, for the most part, is played with hushed reverence but the game s great moments do not happen in splendid isolation. ESPIRITO SANTO A BRIEF HISTORY The World Amateur Team Championship was initially confined to men s teams and in 1964, the ladies championship was inaugurated. France staged the first championship at St Germain Golf Club, near Paris. Since 1958, the game s leading amateurs have competed for the World Amateur Team Championship, representing their countries with honour, pride and distinction. With the birth of the Eisenhower Trophy, named for USA President Dwight D. Eisenhower, came the beginning of another glorious chapter in the history of this great game. Bob Jones, the game s finest amateur, captained the US team for the first championship, which was played on the Old Course of St Andrews in October 1958. At the home of golf, 115 players, representing 29 countries, competed. Australia won following a playoff with the United States. Two years later, Jack Nicklaus who would become the game s greatest champion represented the USA and set the 72-hole individual scoring record of 269 at Merion Golf Club (East Course). The United States of America has prevailed in 13 of the 24 competitions and Great Britain and Ireland have won four times, while countries as diverse in the world of golf as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Sweden have each captured the Eisenhower Trophy. The World Amateur Team Championship has now been conducted in 26 nations. A total of 25 teams and 75 players participated, which instantly established the competition as a member of international golf s family of championships. Spectator enthusiasm at the first championship was keen, since the host team prevailed over the USA by one stroke. The French player Catherine Lacoste, who would later become a heroine of the amateur game when she won the 1967 US Women s Open, was a big factor in the excitement in her home country. Her final-round 73 secured the Espirito Santo Trophy. Lacoste tied with Carol Sorenson of the USA at 294 for low individual honours. Since their second-place finish in 1964, the USA has dominated the Espirito Santo, winning 13 times. Spain (1986, 1992), France (1964, 2000), Australia (1978, 2002) and Sweden (2004, 2008) are the only other multiple victors. In 2016, Ireland medalled for the first time. Leona Maguire, Olivia Mehaffey and Annabel Wilson combined to put Ireland in third place, winning bronze. Great Britain and Ireland competed together until 2002. In 2016, Ireland finished on the podium for the first time. Jack Hume, Paul McBride and Stuart Grehan together won bronze, securing Ireland s first ever medal. 2 WATC 2018 WATC 2018 3
WO R L D A M AT E U R World Amateur Team Championships CARTON HOUSE Carton House has a rich and storied history dating back more than 800 years. Through Carton s association with the FitzGerald family, it has been a central location in major moments of Irish history. C arton is an 1,100 acre fully walled estate, stretching across the counties of Kildare and Meath. The lands at Carton belonged to the Maynooth estate of the FitzGerald family from 1176. The FitzGeralds, who were part of Strongbow s invasion of Ireland, became Earls of Kildare in 1315 and went on to become one of the most influential families in Irish history over the next eight centuries so much so that Maynooth was actually the capital of Ireland for a short period. In 1747, James, the 20th Earl of Kildare (and from 1766, first Duke of Leinster) married Lady Emily Lennox. Lady Emily was the daughter of the Duke of Richmond and a sister of Lady Louise Connolly of Castletown. The story of the life and times of the sisters, Emily and Louisa, was beautifully captured by the author Stella Tillyard and made into a mini-series for the BBC, entitled The Aristocrats which was filmed at Carton House. In 1739, Earl FitzGerald commissioned renowned architect Richard Castles to undertake the project of building Carton House. It cost a mere 26,000 to build at the time. Castles was also responsible for some other great Irish Houses including Westport House, Powerscourt House, and, in 1745, Leinster House (Government Buildings), which he built for the FitzGeralds. It s rebirth as a luxury hotel and golf resort was brought about then when the Mallaghan family, who bought the estate for farmland in the 1970s, built the first golf course (O Meara), which opened in 2002, followed by the Montgomerie course two years later. The luxury hotel was completed in 2006 and since then Carton House has established itself as a leading resort in Europe. THE O MEARA 4 WATC 2018 THE MONTGOMERIE Designed by 1998 Open Champion and US Masters Champion Mark O Meara, this classic parkland course might lull you with its beauty but is still full of challenge. Designed by 1998 Open Champion and US Masters Champion Mark O Meara, this classic parkland course might lull you with its beauty but is still full of challenge. Measuring 7,165 yards from the championship tees, in recent years the O Meara has been reconfigured as a Par 73, combining three par fives on the front nine - including the new first hole - and a stunning stretch from 14 to 16 along the River Rye before finishing in full view of Carton House. Measuring 7,165 yards from the championship tees, in recent years the O Meara has been reconfigured as a Par 73, combining three par fives on the front nine - including the new first hole - and a stunning stretch from 14 to 16 along the River Rye before finishing in full view of Carton House. WATC 2018 5
World Amateur Team Championships WORLD AMATEUR NOTABLE PAST PLAYERS JACK NICKLAUS USA, 1960 Even as an amateur, Jack Nicklaus set records that would stand as landmark moments in the history of golf. He is best known for his 18 major victories as a professional. Either side of his appearance at the World Amateur Team Championship, he won the US Amateur (1959 and 1961) and set an individual record of 269 in helping the US win the Eisenhower Trophy in 1960 at Merion. SERGIO GARCIA SPAIN, 1996 & 1998 Taught the game by his father, Sergio Garcia was a childhood prodigy and became the youngest player to win the European Amateur in 1995. Victory at The Amateur Championship followed in 1998 although he had to wait until 2017 to fulfil a lifelong ambition - becoming a major champion for the first time by winning The Masters. LORENO OCHOA MEXICO, 1998 & 2000 The top ranked golfer in the world for more than three years, Loreno Ochoa was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017. Her talent was obvious from a young age. Ochoa won five consecutive titles at the Juinor World Golf Championships. RORY McILROY IRELAND, 2006 The boy wonder from Belfast became a household name by winning the US Open at the tender age of 22. He had long been wowing audiences at home. He won back-to-back Irish Close titles in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, he became the second player to top the Word Amateur Golf Ranking. ANNIKA SORENSTAM SWEDEN, 1990 & 1992 Regarded as one of the best female golfers in history, Annika Sorenstam won 90 internationals tournaments as a professional. In 1992, she was crowned world amateur champion and went on to win 10 majors in the professional ranks. LEONA MAGUIRE IRELAND, 2016 Ranked number one in the world, Leona Maguire has twice won the Mark H McCormack Medal as the world s leading amateur. In 2016, she won the Smyth Salver as leading amateur at the Ricoh Women s British Open and represented Ireland at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. At the World Amateur Team Championship in 2016, she led her country to bronze, their first ever podium finish. 6 WATC 2018 WATC 2018 7
WORLD AMATEUR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SUMMARY 72 countries compete 23rd August 10th September 2018 at Carton House Men s and Women s competition Three person teams stroke play International Golf Federation run event, hosted by the GUI and ILGU and backed by Sport Ireland and The R&A The World Amateur Team Championship provides the opportunity to: Showcase golf in Ireland Create economic impact through visitors Develop the game, showcase teams and gender balance Engage local communities through a youth festival Leave a legacy of golf participation (involvement of fans and community) Main Partner Opportunities Category exclusivity can include an upgrade i.e. youth, volunteer or communications partner One of 2 main partners to the event Above the line branding in all marketing collateral including on course advertising, town dressing, website and social media VIP speaker opportunities Account Management support Product/Service integration at championship Opportunity to host golf event during the championship (another course) Opportunity to activate at the main venue hold employee, customer or supplier event Media partnership activation, including features and promotions All packages are customisable to suit budget, goals and objectives. Our dedicated team are experienced in activating sponsorships and maximising the impact of these for clients. 8 WATC 2018 WATC 2018 9
WORLD AMATEUR