Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (24 October) – Defending champion USA, fueled by second nine surges from Hunter Mahan and Ricky Barnes, posted a 7-under-par total of 137 to take a five-stroke lead over France after the first day of the 2002 World Amateur Team Championship at Saujana Golf & Country Club.

France finished the first day at 2-under-par 142. They were followed by Argentina, Colombia, England, Finland and Thailand at 1-under-par 143. USA, France and Finland played on the Palm Course, and Argentina, Colombia, England and Thailand played the Bunga Raya Course.

“We started a little slow, and at the turn we were 1 over,” said USA captain O. Gordon Brewer Jr. of his team's performance. “But, we finished strongly.”

Mahan, who putted just 26 times, tied for the day's low round at 4-under-par 68 that included four birdies on the final nine holes. The runner-up at the 2002 U.S. Amateur, Mahan birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Colombia's Camilo Villegas, who plays at the University of Florida in the U.S., also shot 4-under-par 68.

“It's the first day; you just take what the course gives you,” said Mahan, who plays collegiately at Oklahoma State in the U.S.

Barnes, the 2002 U.S. Amateur champion from the University of Arizona, was also 4 under on the inward nine with birdies on four of the last five holes, and finished with a 3-under-par 69.

“I didn't think we got mad out there,” said Barnes of his team's sluggish start. “We stayed patient.”

Brewer, who is a two-time USGA Senior Amateur champion, likes his team's mental approach.

“There was a lot of laughter at dinner (Wednesday) night,” said Brewer. “But, this team is intense when it's time to be intense.”

With a five-stroke lead, Brewer plans a low-key approach to the second day.

“My strategy is to pat them on the back,” he said grinning. “Let the horses run.”

France was led by a 2-under-par 70 from Gregory Bourdy and an even-par 72 from Eric Chaudouet.

“We knew that the first round was very, very important to us,” said French coach Anne Leconiat. “But, I am not going to give you our secret.”

The host Malaysian team finished at 3-over-par 147 in 13th position.

Fernando Figueroa of El Salvador scored a hole-in-one at the par-3 5th hole of the Palm Course.

Conducted by the World Amateur Golf Council, which comprises national governing bodies of golf in more than 100 countries, the World Amateur Team Championships are a biennial international amateur competition, which is rotated among three geographic zones: Asia-Pacific, American and European-African.

Each team, which has two or three players, plays 18 holes of stroke play for four days. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores by players from each team constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day (72 holes) total is the team's score for the championship.

For complete results, visit www.wagc.org and click on the Golfstat icon. Visit www.wagc.org/pix for downloadable photos.

The 2004 World Amateur Team Championship will be played at the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort and Country Club in Puerto Rico.

Results
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Results of Thursday's (24 October) first round of the World Amateur Team Championship, played at the Saujana Golf & Country Club (Palm Course: par 36-36--72, 6,343 meters, 6,939 yards; Bunga Raya Course: par: 36-36—72, 6,162 meters, 6,742 yards):


1 Palm Course; 2 Bunga Raya Course
Place Team Scoring Rounds Total Score
To par Thru Today
1 USA 1 -7 F -7 137
2 France 1 -2 F -2 142
T3 Argentina 2 -1 F -1 143
T3 Colombia 2 -1 F -1 143
T3 England 2 -1 F -1 143
T3 Finland 1 -1 F -1 143
T3 Thailand 2 -1 F -1 143
T8 Korea 1 E F E 144
T8 Portugal 2 E F E 144
T8 Sweden 2 E F E 144
T11 Denmark 2 +2 F +2 146
T11 Philippines 2 +2 F +2 146
13 Malaysia 1 +3 F +3 147
T14 Germany 1 +4 F +4 148
T14 Pakistan 1 +4 F +4 148
T14 Spain 2 +4 F +4 148
17 New Zealand 1 +5 F +5 149
T18 Austria 2 +6 F +6 150
T18 Brazil 2 +6 F +6 150
T18 Chin. Taipei 2 +6 F +6 150
T18 Iceland 1 +6 F +6 150
T18 Italy 2 +6 F +6 150
T18 Netherlands 2 +6 F +6 150
T18 Norway 1 +6 F +6 150
T18 Puerto Rico 1 +6 F +6 150
T18 Scotland 1 +6 F +6 150
T18 Venezuela 2 +6 F +6 150
T28 Ireland 1 +7 F +7 151
T28 Switzerland 2 +7 F +7 151
T28 Wales 1 +7 F +7 151
T31 Australia 1 +8 F +8 152
T31 Guatemala 2 +8 F +8 152
T31 Paraguay 2 +8 F +8 152
T31 Swaziland 2 +8 F +8 152
35 Ecuador 2 +9 F +9 153
T36 Czech Rep 1 +11 F +11 155
T36 India 1 +11 F +11 155
T36 Japan 1 +11 F +11 155

T36 South Africa 2 +11 F +11 155
T36 Zimbabwe 2 +11 F +11 155
41 Hong Kong, Ch.1 +12 F +12 156
T42 Canada 1 +13 F +13 157
T42 Singapore 1 +13 F +13 157
T42 Turkey 2 +13 F +13 157
45 Slovenia 1 +14 F +14 158
T46 Bermuda 1 +15 F +15 159
T46 El Salvador 1 +15 F +15 159
48 Chile 1 +16 F +16 160
T49 Belgium 2 +17 F +17 161
T49 Egypt 2 +17 F +17 161
T49 Mexico 1 +17 F +17 161
52 Lebanon 1 +20 F +20 164
T53 Panama 2 +22 F +22 166
T53 Russian Fed. 1 +22 F +22 166
T55 Bolivia 1 +23 F +23 167
T55 Costa Rica 1 +23 F +23 167
T55 Greece 2 +23 F +23 167
58 Estonia 2 +29 F +29 173
59 Latvia 2 +31 F +31 175
60 Slovakia 1 +35 F +35 179
61 Saudi Arabia 2 +37 F +37 181
T62 Croatia 1 +42 F +42 186
T62 Islamic Rep. 1 +42 F +42 186
of Iran