10/27/2006

Stellenbosch, South Africa (27 October) – Buenos Aires, Argentina has been selected as the site of the 2010 World Amateur Team Championships, the International Golf Federation (IGF) announced at its biennial meeting. These Championships will be hosted by the Argentine Golf Association.

The 24th women’s competition for the Espirito Santo Trophy and the 27^th men’s competition for the Eisenhower Trophy will be played in November at the Olivos Golf Club and Buenos Aires Golf Club.

"No nation in South America has more golfers and golf courses than Argentina," said David Pepper, IGF Joint Chairman. "This is great a testimony to their keen interest in the game and in amateur golf. We are delighted to bring the World Amateur Team Championships back to Buenos Aires in 2010."

The World Amateur Team Championships will be played in Buenos Aires for the second time as both Olivos Golf Club and The Hindu Country Club first served as the sites in 1972. Argentina is the second Americas Zone nation, after the USA, to twice host the biennial championships.

"We are delighted to bring these championships back to Argentina and South America," said Mark Lawrie, executive director of the Argentine Golf Association. "Our essential hope is that we will help open up the further the development of golf and amateur golf here."

Both championships, which gather most of the best amateurs in the world, are played over 72 holes of stroke play, and each country is represented by a team of three players.

The 2006 World Amateur Team Championships, hosted by the South African Golf Association and Women’s Golf South Africa, are currently being conducted at De Zalze and Stellenbosch Golf Clubs in the Cape Town area. South Africa won the Espirito Santo Trophy competition, which concluded 21 October.

The 2008 Championships will be played in Adelaide, Australia at Royal Adelaide Golf Club and the two courses at the Grange Golf Club.

The IGF was founded in 1958 to encourage the international development of golf and to employ the game as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship among the peoples of the world. Serving as the International Olympic Committee’s recognized International Federation for golf, the IGF is comprised of the national governing bodies of golf in more than 100 countries.

For more information, please contact Pete Kowalski of the IGF at the 2006 Championships Media Center at +(27) 082 858 3601.