Mexico to Host 2016 World Amateur Team Championships


The International Golf Federation (IGF) has announced that Cancun, Mexico, will be the site of the 2016 World Amateur Team Championships.

The courses of El Camaleón Golf Club at the Fairmont Mayakoba and the Grand Coral Riviera Maya Resort will be used for the championships, which will be hosted by the Mexican Golf Federation (FMG). The 27th women's championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy and the 30th men's championship for the Eisenhower Trophy will be played in September 2016.

Mexico previously served as the host of the 1966 World Amateur Team Championships for the men at Club de Golf Mexico and for the women at Mexico City Country Club, both in Mexico City.

"The International Golf Federation graciously accepts the bid of the Mexican Golf Federation to host the 2016 World Amateur Team Championships," said IGF president Peter Dawson. "The IGF is pleased to be returning for this international competition to celebrate 50 years since Mexico first hosted the championships in 1966."

"We cannot tell you how touched and emotional we are," said past Mexican Golf Federation president Fernando Ysita, who was part of the nation's bid presentation. "It's a great opportunity to show the world and the golfers what kind of courses we have, what kind of people we are and what kind of organization we can hopefully provide. It is something really important to Mexico and Mexican golf that we have been recognized and to be allowed to receive these championships back."

Both championships feature some of the world's leading amateurs and are played over 72 holes of stroke play. Each country is represented by a team of two or three players.

The men's competition of the 2012 World Amateur Team Championship, hosted by the Turkish Golf Federation, is now underway at Antalya Golf Club (PGA Sultan Course) and Cornelia Golf Club in Antalya, Turkey. A record 72 teams are competing. The 2012 Women's World Amateur Team Championship concluded on 30 September at Gloria Golf Club's Old and New Courses, with the Republic of Korea claiming its second consecutive Espirito Santo Trophy, by three strokes over Germany. A record 52 teams competed in the championship.

The 2014 Championships will be played in Karuizawa, Japan.

The World Amateur Team Championships are a biennial international amateur competition conducted by the International Golf Federation, which comprises national governing bodies of golf in 126 countries and international professional tours. The competition is rotated among three geographic zones: Asia-Pacific, Americas and Europe-Africa.

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. The IGF serves as the International Olympic Committee's recognized International Federation for golf.

The above reporter is courtesy of the USGA and the IGF. For more information, visit www.usga.org and www.internationalgolffederation.org.