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5th Annual World Golf Teachers Cup®
Team USA Wins 2001 World Golf Teachers Cup & Conference
USA • January 7-12, 2001 |
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World
Cup Week
Great competition and renewal of friendships marked the fifth
annual World Golf Teachers Cup, helped the week of January 7-12
at the Eagle Marsh Golf Club in Jensen Beach, Florida.
The week kicked off Sunday night, January 7, with a reception
for participants and guests. Also in attendance were various
equipment representatives, who were to be on hand during the
week giving product demonstrations. USGTF President Geoff Bryant
and tournament director Thomas Wartelle gave welcoming speeches,
along with a review of the rules and formats for the week.
Monday and Tuesday were the days of the two-round United States
Golf Teachers Cup, the national championship of the USGTF. High
winds combined with fast greens (slipmeter: 11) sent scores
soaring. Mark Harman, Pensacola, Florida prevailed with a
two-round Stableford total of 64 points. Jim Perez, Freszo
California, copped his best final ever in the US Cup with a
runner-up total of 63 points. Bruno Meyer of Westin, Florida,
took third. Wartelle, Opelousas, Louisiana, finished fourth, and
Steve Williams, Houston, Texas, finished fifth. These five,
along with Ken Butler, Stuart, Florida, would comprise already
pre-qualified for the team through his performance the previous
summer in the North American Teachers Cup.
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Team Canada |
Team USA |
Team Taiwan |
Team Europe |
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Team Korea |
Team South America |
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Wednesday featured the World Doubles Championship. Henrik
Jentsch of Germany and Vincent Guagliani of Scrasborough,
Ontario, Canada were the overall winners with 37 Stableford
points, winning a scorecard playoff over Joe Holmond, Joseboro,
Georgia, and Glen Erickson of Leduc, Alberta, Canada.
Jentsch continued his winning ways Thursday during the World Cup
individual championship. He survived another scorecard playoff,
this time over Meyer. Each player had 33 points. England's Bill
Abbott finished third. USGTF examiner Marty Delohery of Fort
Lauderdale captured first prize in the senior division with 33
points. Milan Sur of France took second with 32 on a scorecard
playoff with Hans van der Poel of The Netherlands. Jack Rochford
of San Angelo, Texas, took super senior honors with 31 points.
Friday was the big day, the World Golf Teachers Cup Team
Championship. Could Europe make it two in a row? Could the USA
re-take the cup? Could the annual whipping boys from Canada
(Peter Dunne's description) or another federation take honors
for the first time? The Cup wasn't decided until the final group
came in. The home field advantage proved too much as the USA
scampered home with a five-stroke victory over Europe (Barry
Campbell, Douglas Borland, Stewart Craig, Pat Trainor, Dean
Davis and Milan Sur). The team representing the South American
Golf Teachers Federation (Alberto Gonzalez, Bill Picca, David
Vaught, Mark Umphreyville, Mike Stevens, and Mary Delohery) was
another three strokes back. Following were Canada (Wally
Meisinger, Glen Erickson, Paul Murphy, Dave Reid, Ken Hanley,
and Chris Thomas), Korea (Yong Bae Kil, Can Goog Yang, Won Baek
Lee, Tae Sun Yoon, Oh Yun Kwon, and Ann Marie Lee), and Tawain
(Hsi-Shui Chen, Hung-Tsung Wang, David Lo, Bor-Ja Kwo, Ming
Tarng Sheu, and Charles Simon). The Tawainese were making their
first Cup appearance.
The closing gala banquet was held that evening at the Marriott
Beach Resort in Stuart. One of the highlights of the evening was
when President Geoff Bryant introduced the USGTF Teacher of the
20th Century, Julius Richardson. Richardson was recently named
to the most prestigious list of teaching professionals in
America, Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers. Truly this is a
feather in the caps of both Richrdson and the USGTF.
The banquet closed with Peter Dunne being mysterious about the
location of next year's Cup: Oliva Nova, Morocco, or a secret
destination? Dunne wouldn't say, but Ken Butler lobbied strongly
for Oliva Nova once again in the country of Spain.
World Golf Teachers Cup Champion Henrik
Jentsch
Henrik Jentsch, a USGTF member from Germany, is the 2001 World
Golf Teachers Individual Champion. he's been a professional
athlete most of his adult life, dating back to 1980 when he was
ranked in the top 500 in the world in tennis. From 1984-1995, he
ran a successful tennis school.
Although he was very busy with his tennis schedule, Henrik made
time for golf, maintaining a +2 handicap. In 1995, he joined the
European Challenge Tour (equivaqlent to the Buy.com Tour here),
and also played in France on the Grand Prix circuit. He won five
Grand Prix tournaments.
Henrik presently owns and operates the S.F.T. Golf School (See
it - Trustit) In Schopfheim, Germany.
