USA Increases Lead At Copa de las Americas In Canada


June 22, 2007

By Mary Kate Brennan, USGA

Aurora, Ontario, Canada - Despite a  third day of difficult weather conditions, the United States of America's team improved its overall lead at the 2007 Copa de las Americas at Beacon Hill Golf Club Friday. The USA score of 893 places them 23 strokes ahead of second-place Argentina.  (For complete results, visit www.rcga.org).

Behind a 2-under-par 70 from Stacy Lewis, an All-American at Arkansas who lives in The Woodlands, Texas, and a 6-over-par 78 from Jennie Lee, a Duke All-American and a 2006 USA Curtis Cupper from Henderson, Nev., the USA team also holds first-place in the women's competition at 452, 21 strokes better than host Canada.

The USA men's team fell behind Argentina, by just three strokes despite solid performances from Jonathan Moore (2-over-par 74) and Webb Simpson (even-par 72).

Moore, from Vancouver, Wash., a 2006 U.S. Open competitor who plays for Oklahoma State, is now tied individually for second with Andres Felipe Echavarria Botero of Colombia. Both men a total score of 220.  Simpson, a member of the 2007 Palmer Cup and Wake Forest University teams is in third position individually at 221, one stroke behind Moore and Botero. Alan Wagner of Argentina is the leader (71-69-70) in the men's individual competition. In the men's team race, the USA team is in second place with a combined score of 441, three strokes behind Argentina.

The Copa de las Americas is an international team golf competition played every two years for countries in the Western Hemisphere. Three competitions of 72 holes - 18 holes for four days - overall (both men's and women's totals) are being conducted by the Royal Canadian Golf Association in conjunction with the USGA and The R&A. This year, 10 countries are participating in the competition - 15 in the men's competition and 10 in the women's.

Lewis and Lee expanded their lead and hold the first and second place positions for the women.  Lewis' three-day total of 224 and Lee's combined score of 228 places them 21 strokes over second place Canada and 26 stokes above Argentina.

Lewis intimated after Thursday's round, she and Lee said, "Let's blow them out and not even make it close. That's what we did." 

USA captain Loren Singletary called Lewis' round "spectacular." 

"I've learned from the past couple of days," said Lewis in regard to the weather and

the course. She birdied six holes Friday for a total of eight during the Copa.

"I made birdies on the 11^th and 12^th and I didn't play those holes well Thursday so I am happy," Lewis said.  "I hit two of the par 5s (12 and 15) in two, so all I had to do was putt for birdies."

With four bogeys, two coming in on 16 and 17, Lewis said that she could have done better.  Nevertheless, she and her teammates have put themselves into a good position going into Saturday's final round.

"It's nice to have a little cushion going into tomorrow," said Lewis.

The fourth and final round begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Mary Kate Brennan is an intern with the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at mbrennan@usga.org.