USA Stands Second After First Day of Copa de las Americas in Canada

by Mary Kate Brennan, U.S. Golf Association

Aurora, Ontario, Canada (June 20) – Stacy Lewis shot 77 and Jennie Lee 78 in windy and cold conditions to put the United States of America women’s team in first place and stake the combined team to a second-place position in the overall competition on the first day of the 2007 Copa de las Americas at Beacon Hill Golf Club. (For complete results visit www.rcga.org) Lewis, an All-American at Arkansas, and Lee, a member of the 2006 USA Curtis Cup as well as the 2006 and 2007 NCAA championship teams at Duke, combined with USA men’s team members Jonathan Moore (75) and Webb Simpson (76) to give the Americans 308 strokes, four behind the first-day overall leaders from Argentina at 16-over-par 304. 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), women’s and men’s – are being conducted by the Royal Canadian Golf Association in conjunction with the USGA and The R&A. In 2007, 10 countries are participating in the overall competition, 15 in the men’s competition and 10 in the women’s competition. USA captain Loren Singletary of Houston, Texas said the team played hard in the 20-30 mile-per-hour wind conditions, which he termed ‘very difficult.’ No women’s players broke par 72 on Beacon Hill’s course. Lewis, from The Woodlands, Texas, had the third-best score of the day and Lee, from Henderson, Nev., posted fifth-best total. Their 11-over-par 155 leads Colombia by one stroke and Mexico by three. Moore, from Vancouver, Wash., and Simpson, from Raleigh, N.C., were tied for fourth in the men’s competition at 13-over-par 153. Guatemala is the men’s competition leader at 2-over-par 146. Only two men’s players posted sub-par scores. Despite the scoreboard, the women believed that they did not have good rounds. “We didn’t play well at all,” Lewis said. “I didn’t putt very well, but the conditions we very tough, very windy and kind of chilly.” Lee said, “Some downhill putts were really lightning fast. But, hopefully we’ll make some more putts (Thursday).” All four Americans plan on practicing more in preparation for the upcoming three rounds. “We’re going to work on our putting,” Lewis said, talking about herself and Lee in particular. “If we get that worked out, we should be fine.” “We’re only leading by one,” Lee said of the women’s competition. “It was a tough day for everyone out there. But, if it’s not too windy (Thursday), scores should be a little lower. We’ll take it day by day and see how it goes.” Lewis concluded, “It that’s the worst play, we’re in good shape for the rest of the week.” On Thursday, Moore tees off at 8:40 a.m., Simpson at 8:50 a.m., Lewis at 10:20 a.m. and Lee at 10:30 a.m.