Durban Country Club in South Africa emerges as the 2011 World Club Championship winners
June 21, 2011
Jeju, South Korea – Selected from 2009 GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Courses in the World, A Field of 20 International Clubs from 15 Countries competed at The Club at Nine Bridges, South Korea.
The 8th World Club Championship held May 16-20, 2011 at The Club at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island, South Korea presented the Jay Lee Trophy to Durban Country Club of South Africa represented by Michael Hollick and Murray Gilson on Friday May 10th. The 2011 champions defeated Patrick McCrudden and Anthony Murphy of the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland in an exciting Match Play Final with a decisive 6/4 victory.
Durban dominated the field and never trailed at any point. The first two rounds were better ball stroke play competition and Durban shot a 63 on the first day and a 68 on the second day to advance into the Match Play Championships.
On Friday in the Match Play Finals, Hollick shot a birdie on the first hole to go 1up. Gilson made a great up and down for par at the Par 4 4th hole to put Durban 2up. Hollick made par at the Par 4 6th to go 3up after 6. Gilson birdied the Par 4 8th after a great 2nd shot to 8 feet giving Durban 4up through 8 holes. McCradden then made birdie at the Par 4 10th to give Royal Portrush their first of the day to win the hole leaving them 3 down through 10. Hollick answered with birdies at 11 and 12 to put Durban 5up through 12 holes. At the Par 4 14th hole, Royal Portrush conceded Michael Hollick's birdie and the hole to Durban to close out the match with a 6 & 4 win.
Hollick and Gilson traveled 24 hours and close to 10,000 miles making four connections to arrive at Nine Bridges. They joined 19 other teams from around the world for a week of competitive play and camaraderie. The World Club Championship invites the club champion and a partner from clubs who are listed on the 2009 GOLF Magazine Top 100 Courses in the World. This year, there were 20 teams from 15 countries, and the competition was pressure filled as all players must have a handicap of 3 or better but many were scratch or better.
For third place in Match Play, Kelly Miller and David Abell of Seminole Golf Club in Florida, USA won 1 up on the 18th hole over the Defending Champion Los Angeles Country Club, USA represented by Jerry Chang and John McClure.
In the Chairman's Division stroke play for the teams that did not qualify for match play, John Finnigan and Paul Moultrie of Royal Troon Golf Club from Scotland were victorious over St. George's Golf & Country Club of Canada after breaking a tie of 68 by matching scorecards.
First, second and third place teams in Match Play and the winner of the Chairman's Division earn an automatic invitation for the next World Club Championship which will be held at Diamante Golf Club located in Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Baja Mexico in the fall of 2012.
In the fall of 2011, the World Club Championship will be aired for 1 ½ hours on the Golf Channel around the world and Sky Television in Europe.
The World Club Championship is one of the most coveted amateur events in golf and is often compared to the Walker Cup and Ryder Cup. It began in 2002 at Nine Bridges as a way to celebrate two of golf's greatest enduring traditions: Amateur golfers and the world class Clubs to which they belong. The Rules of Golf, as adopted by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews govern play.
In order to receive an invitation to this prestigious tournament, Clubs must have appeared on GOLF Magazine's 2009 list of the Top 100 Courses in the World. These clubs have the opportunity to send their club champion along with a player of his choice with a handicap of three or better.
Lasting friendships are formed between players, clubs and countries during WCC competition. This year, out of concern for the on-going hardships suffered by Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis and respect for the representatives from Naruo Golf Club, the WCC Championship Committee in collaboration with the exclusive golf watch company out of Switzerland, Jaermann & Stübi made a donation to the relief efforts.
Durban Country Club's Michael Hollick and Murray Gilson now joins the ranks of past champions Richard Caldwell, Lincoln Bolsover of Sunningdale, England (2002), Richard MacAfee, Adam Porker of Kingston Heath, Australia (2004), Chris Hughes, Matt McAlpine of Royal Portrush, North Ireland (2005), David Abell, Kelly Miller of Pine Valley, USA (2006), Marcus Ferguson Jones, Crispin Manson of Sunningdale, England (2007), Chris Lange, Bill McGuinness of Pine Valley, USA (2008), and Dan Jennings, Brad Shaw of Los Angeles Country Club, USA (2009).
The Clubs and Countries who participated in 2011 are: Australia's Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Canada's St. George's Golf & Country Club, China's Reignwood Pine Valley Golf Club (former host), England's Royal St. Georges Golf Club & Sunningdale Golf Club, France's Morfontaine Golf Club, Ireland's Lahinch Golf Club, Japan's Naruo Golf Club, Mexico's Diamante Golf Club (Host 2012), Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portugal's Oitavos Dunes (future host), Scotland's Royal Troon Golf Club, South Africa's Durban Country Club, Spain's Valderrama Golf Club, United State's Los Angeles Country Club, Pine Valley Golf Club, Seminole Golf Club & Winged Foot Golf Club and the 2011 Hosts, South Korea's The Club at Nine Bridges and Haesley Nine Bridges.
