Disappointment for Japan as Italy Celebrates Victory

Paris, France: Taigo Semikawa was pipped for individual honours as Japan’s hopes of victory evaporated on the final day of the 32nd World Amateur Team Championship at Le Golf National.

Leading the way after 18 and 36 holes, the Japanese trio of Semikawa, World Amateur Golf Ranking number one Keita Nakajima and Kohei Okada entered the final round in a share of second place, one stroke off the pace being set by Sweden.

With Nakajima carding a 71 and Semikawa signing for a 73 in the event in which the best two daily scores in each team are counted, Japan posted a final-day total of 144.

That left them with an overall aggregate of 552 that saw them drop to seventh place – 11 shots behind the triumphant Italian team. Sweden claimed second place on 542 with the United States claiming bronze on 545.

Of the other participating Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation member countries, Australia were 15th on 559 followed by Singapore (21st, 565), Hong Kong (tied 22nd, 566), Thailand (tied 25th, 568), India and China (tied 31st, 573), New Zealand (tied 34th, 577), Korea (tied 37th, 582), Chinese Taipei (tied 43rd, 590), Philippines (55th, 604), Saudi Arabia (57th, 608), Pakistan (65th, 628), Qatar (66th, 630), United Arab Emirates (68th, 635), Guam (69th, 639), Bahrain (70th, 647) and Lebanon (71st, 662).

In the individual standings, Semikawa finished second on 16-under 270, one stroke behind Sweden’s Tobias Jonsson, who fired a closing 64.

Other Asia-Pacific representatives to finish in red figures were Australian Connor McKinney (tied 19th, 278), Indian Rayhan Thomas and China’s Ding Wenyi (tied 25th, 280), Australian Harrison Crowe (tied 31st, 282) and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (tied 40th, 284).

Japan’s Nakajima, hoping to bow out from the amateur ranks in a blaze of glory, had to settle for a share of 53rd place on one-over 287.

For Italy, teenager Marco Florioli’s bogey-free six-under-par 66 and a three-under 68 from Pietro Bovari led their country to the gold medal – the country’s first medal in 32 WATC appearances.

“The key point today is that I have seen our players winning without thinking about the results,” said Italian Captain Matteo Delpodio. “They were winners on the golf course. When you see players playing this way with this attitude, the results do not matter. What matters is that they played like champions.”

In a tightly contested back nine, Italy and Sweden gained a slight separation from the field, but the par-five 14th hole proved to be pivotal because of the play of Florioli and Bovari.

Florioli was the first Italian player out and holed a chip shot on the 14th and Bovari followed with an eagle for a three-stroke gain on Sweden.

“I was feeling that I was going to make a birdie on that chip, and I made it,” said Florioli, a 17-year-old from Bergamo. “I played the last four holes in par, par, par, par and that is a great final on this golf course.”

Bovari, a college golfer at the University of Virginia, reached the 569-yard 14th with a three-wood that stopped on the green, 70 feet from the hole. “Sometimes it happens,” Bovari said of his eagle putt. “Today was one of those days. It went in the dead middle of the cup. I didn’t have the strength in me to yell. I put my arms up to celebrate.”

Italy’s Filippo Celli, the low amateur in the 2022 Open Championship, shot a non-counting 70.

“Florioli played so well on the back nine with a fantastic attitude,” said Delpodio. “He was under pressure, but he was making it so easy. Bovari had two big putts on 13 and 14. To win such a tournament there must be some magic. You cannot pre-plan everything. There must be some moments when you understand everything is coming together. I realised on 14 that it was our moment. I was pretty sure it was going to end with a victory.”

Italy is one of nine nations to participate in all 32 World Amateur Team Championships since 1958. Their previous best finishes were a tie for fourth in 2004 and 2008.

“I thought about playing my best golf and I think I did,” said Florioli. “I shot six-under bogey-free in the last round and I am proud of it. It is a memory forever because it is the first time for Italy in history. It’s a great feeling.”