When: 10 October 2025

What: 34th World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy

Where: Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course), Singapore

Rapid Recap:

Propelled by world No. 6 Christiaan Maas’ second bogey-free round of the week, South Africa posted a 12-under 132 in the third round of the World Amateur Team Championship at Tanah Merah Country Club and enters the final round with a 26-under 406 total, 11 strokes clear of Mexico and Australia, who sit at 15-under 417.

“Listen, that is some impressive golf. I mean, the birdies are one thing, but some of the par saves he’s made, you know, he misses the greens in the right spots and makes it easier for himself,” said Gavin Groves, South Africa’s captain this week. “It’s obviously a lot of golf to go still, 18 holes, but we’d rather be 11 ahead than 11 behind.”

Maas and Daniel Bennett, teammates at the University of Texas, were 11-under through 12 holes together before Bennett recorded a double bogey on the par-4 13th. He made both shots back on Nos. 17 and 18, finishing birdie-birdie to post a 5-under 67, while Maas tallied five consecutive pars, adding another birdie at the 18th. Teammate Charl Barnard recorded a non-counting 75.

“Yeah, I suppose we’re happy where we are. It’s not finished yet,” said Maas, who reached the Round of 32 in the U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club in August and is the third-highest ranked player in the field. “Hopefully, we can extend our lead tomorrow.”

Mexico, with a blemish-free, 8-under 64 from Eduardo Derbez and a counting 73 from Gerardo Gómez, managed to stay in medalist contention heading into the final round. Derbez notched six birdies in a row on the Tampines Course’s outward nine and closed out his round with an eagle on the par-5 18th. After opting to use driver on his 290-yard approach shot, he then chipped in from just off the green.

“I felt really good today, I think I didn’t miss a single fairway,” said Derbez, the third University of Texas Longhorn in the field. “I got a hot streak at the start. Made a couple putts, good iron shots… Missed a few [more] birdie opportunities but finished up with a good eagle.”

Australia’s Declan O’Donovan contributed a bogey-free round of his own, tallying four birdies en route to a 68. Billy Dowling, who was 1-over with three holes to play, nearly aced the par-3 16th, tapping in for birdie and recording two more on his way in for a tumultuous 2-under 70 that included seven birdies and five bogeys. Australia posted a second consecutive 6-under 138, with Harry Takis recording a non-counting 79.

Host country Singapore was led by 16-year-old Troy Storm in the third round, who posted his first counting score of the week after posting a 72 on Friday afternoon. Hiroshi Tai, who recorded a 7-under 65 in the first round, carded a counting 75 in the third round. Singapore currently sits T-22 and is seeking its best finish in the championship, which is solo 21st.

Quotable:

Gavin Groves, South Africa Captain: “Obviously for us, we’re a proud sporting nation and there’s a lot of great golfing heritage. To be able to put this kind of championship on the proverbial wall would be amazing. We just have to cross that bridge tomorrow afternoon.”

Billy Dowling, Australia: “[On No. 18] I thought, ‘My putting’s still good, there’s no reason I can’t hole it,’ and then I holed that one as well to finish 2-under. It felt really nice to hole that putt, finish the day at 2-under and just prove to myself that I can pull shots back when I have to and do it for the team.”

Alejandro De Castro Piera, Spain: “I thought it was going to be maybe 12 feet short, but I saw my coaches lift up their hands and screaming, and I was like, ‘Oh, I made it.’ So I just kind of went crazy. It was really fun… I’m just really excited that we got something going today and to be able to share [it] with two friends, it’s just wonderful. We may not have a chance of winning a medal, but everything counts… You’re representing the whole country, and it’s important to keep that in mind.”

Preston Stout, USA: “Playing over here is different for sure. I think I was just mentally a little better today. Got off to a slow start but just stayed in it mentally… We shot ourselves out of it like the first day. We’re just trying to claw our way back in it. [Tomorrow] we’ll just try to go and do the same thing that we did yesterday and today.”

Troy Storm, Singapore: “I’m pretty happy to make a comeback, especially after the first round, which was pretty tough… I knew that if I just trusted myself, kept trying and didn’t give up, I’d be able to play some good golf.”

Notable:

• South Africa is seeking its first victory in the Eisenhower Trophy, and it would be its first medalist finish since earning silver in 1980. South Africa was the bronze medalist in 1970 and 1972.
• Australia is looking for its second consecutive Eisenhower medal after finishing T-2 in 2023. Its last victory came in 2016, and it owns 14 total medals, the most of any country aside from the USA.
• Mexico is seeking its second medalist finish all time in the competition – it earned silver in 2012 at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey.
• Paraguay and Spain jumped 10 and 11 places on Friday with rounds of 6-under 138 and 8-under 136, respectively. Spain’s third round was highlighted by a hole-in-one from Alejandro De Castro Piera on the par-3 6th (173 yards/158 meters), using 8-iron. De Castro Piera finished 3-under, and Álvaro Pastor Roman added a bogey-free, 5-under 67.
• Defending champion USA’s upward trend continued in the third round, led by Oklahoma State junior Preston Stout, who carded a 4-under 67.
• Mason Howell, the 18-year-old reigning U.S. Amateur champion, tallied three consecutive birdies after recording a triple-bogey 7 on No. 2, finishing with a counting 71 to help the Americans turn in a 5-under 139. Currently positioned T-14, the Americans are looking to avoid becoming the first USA team to finish outside the top 10 in the history of the Eisenhower Trophy.
• Singapore’s Troy Storm, who was the low scorer for his team in the third round after recording an even-par 72, improved from an 84 in the first round that included 10 bogeys and a double bogey.

What’s Next:

The final round begins Friday at 7:15 a.m. with a two-tee start on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club.

Media Contacts

Adrian Godoy – agodoy@usga.org

International Golf Federation – communications@igfmail.org

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About the World Amateur Team Championships (WATC)

The World Amateur Team Championships are a biennial international amateur golf competition conducted by the International Golf Federation. The women contest the Espirito Santo Trophy while the men compete for the Eisenhower Trophy. This year marks the 31^st edition of the women’s WATC which was first played in 1964 in France. The men’s Championship was first played in 1958 on the Old Course of St. Andrews and 2025 is its 34^th edition.

About the International Golf Federation (IGF)

The IGF is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the international federation for golf. In addition to the World Amateur Team Championships, the IGF also organises the golf competitions at the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games. The IGF is composed of 153 member federations from 150 countries.

About the Singapore Golf Association (SGA)

The SGA is the National Sport Association governing the game of golf in Singapore. Its objective is to encourage and promote the game of golf in Singapore. The SGA is currently comprised of 11 Full Members, 7 Associate Members and 6 Affiliate Members. It is a member of the International Golf Federation, Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, ASEAN Golf Federation, Asia Golf Leaders Forum and the Singapore National Olympic Council.

About Tanah Merah Country Club

As one of Singapore’s and Asia’s most prestigious clubs, Tanah Merah Country Club has built a distinguished reputation for excellence since its official opening in 1984. Its two championship courses, the Garden Course and Tampines Course, are celebrated for their masterful design, impeccable year-round maintenance, and commitment to sustainability—both proudly holding the prestigious GEO Certified® accreditation. Renowned for hosting world-class tournaments, Tanah Merah Country Club has a rich history of staging international events, including the Johnnie Walker Classic, Lexus Cup, and HSBC Women’s Champions. More recently, the club welcomed the Asian Tour’s International Series Singapore (ISS), and the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open (HFGSWO). With numerous industry accolades and affiliations with top foreign clubs, Tanah Merah Country Club remains the premier destination for championship tournaments, as well as exclusive private and corporate golf events.