US Captures World Amateur Title

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico -- The United States won the World Amateur Team Championship for the third consecutive time as the final round was cancelled on Sunday.

Heavy rain and threats of lightning caused the event to be shortened for the second time in 24 years. The original plan by the International Golf Federation was to implement Condition 10 of the Championship, which cuts the field. The IGF made the cut at the top-10 teams and ties and 11 teams were to play only the inward nine of the Ocean Course at Rio Mar Country Club.

More poor weather in the area forced officials to cancel the final round at 1:35 p.m. (ET).

The U.S. side of Ryan Moore, Spencer Levin and Lee Williams combined for a 25- under-par 407, which was good for a nine-stroke victory over the team from Spain.

‘These three individuals are uniquely diverse persons but to see them come together as a team in this event was very gratifying,’ said American captain Trey Holland. ‘I will follow their careers as long as there is breath in me.’

This was the 13th title for the U.S. and they became the 12th team to go wire-to-wire. The American side won for the third year in a row, and also won three consecutive from 1978-82. The U.S. won four in a row from 1968-74.

Moore, who won this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, the NCAA Individual title and Western Amateur, posted the lowest score in the tournament with a 12-under-par 204.

Levin was close behind at 206 and Williams, who opened with a 67 on Thursday, finished at 2-under-par 214.

Sweden came in third at 15-under-par 417, while Canada, Switzerland and Italy shared fourth place at 10-under-par 422.

Wales was seventh at 9-under-par 423. England and Malaysia tied for eighth at minus-eight and Germany and Denmark shared 10th place at 7-under-par 425.