Spain wears International Crown

Spain went undefeated in the Sunday singles matches to capture the LPGA Tour’s inaugural International Crown.

The Spanish team of Carlota Ciganda, Belen Mozo, Azahara Munoz and Beatriz Recari began the event as the fifth seed and tied the Thai team at the top of Pool A at the end of the three rounds of four-ball matches. All four Spanish women then recorded victories in the singles matches to finish four points clear of Sweden in a dominant finish at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland.

“I think that coming in, we knew we had that advantage over the other teams,” Mozo said. “Even though we were maybe the underdogs because of the seedings and the way we came into this tournament, not seeded very well, I knew deep inside that what you need in team championships is what we have, not the rest.”

Beatriz Recari jumps into the arms of teammate Belen Mozo on the 16th green after Spain won the International Crown. PHOTO: Getty Images

Ciganda set the tone on Sunday. She beat former US Women’s Open champion Na Yeon Choi 8 & 6 in the first match involving the Spaniards and set a torrid pace for her countrywomen to follow. Further victories to Recari (3&2 over Sweden’s Mikaela Parmlid) and Mozo (3 & 2 over Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn) made Munoz’ 2 & 1 toppling of Japan’s Ai Miyazato in the anchor match academic.

“I can’t even tell you how I feel right now. It’s been such an amazing week for us,” Munoz said. “We have had such a good time. When we knew we won on the 15th green, I almost lost it. I don’t know how I could keep playing because I was going to get a heart attack. So it’s just super exciting that we won the first ever International Crown and I’m so proud to be from where I am and it’s just awesome.”

The event broke new ground on the LPGA Tour and provided several compelling contests, particularly in the four-balls. Eight countries were split into two pools of four and played round-robin four-ball matches for three days before five teams (the top two from each pool plus a wildcard) progressed to Sunday’s singles. Japan, Thailand, Sweden and Spain moved on, with Korea winning the wildcard play-off to join them.

Australia earned the fewest points of the eight teams in the three rounds of four-ball matches. The seventh-ranked team of Karrie Webb, Katherine Kirk, Lindsey Wright and amateur Minjee Lee looked poised to progress to the final round after the second day but lost both their third-round matches to Sweden by large margins. Earlier, the Aussie quartet split the points 2-all with Korea on day one and halved one of their two matches against Japan.

Australia's Karrie Webb and playing partner Minjee Lee celebrate after Webb holed out on the 1st hole during round two. PHOTO: Getty Images.