The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship Announces 2019 Tournament Dates

Whispering Pines Golf Club in Texas Will Host Teams from 20 Countries

(Trinity, Texas) — Whispering Pines Golf Club, one of the best private golf clubs in the country and rated the No. 1 course in Texas, will host The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship November 7-9, 2019.  The Spirit International, a biennial event that alternates with the World Team Championships, showcases the best women and men amateur golfers from around the world. The tournament, which was established in 2001 at Whispering Pines, was canceled in 2017 due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston.

Some 80 players from 20 countries and six continents compete for golf medals in the 54-hole Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship. Each country is represented by its two best women and two best men. Previous Spirit International competitors who now are professionals on the LPGA and PGA TOUR include:  Jordan Spieth, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker, Jason Day, Martin Kaymer, Lexi Thompson, Charley Hull, Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer and Brooke Henderson. The Spirit Golf Association, a 501 (c) (3) charity that is dedicated to the promotion of amateur golf for the benefit of health-related causes, organizes and oversees the tournament along with the Texas Golf Association.

The Spirit International is an Olympic-like experience that includes an opening ceremony, festive dinner parties and a closing ceremony.  Camp Olympia, one of the premier summer camps in the U.S., provides International Village accommodations for the competitors.

Corby Robertson, Jr., a former All-America football star at The University of Texas and successful businessman, is the founder and owner of Whispering Pines Golf Club, which opened in 2000. Camp Olympia also was established by Robertson and his fellow Texas Longhorn teammate Chris Gilbert in 1968 as a youth camp to promote outdoor education.

“I founded Whispering Pines Golf Club because of a desire to provide a world-class golf experience and benefit charity through golf,” said Robertson. “We are proud of the success we’ve had to date in bringing the world’s top women and men to compete for their countries at our club.  Our commitment is to promote global goodwill through the game of golf.  The friendships made and memories shared among the participants make for an all-world experience. I believe The Spirit International has made an immeasurable impact on golf.”

The Spirit Golf Association has administered more than $12 million to its three charitable activities:  The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, The First Tee programs and healthcare service providers such as Baylor College of Medicine Teen Health Clinics, Medical Bridges and The Immunization Partnership. In 2017, The Spirit Golf Association responded to the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts by directing funds to Harvey victims through the United Way, Houston Food Bank, KIPP, Yellowstone Academy and the Baylor College of Medicine Teen Health Clinics.

For more information about The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, visit www.thespiritgolf.com.