News release for the Detroit Media by Eren Stephens

WE HAVE AN "ACE" AMONGST  DETROIT'S FINEST   


A member of the Detroit Police Department will represent the United States
of America in the 17th Annual World Golfers Championship (WGC) in South
Africa, October 29 - November 5, stated Chief of Police Ralph L. Godbee,
Jr.2nd Deputy Chief Mark Thomas, Commanding Officer of the Executive
Protection unit for the Honorable Dave Bing, will have an amazing
opportunity to be on the national five-person team of amateur golfers.

Earlier this month, 2nd Deputy Chief Thomas competed with over 100 amateur
golfers when he proved to be talented and tenacious on the green. With
handicaps ranging from 0-25, it was decided in a 36-hole qualification at
the Hill Country Golf Club at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San
Antonio, TX, that he would be a member of the United States National Team.
This team will compete against other countries, which are expected to join
the United States in South Africa. These countries include Austria, Belgium,
Canada, Czech Republic, England, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India,
Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Monoco, Netherlands, Nigeria,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand and Ukraine.   The 72-hole competition will
be played at the Durban Country Club, the Prince's Grant Golf Estate, the
Umhlali Country Club and the Zimbali Golf Course.The National Team members
are -Bob Neal of Arlington, TX; Mark Thomas of Detroit, MI; Eddie Stephens
of Wilmette, IL; Ivan Marin of Miami, FL; and David Weatherspoon of Arvada,
CO.   The WGC provides the average golf amateur an opportunity to play in a
worldwide event and represent their country in a way similar to what the
professionals do in The Ryder Cup, President's Cup and The Solheim Cup.

  By playing in different flight levels, everybody competes on an equal and
fair level against players of their own caliber.  Every country starts with
qualification tournaments on local or regional levels leading into a
National Final, where the 5 winners will be crowned to be the
representatives of their respective country. 

During the 17 year history of the World Golfers, this is the sixth time that
the United States has sent a National Team.   This is a historic moment for
the United States of America and the city of Detroit because 2nd Deputy
Chief Thomas will be the first African American, and Detroiter to have
earned this "once-in-a-lifetime" honor to represent this great country."This
was totally unexpected," stated 2nd Deputy Chief Mark Thomas.  "I am very
honored not only to represent the United States of America, but also a World
Class city- Detroit!"  

Article in New England Golf Monthly

THE 2011 WORLD GOLFERS CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD IN SOUTH AFRICA

By: Pam Borges on 10/18/11 05:43 PM

 It surprises me that so few golfers have heard of the World Golfers Championship (WGC).  Can you imagine earning an expense-paid trip to South Africa to represent your country in a world championship final, individually as well as in a team? Anyone with a registered handicap between 0-25 can have that chance.     

Five amateur golfers with handicaps ranging from 0-25 earned a spot on the USA Team in a 36-hole qualifying event at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio earlier this month. The winners from five handicap divisions—Bob Neal of Texas, Mark Thomas of Michigan, Eddie Stephens of Illinois (not  pictured), Ivan Marin of Florida, and David Weatherspoon of Colorado—will represent the U.S. Team at the 17^th annual World Golfers Championship in South Africa Oct. 29-Nov. 5.  There will be 32 countries fielding national five-person teams in the 72-hole competition to be played at the Durban Country Club, the Prince’s Grant Golf Estate, the Umhlali Country Club and the Zimbali Golf Course.

 Founded in 1995, WGC is the largest amateur golfers’ championship involving thousands of golfers in over 40 countries.  Anders Bengtson, president of World Golfers USA, added, “It’s the true Olympics of golf, where amateurs compete on equal terms the way Pierre de Coubertin envisioned it when he created the Olympics.” The tournament begins as a national championship in participating countries, where winners from five handicap flights (0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25) earn expense-paid trips to the world finals where they compete as a five-person team and individually within their flights. The WGC has been staged all over the world including Thailand, Spain, Turkey, and Malaysia. 

 Bengtson indicated that associations and clubs from across the U.S., interested in conducting 18-hole qualifying events to determine representatives from each of the handicap flights for the 2012 U.S. finals, should go towww.worldgolfersusa.com for details on how to enter; or give him a call at 561-313-9083.  Don’t be left out…no qualifying event in your state…no problem…call Anders for accommodations.

Never quit attitude helps flight 4 National Champion Ivan Marin

Ivan Marin
2011 Flight Four
National Champion

Ivan's road to the National Championship was a long one since it took him three times at local qualifiers in South Florida to finally earn his way to San Antonio TX earlier this month.

Ivan who is 55 and a real estate broker in South Florida learned a valuable lesson a fews years back when he was competing in a tournament and found himself three stokes off the lead going into the final hole. Keeping his composure Ivan hit his drive landing safely in the fairway while the leader hit his drive into the water eventually scoring a nine on the hole giving Ivan the victory by one. Ivan was quoted “from that  moment on I never quit and keep playing until the end because you never know what's going to happen.” 

As it turned out he needed this positive prospective to prevail at the 2011 National Championship. Playing with a 17 course handicap Ivan started the event with a 49 ( net +4) and well behind the leaders, but he kept playing to shoot a 45 on the back finishing with two pars. By the time he made it to the club house Ivan found himself in a tie for second place and only three strokes off the lead. On the final day Ivan slipped to 4 strokes back after 9 but “you never know whats going to happen” happened on the 13th hole when the leader recorded a 10 putting Ivan in a tie for 1st with five holes to go and Ivan pulled away to win by 4 strokes. 

With his victory not only has he won is first National Championship but he has earned a spot on TEAM USA 2011, where he will travel to South Africa with his fellow team members to become WORLD Champions. When asked “what this means to him” he replied “for me to be on TEAM USA 2011 still sounds a little unreal but I'm sure when we get to South Africa and the world Championship are upon us, my pride will take over. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'am seriously training myself for this event (My Olympics) and I want to keep the tension low as possible since I know the competition is very strong, I will do my best especially now that I am not only playing for myself but for TEAM USA and I take this responsibility very serious.”

Arnold Palmer wishing good luck to all the Amatuers at the 2011 World Golfers Championships

USA Team Named For the 2011 World Golfers Championship by James McAfee

U. S. team named for World Golfers Championship

October 3rd, 2011 by James McAfee

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Bob Neal, Mark Thomas, Sal Ditta, Ivan Marin, David Weatherspoon

Competing for your country is a rare privilege that usually is limited to a few talented golf professionals and amateurs. However, five amateur golfers with handicaps ranging from 0-25 earned that “once-in-a-lifetime” honor when the United States team was decided in a 36-hole qualifying at the Hill Country Golf Club at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio earlier this month.

 The winners from five handicap divisions—Bob Neal of Arlington TX, Mark Thomas of Detroit, MI, Eddie Stephens of Wilmette, IL, Ivan Marin of Miami, FL and David Weatherspoon of Arvada, CO—will travel to South Africa for the 17^thannual World Golfers Championship at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort in Kwa-Zulu Natal Oct. 29-Nov. 5. The 72-hole competition will be played at the Durban Country Club, the Prince’s Grant Golf Estate, the Umhlali Country Club and the Zimbali Golf Course. 

Neal, playing with a 1 handicap, claimed flight 1 (0-5) with a net of 75-72—147. He finished four strokes ahead of Guy Nickels of Keller, TX.

Thomas, playing off a 8 handicap, put together 73-75—148 to win flight 2 (6-10), finishing four strokes in front of Darren Rawlinson of Jacksonville, FL and five ahead of M.D. Hudon of McKinney, TX, the lone woman in that flight.

Stephens left San Antonio thinking he had finished two strokes back in a tie for second place behind Sal Ditta of Bayside, NY who playing off a 15 handicap had posted 76-75—151 in flight 3 (10-15). It was discovered that the committee had erred and that he should have played off a 14 handicap. Thus, Stephens, Ditta and Benton Fillers of Sumner, TX tied at 153. Stephens won the scorecard playoff with a net 36 on the final nine used as the tiebreaker.

Ivan Marin, playing off a 17 handicap, closed with a 74 for 36-hole total of 151 to take flight 4 (15-20), finishing four and five strokes ahead of Arizona golfers Tom Loegering of Sun City and Thong Nguyen of Litchfield.

Weatherspoon (21) emerged as the winner in flight 5 (20-25), improving 13 strokes from an opening 91 for a 36-hole total of 169, one stroke in front of Mike Aybar of Miami, FL.

On the eve of the final round in San Antonio, U.S. captain Anders Bengtson got the sad news that Sven Tumba, who had started the World Golfers Championship 16 years, had passed away at age 80.

Countries expected to join the U.S. and host South Africa in fielding national five-person teams include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Monoco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand and Ukraine. In addition, there is a separate invitational two-person competition at the same time.

“ Golf has truly become a global sport and the World Golfers Championship is a great indication of it,” said legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, a patron of the event and a longtime friend of Tumba. “What I enjoy about it is that all golfers, regardless of skill level, can participate and challenge golfers from all over the world in a fair competition.”

2012 Team USA point standings as of 10-1-2011

Pos	Player	POY Points
1	Bob Neal
2	Mark Thomas
3	Darren Rawlinson
T4	Guy Nickels
T4	MD Hudon
T6	Ryan Fritz
T6	Terry Willie
8	Bret Van Riessen
T9	Chris Borkowski
T9	Ivan Marin
T11	Guillermo Duenas
T11	John Anderson
T13	Brenton Fillers
T13	Charles Pooley
T13	Eddie Stephens
T13	Jim Quinn
T13	Salvatore Ditta
T18	Jay Merrilees
T18	Rachel Smith
T20	Bill Nitcholas
T20	Bruce Browne
T20	Chris Mangold
T20	Shauna Federico
T20	Tom Loegering
T25	Bruce Gallo
T25	Thong Nguyen
T25	Walt Camping
T28	Alex Valdez
T28	Nomie Namie
T28	Texal Kyle
T31	James Dicks
T31	Ray Mullins
T31	Stephen Brooks
T34	Bruce Pate
T34	Michael Hirsch
T36	Bob Relyea
T36	Paul Goering
38	Randolph Simonson
T39	Gerald Boysen
T39	Marco Matinez
T39	Mark Wanke
T39	Marvin Shavers
T39	Ricardo Schoville
T39	Richard Ledbetter
45	Leonardus Leufkens
46	Mary Hauk
T47	Bronco Von Hoerling
T47	Michael Gowen
T49	Daniel Bradley
T49	Thomas Vail
51	Larry Dalton
52	Glenn (David) Weatherspoon
53	Mike Aybar
54	Richard Waldie
T55	Bil Criteser
T55	Don Lyons
T57	Dennis Kusenberger
T57	James Adams
59	William Lewis
60	David Small
61	Vernon DeVries
62	Adam Holewinski
63	David Cash
T64	Miguel Paguero
T64	Pam Borges
66	Gabriel Diaz
67	Jim Hines II
68	Frank McInerny
69	Tom Madrzykowski
T70	John Neal
T70	Rick Zurak
72	Anthony Mameli
WD	Peter Sorrentino
DQ	Eric Fox