Note: This article was revised on January 21, 2015, to reflect a change in the team roster for the South American Amateur. Nathan Smith, of Pittsburgh, Pa., withdrew from the event on January 2 and was replaced by Michael McCoy of West Des Moines, Iowa.
The United States Golf Association has selected four national champions to represent the USA at the 2015 South American Amateur Championship, to be contested Jan. 22-25 at Lima Golf Club in Lima, Peru.
U.S. Mid-Amateur champions Scott Harvey, 36, of Greensboro, N.C., and Michael McCoy, 52, of West Des Moines, will join U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champions Margaret Shirley, 28, of Atlanta, Ga., and Meghan Stasi, 36, of Oakland Park, Fla., in the South American Amateur field.
While players from the United States have previously competed in the championship, which is being conducted for the 10th time, 2015 marks the first time the USGA will send an official delegation.
Harvey won the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship with a 6-and-5 victory over Brad Nurski at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. Harvey is a two-time Carolinas Mid-Amateur champion and won the 2011 Carolinas Amateur Championship.
Shirley captured the 2014 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship with a 5-and-3 win over Julia Potter at Harbour Trees Golf Club in Noblesville, Ind. Shirley, who was runner-up to Potter in 2013, also earned stroke-play medalist honors at 2-under 142, the second-lowest 36-hole qualifying score in championship history. She is a three-time Georgia Women’s Open champion.
McCoy became the second-oldest U.S. Mid-Amateur champion in history when he claimed the 2013 championship at the Country Club of Birmingham at the age of 50. He has competed in the last two U.S. Senior Opens, earning low-amateur honors in 2014 at Oak Tree National.
Stasi won the 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships, with her four titles tying Ellen Port for the most in championship history. Stasi was a member of the victorious 2008 USA Curtis Cup Team, won the 2010 Florida Women’s Amateur title and is a two-time Florida Women’s Mid-Amateur champion.
The South American Amateur Championship is a 72-hole, individual stroke-play competition for men and women. The Peruvian Golf Federation will conduct the 2015 championship, under the auspices of the South American Golf Federation. Paul Howard, of England, and Lucia Gutierrez, of Peru, won the 2014 championships, which were held at Barranquilla Country Club in Colombia. Callum Shinkwin, of England, a member of the 2013 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team, and Brooke Mackenzie Henderson, of Canada, currently No. 1 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, were the 2013 champions.