University of North Carolina Athletics
Golfer Leslie Cloots To Play In International Amateur
October 28, 2013 | Women's Golf
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - University of North Carolina golfer Leslie Cloots, a freshman from Antwerp, Belgium, will be representing her home country at the 2013 Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship being played Oct. 28-Nov. 2 at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas.
The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship is a world class golf event. It features the world's best amateur men and amateur women golfers as they represent their respective country in team and individual competitions. The 80 participants enjoy an Olympic like experience from the Opening/Closing Ceremonies, international village and competing for gold medals. Established in 2001, The Spirit is a biennial event that alternates tournament years with the World Amateur Team Championships.
Twenty countries will be participating in the Spirit Championship with two men and two women comprising each country's team. The event consists of 72 holes of best ball competition with five separate competitions: International Team (combined best ball of the Men's and Women's teams), Men's Team, Women's Team, Men's Individual, and Women's Individual. Gold, Silver and Bronze commemorative medals are awarded to the top three places in each competition.
Cloots, the 2013 Belgium King's Pike Women's Champion, played in three of Carolina's tournaments this fall, including one as an individual. Joining Cloots on the Belgium squad are Kevin Hesbois, Cedric Van Wassenhove and Laura Gonzales Escallon. The team captain is Jean de Vooght. This marks Belgium's fourth appearance in the prestigious event - they finished 12th in 2007, 14th in 2009 and 16th in 2011. The United States has won the last two championships, 2009 and 2011.
![Images from the first round of the 2026 Gators Invitational on Friday, March 6, 2026 at Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Photo by Matt Pendleton Photography for North Carolina Tar Heels Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Func.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F3%2F7%2F260306-NCAAWGOLF-UNC-GatorsInvitational-0828-MattPendleton_copy.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
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