The 2024 WCF Golf Croquet World Championship Round of 32 and 16 is one of the most entertaining days in croquet and yes, I will say it — all of sport. Eighty players battle for five days in block play to whittle down to 32. That first playoff day is a whirlwind of action as the day brings unpredictable best of three action and generally ends with only eight players left standing. It’s a nail-biter for top seeds and anyone following the event.
Read More2024 CROQUET NEWS VOLUME 2: Summer Issue
The 2024 Volume 2 Digital Edition of the USCA's Croquet News magazine is now available for viewing as an eMag. This Summer issue features coverage of the 2024 AC and GC Nationals along with the 2023 Annual Awards. In addition to Let's Talk Tactics from Jeff Soo and GC America from Cheryl Bromley, this edition features 2023 Women's GC Grand Prix winner Debbie Davidoff for our member profile and plenty more.
Read More2024 CROQUET NEWS VOLUME 1: US Solomon Win
The 2024 Volume 1 Digital Edition of the USCA's Croquet News magazine is now available for viewing as an eMag. This Spring issue features coverage of the 2023 US Solomon Trophy in November with additional coverage on Seniors/Masters, GC Club Teams and the 2024 Florida Golf Croquet Regional. Readers will also enjoy our full line-up of columns and departments including final standings for all six of the 2023 USCA Grand Prix competitions.
Read MoreUSCA Selection Committee Announces 2023 Solomon Trophy Team
The United States Croquet Association (USCA) has announced the 2023 team for the upcoming Solomon Trophy, a prestigious team competition between the United States and England. The AC team event showcases the talents of six players from each country competing in test matches. This year, the Solomon Trophy will be hosted at the Sarasota County Croquet Club in Venice, Florida, November 7-12, 2023.
Read MoreUSCA Announces 2022 MacRob Roster
The USCA AC Selection Committee has announced the following Team USA roster for the 2022 MacRobertson Shield team AC event.
Read More2019 Croquet News Volume 4 Digital Edition
The 2019 Volume 4 Digital Edition of the USCA's Croquet News is now available for viewing. The print version of this edition will be mailing the first week in December.
This edition celebrates Ben Rothman's WCF World GC Championship title with event coverage and an interview with Rothman. The issue also includes a Decade Retrospective photo collection that highlights some of the best moments from 2010-2019. In addition, there are profiles on Blake Fields and the Tega Cay Croquet Club along with 2019 GC Nationals coverage.
Read More2018 Croquet News Volume 2 Digital Edition
The 2018 Volume 2 issue of the USCA's Croquet News magazine is now available as a digital edition through Issuu. Follow the link and click the full screen symbol to enjoy the magazine on your tablet, desktop/laptop or phone. All links are active so be sure to support the advertisers that help make the magazine possible by visiting their websites.
Read MoreCroquet Phenom from Mission Hills
The USCA Club at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California is extremely proud of its youngest member, Blake Fields. At just 11 years of age, Blake has recently made a name for himself by winning the first flight singles and the first flight doubles (with his father, Justin Fields at the USCA National Golf Croquet Championship (December 12-19, Mission Hills Country Club)! In these victories Blake bested a strong field consisting of top-ranked players from across the county.
Read MoreSoo 17: AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!
Malcolm Fletcher plays the Shield-winning turn
Australia wins the MacRobertson Shield
On the hottest day of the tournament, the Aussies felt right at home. Fittingly, it was the three Fletcher brothers who gave their team the 9th, 10th, and 11th points to win the final test match against USA, and to claim the MacRobertson Shield. Simon Hockey added another point to make it 12-6, with a final round of doubles to be played tomorrow.
World #1 player Robert Fletcher got the first point of the day, with a +25tp, +8tp win over USA #1 (and, as of the start of the match, world #4) Ben Rothman. Greg Fletcher put his team "on the hill" with a +26tp, +17tp win over USA's Stephen Morgan. Stuart Lawrence (USA) kept his team's hopes alive with a +2, -26tp, +17tp win over Stephen Forster (AUS). Jeff Soo (USA) beat Aussie captain Ian Dumergue +24tp, +15 to make it 10-6.
In the late-starting matches, Malcolm Fletcher won the first against USA captain Danny Huneycutt, +24tp. Simon Hockey won the first against David Maloof (USA) +10. Fletcher had a chance for a standard triple in game 2, but it became more and more delayed and ended with one peel done and an OSL. Huneycutt missed the short shot. There were not many easy shots in Fletcher's winning turn, but he held his nerve and pegged out to win game, match, test match and championship. Hockey joined his teammates for an emotional celebration, before returning to finish his match with Maloof.
England swept the doubles round against NZ to take an unassailable 12-3 test-match lead. Currently trailing Australia by 3 individual matches won, they have a chance to overtake Australia on that statistic in tomorrow's final round.
Soo 16: Australia is Three Wins Away
With another winning day, Australia is in good position to secure the Shield a day early. USA must win tomorrow's singles by at least 4-2 to keep the test alive on the final day. Winning two out of three of today's doubles matches, Australia now leads the test 8-4.
England's Jamie Burch peels rover in game 1 against NZ's Paddy Chapman7-5 seemed a likely result at a couple of points. David Maloof & Ben Rothman (USA) won their match against Robert & Malcolm Fletcher (AUS) +21tp, +17tp, Rothman doing both triples, bringing the test match to 4-6. Stuart Lawrence & Jeff Soo (USA) won the first against Simon Hockey & Greg Fletcher (AUS), the Aussie pair not taking croquet as Lawrence tripled for +26tp. Break up in the second, Soo missed a rush, allowing the Aussies to level, +17tp (Hockey tripling). As the temperatures climbed, so did the error rate. The American's achieved peg and 4-back with a classic "tea-lady" leave, the Aussies on 4 and 2-back. Fletcher hit the 35-yarder and went to peg with a tidy spread. Lawrence missed and Hockey finished +5.
Stephen Forster & Ian Dumergue (AUS) went game-up against Danny Huneycutt & Stephen Morgan (USA), +21. Huneycutt had an early break in game 2, but failed hoop 3, and the Aussies kept control for +24.
The ENG vs NZ singles featured a back-to-the-future match: Joe Hogan (NZ) vs. Stephen Mulliner (ENG). The pair's last MacRobertson Shield singles match was in 1990, a year after Hogan became the inaugural WCF AC world champion. This time Mulliner is the current AC world champion. Mulliner won the first +26tp, and TPO'd Hogan's ball in game 2. But Hogan won +5otp to force the decider. Hogan had a triple peel in good order in game 3. Until he missed the peg-out from four yards, sending the forward ball off the lawn. Mulliner had two breaks to finish, +2tp.
Earlier, Aiken Hakes (NZ) continued his winning ways in singles, beating David Maugham (ENG) -23, +17tp, +17tp. James Hopgood added a point for England, beating Chris Shilling (NZ) +26tp, +5tp. Likewise for James Death (ENG), winner against Harps Tahurangi (NZ), and Jamie Burch (ENG), +20tp, +26tp over Paddy Chapman (NZ).
England captain Samir Patel made it 9-3 for his team, beating NZ captain Jenny Clarke 2-0.