My mother's husband's sister's son Maurico.

Have I ever shared that my mother's nephew (by marriage) is a spectacular amateur golfer?  We were in Puerto Rico this past week.  

From Puerto Rico -October 2008

I had assumed that he was no longer playing competitively, however while hanging out at his parents house, his father Oscar let us know that Maurico had been doing well in the World Amateur Championships.  Here is the update below.

USA clings to two shot lead

The USA, bolstered by matching 5-under-par 68s from Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark, opened up a two-stroke lead over Scotland at 10-under-par 136 in the first round of the 2008 World Amateur Team Championship.  Playing at the par-73 Royal Adelaide Golf  Club, the Americans capitalized on optimal scoring conditions.

“We are off to a good start. All three played well,” USA captain Walter Driver said of his team. “Conditions were benign here at Royal Adelaide.

"Until we play both courses, it’s hard to tell exactly where you stack up against the field.”

Fowler, the American collegiate player of the year in 2008, made five birdies in his first nine holes and finished with seven against two bogeys. Lovemark, who won the American collegiate title in 2007, carded an eagle, four birdies and one bogey. Billy Horschel’s 1-under 72 did not count for the USA.

Mauricio Muniz of Puerto Rico shot the lowest round of the day, an 8-under 64, at The Grange’s West Course to pace his team into third place at 137. His score was one stroke shy of the championship record of 63 by Jason Dawes of Australia in 1994 and just the fourth 64 on record.

“I think I got the speed of the greens just right,” Muniz said. “I was reading the putts. The key was the speed of the greens. They are a lot faster than in Puerto Rico. Once I got comfortable with the speed, the putts started falling in.”

Trailing Puerto Rico were France and Wales tied for fourth, New Zealand and South Africa tied for sixth, Sweden in eighth and England, Korea, defending champion Netherlands and Spain tied for ninth.

In the World Amateur, the team’s two best individual scores count.