Palmer Cup Day 1: USA Leads Europe 4-1
6/12/2015 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: View results for Palmer Cup, Tralee Golf Club
Beau Hossler and Maverick McNealy won the final point of the day for USA, who leads 6-4
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. – The United States holds a 6-4 lead during rainy conditions after the first day of the Palmer Cup at Rich Harvest Farms. Europe won three of the five matches of the afternoon four-ball sessions after Team USA held a 4-1 lead after the opening foursomes round.
“We made a ton of birdies this morning, which you sometimes don’t see in that format (foursomes),” said American Head Coach Bruce Heppler. “Obviously we got off to a good start but we are playing a really good team so you knew there would be some comeback in the afternoon. The afternoon looked liked it was not going to go well and Hunter (Stewart) and Robby (Shelton) came back and won their match. So, we got two points out of the afternoon when it looked like it could have been a total whitewash. It’s just fun to watch these types of players play.”
Europe quickly cut into the United States’ lead by claiming the first two matches. Thomas Detry and Adrian Meronk won the first hole of the opening match of the four-ball session and led throughout in their 4 and 3 drubbing of Lee McCoy and Ollie Schniederjans. Detry birdied No. 1 and both players followed with a birdie on the second to move to 2-up. Schniederjans birdied the fifth to cut the lead to 1-up. The two sides traded Nos. 9 and 1. Detry birdied both the 11th, 12th and 15th to close the match.
In the second match the American duo of Kyle Jones and Carr Vernon held a 1-up lead from the second to fifth holes. The match was all square until No. 13 when Europe claimed back-to-back holes with a Gary Hurley birdie and both he and Mathias Eggenberger carded par on No. 14. Europe closed the match with a 3 and 2 victory with a pair of birdies on No. 16.
Team USA came from behind to claim match No. 3 when Robby Shelton and Hunter Stewart downed Rowin Caron and Clement Sordet, 1-up. Europe took an early lead with birdies from Rowin Caron on No. 3 and and Clement Sordet on No. 7 to move to 2-up. Shelton birdied Nos. 10 and 12 to even the match. Shelton would roll in another birdie on No. 17 to give the Americans their first lead. Both sides parred the final hole.
Europe claimed its third point of the afternoon when Max Rottluff and Matthias Schwab beat Anders Albertson and Jack Maguire, 2 and 1. Rottluff birdied the first and Europe led throughout. Europe moved to 3-up after back-to-back wins at Nos. 4 and 5. Team USA cut the led to 2-up with a Jack Maguire birdie at No. 7 but Europe claimed the next hole with a Rottluff birdie. Rottluff put Europe 4-up with an eagle No. 11 before the Americans cut the lead to 2-up thru 14.
Beau Hossler and Maverick McNealy won the final point of the day, downing Spain’s Pep Angles and Jon Rahm, 2 and 1. Angles birdied the first hole and Europe held a 1-up lead on four of the first six holes. The Americans moved to 1-up when it won two-straight with McNealy eagle on No. 7 and a pair of birdies on the eighth. Europe would move the match back to all-square with a Rahm birdie at No. 10. Team USA took the lead for good with McNealy’s birdie at No. 13 anc moved to 2-up with a pair of birdies at No. 15.
Third-round singles matches tee off Saturday at 8:30 am.
PREVIOUSLY POSTED
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. (June 12, 2015) -- Team USA raced out to a 4-1 lead after the opening foursomes round of the Palmer Cup at Rich Harvest Farms. The opening round was delayed 40 minutes due to lightning.
Team USA won the first three matches of the day. Lee McCoy and Ollie Schniederjans got Team USA off to a quick start with a 4 and 3 victory over Thomas Detry and Jon Rahm. Europe won the first hole and were two up thru No. 3 but the Americans responded by claiming the next two holes. The Americans took the lead with birdie on No. 9 and carded three more birdies on Nos. 10, 11 and 14.
The match between Kyle Jones and Carr Vernon and Max Rottluff and Matthias Schwab was all-square thru 9 before the Americans took the lead for good with a birdie on No. 10. Jones and Vernon won three straight holes at Nos. 12-14 before a finishing with a 3 and 2 victory.
Caron and Sordet led early in their match against Robby Shelton and Hunter Stewart after the Americans conceded in the fairway after a wayward opening tee shot. The Europeans moved to 2-up thru 4 but Team USA responded by winning two straight holes. Shelton and Stewart birdied Nos. 9 and 11 and took the 12th with par to move to 3-up. The Americans would go on to defeat Europe 3 and 2.
Europe put its first points on the board with Pep Angles and Adrian Meronk’s 3 and 2 decision over Beau Hossler and Maverick McNealy. Europe held a 1-up lead for most of the front nine but the match moved to all square thru 10. Angles and Meronk claimed Nos. 12-14 to move to 3-up.
Anders Albertson and Jack Maguire held on for a 1-up win against Mathias Eggenberger and Gary Hurley to give Team USA the final point of the foursomes session. The Americans led almost the entire match and extened its lead to 4-up thru 12. Europe won No. 13 with birdie and and tallied three more birdies on Nos. 15-17 to square the match. The United States claimed the final hole with par to close the match.
Second round four-ball matches tee off at 2:10 pm.
About the Palmer Cup
The annual Ryder Cup-style competition features top men and women collegiate players from the United States against their International counterparts. Each team will be comprised of 12 men's and 12 women's golfers. Day one will feature Mixed Four-Ball...
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