USA leads Inaugural Junior Presidents Cup after Day One

September 25, 2017 | by American Junior Golf Association

Team USA had a lot to celebrate on day one o the Junior Presidents Cup <br>(AJGA Photo)

Day one was closer then the score would indicate as four of the six four-ball matches went 17 or 18 holes

EDISON, NJ (September 25, 2017) - In the opening rounds of the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup, the United States Team, led by Captain David Toms and Honorary Captain Jack Nicklaus, took a commanding 9-3 lead over Captain Trevor Immelman and Honorary Captain Gary Player’s International Team.

Co-hosted by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and PGA TOUR, the Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf. The historic event is being held at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, New Jersey, host of THE NORTHERN TRUST, a FedExCup Playoff event. Following the conclusion of the Junior Presidents Cup, both teams will be invited to witness the Presidents Cup firsthand, a prelude to potential future Presidents Cup participation for those who move on to play the game professionally.

The first four-ball match of the day went the distance as the AJGA’s reigning Rolex Junior Player of the Year Noah Goodwin of Texas, and Cole Hammer of Texas, halved the match with Rayhan Thomas of India, and Garrick Higgo of South Africa. The United States took a 1-up lead on No. 8 and extended their lead to 3-up by No. 11. The match was all-square for nine holes during the day. Thomas, No. 31 in WAGR, secured a half point for the International Team with a birdie on No. 18.

After being down or all square from Nos. 3 – 13, South Africans Jayden Schaper and Luca Filippi mounted a comeback in their match against William Mouw of California, and Turner Hosch of Texas. Schaper made a 20-foot eagle putt on No. 14 to give the International Team momentum and to ultimately halve the match with a par on No. 18.

Despite the United States winning the four-ball session 5-1, four of the six matches went to No. 17 or 18.

During afternoon foursomes, the International Team earned their first Junior Presidents Cup match wins as Atiruj Winaicharoenchai of Thailand, and Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan of Indonesia, combined for four birdies to defeat Mouw and Joe Highsmith of Washington, 1-up.

Australians Joshua Armstrong and Fred Lee also posted a win for Immelman’s International squad. The pair closed out their match on No. 17 after carding three straight birdies to defeat Hosch of Texas and Canon Claycomb of Kentucky.

Eugene Hong of Florida, and Prescott Butler of New York, constructed an impressive 5&3 win over Wocheng Ye of China and Sean Maruyama of Japan. The duo was 5-under-par through nine holes and finished their round with eight birdies, a conceded birdie and two bogeys.

The Junior Presidents Cup will conclude Tuesday with singles matches running from 7:30 – 9:20 a.m. off the No. 1 tee at Plainfield Country Club.

Morning Four-Ball Results

Noah Goodwin, Texas (2018) & Cole Hammer, Texas (2018) vs. Garrick Higgo, South Africa, (2017) & Rayhan Thomas, India (2019), Halved

Turner Hosch, Texas (2019) & William Mouw, California (2019) vs. Luca Filippi, South Africa (2017) & Jayden Schaper, South Africa (2019), Halved

Trent Phillips, South Carolina (2018), & Jacob Bridgeman, South Carolina (2018) def. Sean Maruyama, Japan (2018) & Karl Vilips, Australia (2020), 2-up

Canon Claycomb, Kentucky (2020) & Joe Highsmith, Washington (2018) def. Atiruj Winaicharoenchai, Thailand (2018) & Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan, Indonesia (2018), 2&1

Prescott Butler, New York (2018) & Garrett Barber, Florida (2018), def. Wocheng Ye, China (2018) & Christo Lamprecht, South Africa (2019), 2&1

Eugene Hong, Florida (2018) & Akshay Bhatia, North Carolina (2020), def. Fred Lee, Australia (2017) & Joshua Armstrong, Australia (2017), 4&3

Afternoon Foursome Results

Noah Goodwin, Texas (2018) & Trent Phillips, South Carolina (2018), def. Garrick Higgo, South Africa, (2017) & Rayhan Thomas, India (2019), 4&3

Atiruj Winaicharoenchai, Thailand (2018), & Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan, Indonesia (2018), def. William Mouw, California (2019), & Joe Highsmith, Washington (2018), 1-up

Fred Lee, Australia (2017) & Josh Armstrong, Australia (2017), def. Turner Hosch, Texas (2019) & Canon Claycomb, Kentucky (2020), 3&1

Cole Hammer, Texas (2018) & Garrett Barber, Florida (2018) def. Jayden Schaper, South Africa (2019) & Karl Vilips, Australia (2020), 3&2

Eugene Hong, Florida (2018) & Prescott Butler, New York (2018) def. Sean Maruyama, Japan (2018) & Wocheng Ye, China (2018), 5&3

About the Junior Presidents Cup

USA leads Inaugural Junior Presidents Cup after Day One

The Junior Presidents Cup features two days of match play with 12 of the best players from the United States and 12 players from the rest of the world with the exception of Europe. The event kicks off Presidents Cup week, at the end of which the prof...

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