The International team celebrates after their 33-27 victory
On a storybook final round Sunday, Team International defeated Team USA 33 to 27 to reclaim the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup. The matches were contested at Golf Club de Genève in Switzerland.
The USA still holds a 13-12-1 advantage in the 26 playings of the matches, but The Internationals have gone 3-2 since 2018, when the Palmer Cup was expanded to pit both men's and women's players from the USA against International (not just European) countries.
Entering the final day's singles matches tied at 18, it would all come down to the outcome of those matches, and The Internationals delivered.
Julia Lopez Ramirez carded Team International’s first of 13 singles victories on the day. The 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year (Mississippi State) birdied five holes, including Nos. 4-6, to defeat Brooke Seay of The USA (Stanford) 4 & 3.
“I’m so happy for this and the team,” said the Spaniard. “I know I’m around great people that treat me very good.”
Holding on in tight matches helped push Team International to victory. Four matches ended up all square, including Malaysian Ashley Lau’s battle against ASU's Calynne Rosholt of Cedar Park, Texas.
Lau dug deep for the tie.
“Heading into this round, I had lost all three of my matches before, so I knew that I had to really step my game up,” said the University of Michigan golfer. “After being 2-down through three, I thought that I just needed to play my game and take it one shot at a time."
"I’m very honored to be here and am looking forward to the Swiss chocolates.”
Another key match that was halved was between Ludvig Åberg (Sweden and Texas Tech) and Nick Gabrelcik (Trinity, Florida and North Florida). They traded wins multiple times on the back nine, including a Gabrelcik eagle on the par-5 fifth, but it was Åberg who led during 17 ofthe 18 holes played.
“If you look back at the players who have played in this tournament before, it is a testament to how strong college golf is and where it’s headed,” said Åberg, the 2022 Ben Hogan Award winner. “A lot of the people who played this week will do great things on the pro golf circuit as well, so being able to win as a team is fantastic.”
Each year, a man and woman are voted upon by their peers to receive exemptions into the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and Amundi Evian Championship. The 2022 recipients were Åberg, Aline Krauter, and Benedetta Moresco.
“This exemption is literally perfect,” Åberg said. “For what he did for his legacy and this sport, it is great to get associated with Mr. Palmer. Anytime that you can test the waters before you’re going to do it for real helps tremendously.”
Aside from the exemptions, one player from each team is chosen by their peers to receive the Michael Carter Award.
On February 13, 2002, former Penn State University golfer and GCAA Arnold Palmer Cup intern Michael Carter died in an automobile accident at the young age of 19. While Carter tragically left this world too soon, his infectiously fun-loving spirit will forever live in this competition. The Michael Carter “Junior” Memorial Award is presented to the Arnold Palmer Cup participant from each team who best represents the qualities and ideals that made this young man unique.
The 2022 recipients were James Leow and Cole Sherwood.
UNDEFEATED:
Mateo Fernández de Oliveira was the first Argentinian golfer to compete in the Palmer Cup. He went undefeated for The Internationals this week, as did USC women's golf star Amari Avery from California for Team USA.
-- recap courtesy of GCAAView results for Palmer Cup
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
competition, day
two will see Mixed
Foursomes in the morning and Four-Ball in the
afternoon, with 24 singles
matches on the final day.
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