AMERICANS JUMP INTO EARLY FOUR-POINT LEAD IN PALMER CUP

FROM THE PALMER CUP WEBSITE

WILMINGTON, Delaware – The United States won four of the five first-round four-ball matches to take a 4.5-0.5 lead at the Palmer Cup students' international match at Wilmington Country Club.
Team USA’s Sean Dale and Bobby Wyatt clinched the first point of the Palmer Cup with a 5 and 4 victory against Sebastian Cappelen and Pontus Widegren. 
Europe took an early lead with a birdie on the third hole but the Americans ran out to a 3-up lead after four-straight birdies on Nos. 5-8. Europe cut into the lead with a Widegren birdie on the ninth before another American birdie barrage on Nos. 10, 12 and 13 pushed the U.S. to 5-up.
The United States jumped out to a 2-0 lead with Patrick Rodgers’ and Justin Thomas’ 5 and 3 win over Greg Eason and Ben Taylor. The Americans won holes two through four with birdies to take a 3-up lead. 
Europe responded with a birdie of its own on No. 5 but Team USA pushed its lead to 4-up by the turn. A birdie on No. 12 cut the lead back to 3-up before the Americans closed out the mach with back-to-back birdies by Thomas on Nos. 14 and 15.
Daniel Berger and James Erkenbeck continued Team USA’s hot streak with a 4 and 3 route of Scott Fernandez and Pedro Figueiredo. The Americans birdied Nos. 3 and 4 to take a 2-up lead and pushed their advantage to 5-up with three-straight birdies from Nos. 9-11. 
Alex Carpenter and Cory Whitsett downed the French duo of Julien Brun and Joel Stalter, 3 and 2. The US won the first hole and never trailed. The Americans also claimed Nos. 8, 14 and 16. The only hole Team USA dropped came at No. 15 after a Team Europe birdie.
The two sides halved the last match of the morning. Both Michael Kim and Michael Weaver recorded birdies on the second hole to give America the lead. The US pushed its lead to 2-up after four but Gary Hurley and Kevin Phelan won the next hole with birdie. Team USA moved to 2-up on four more occasion but each time Europe responded by winning the next hole, including back-to-back on Nos. 15 and 16 to even the match.
Second round singles matches are currently underway. 
FIRST MORNING RESULTS
Four-Ball Matches 
Game 1: Sean Dale/Bobby Wyatt, USA bt Sebastian Cappelen/Pontus Widegren, Europe, 5 and 4
Game 2: Patrick Rodgers/Justin Thomas, USA bt Greg Eason/Ben Taylor, Europe, 5 and 3
Game 3: Alex Carpenter/Cory Whitsett, USA bt Julien Brun/Joel Stalter, Europe, 3 and 2
Game 4: Daniel Berger/James Erkenbeck, USA bt Scott Fernandez/Pedro Figueiredo, Europe, 4 and 3
Game 5: Michael Kim/Michael Weaver, USA halved Gary Hurley/Kevin Phelan, Europe
Second Round Singles Pairings 
Game 6: Bobby Wyatt, USA vs. Sebastian Cappelen, Europe
Game 7: Justin Thomas, USA vs. Greg Eason, Europe
Game 7: Patrick Rodgers, USA vs. Julien Brun, Europe
Game 9: Sean Dale, USA vs. Pontus Widegren, Europe
Game 10: Daniel Berger, USA vs. Ben Taylor, Europe
Game 11: Cory Whitsett, USA vs. Scott Fernandez, Europe
Game 12: Alex Carpenter, USA vs. Gary Hurley, Europe
Game 13: James Erkenbeck, USA vs. Joel Stalter, Europe
Game 14: Michael Weaver, USA vs. Kevin Phelan, Europe
Game 15: Michael Kim, USA vs. Pedro Figueiredo, Europe