Monday, June 12, 2017

USA beat Europe 19.5-10.5 in Palmer


Cup match in Georgia


KEVIN CASEY REPORTING
GOLFWEEK.COM
After an incredible Saturday singles session, Team USA had all but locked up the Arnold Palmer Cup transatlantic students' Ryder Cup style match against Europe. The Americans indeed put on the finishing touches the following day.
The U.S. cruised to a 19.5-10.5 victory over Europe on Sunday at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia, to earn back the Palmer Cup. The home team dominated Saturday singles with a stunning 9.5 out of 10 points to enter Sunday with a 14.5-5.5 lead. All the Americans had to do was earn one point in Sunday singles to close this out.
No problem. Norman Xiong buried Harry Hall, 8 and 7, in the first match out to secure the cup for the U.S. From there, it just came down to how much the home team would win by.
American former World No 1 amateur Maverick McNealy took down Rory Franssen from Inverness in his own 8 and 7 one-way traffic victory.
Doug Ghim (4-0 for the weekend) beat Irishman Stuart Grehan 2 and 1. Nick Hardy defeated Harry Ellis 3 and 2, and Sean Crocker bettered David Wicks by the same margin.
That was five points for the U.S.A with Europe matching that total in Sunday singles. Europe's wins against the tide came from Viktor Hovland who defeated Jimmy Stanger 3 and 2, Kristoffer Ventura who beat Sam Burns and Fredrik Nilehn who got the better of Collin Morikawa, both by 2 and 1 margins.
Richard Mansell scored a 2-hole win over John Coultas, and Hannes Ronneblad was a 2 and-1 winner over Chandler Phillips.
The U.S.A. 19.5-10.5 victory outdid Europe’s 18.5-11.5 triumph at last year’s Arnold Palmer Cup at Formby Golf Club in Lancashire. The nine-point margin is the largest since the Americans’ 20.5-9.5 shellacking in 2013. This result also marked the seventh straight year by the home team won this event.
The U.S. now leads the overall series 11-9-1.
As is custom, one player from the event was selected by his peers to earn an exemption in to the following year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. The golfer earning that invitation is the one players from both teams feel best represents the values with which Arnold Palmer took through his life.
American Collin Morikawa received that honour this time, meaning the exemption into the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational. It actually won’t be Morikawa’s first start on Tour, as the incoming California junior missed the cut at the 2016 Safeway Open.
Morikawa previously tied for second – losing in a playoff – at last year’s Air Capital Classic on the Web.com Tour.
This was the last Arnold Palmer Cup in its current iteration.
Starting in 2018, the competition will shift to U.S. vs. Internationals squad, with each team having 12 male and 12 female golfers.
Next year’s matches will take place at Evian Resort Golf Club in France.

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