USA leads 3-1 Following First Round of the Palmer Cup at The Stanwich Club

GREENWICH, Conn. – The United States leads Europe, 3-1, following the opening round four-ball matches at the 2011 Palmer Cup at The Stanwich Club. Afternoon foursomes matches are currently under way.

Europe was first on the board when Oscar Floren and Jeff Karlsson downed Patrick Cantlay and Alex Carpenter, 4 and 2. Jeff Karlsson gave Europe the lead after a birdie on the sixth hole. Cantlay and Carpenter would birdie the seventh and eighth holes, respectively, to take a 1-up lead. Floren would respond with back-to-back birdies to regain the lead for Europe. Both Europeans parred to win No. 12 and Jeff Karlsson birdied No. 13 to extend Europe’s lead to 3-up after 13. Jeff Karlsson closed out the match with a birdie on No. 16.

The Americans would win the next three matches. Daniel Miernicki and Chris Williams beat Robert Karlsson and Nick MacAndrew, 4 and 3, to even the team score. Williams birdied the second hole with to take the lead but a par on No. 3 and a Robert Karlsson birdie on No. 4 put Europe in the lead. The Americans would respond with birdies by Miernicki and Williams on the fifth and sixth holes, respectively, to pull back ahead. Back-to-back birdies by Miernicki on the eighth and ninth extended the U.S. lead to 3-up. Miernicki would card another birdie on No. 13 to push the lead to 4-up before closing out the match on No. 15.

Bank Vongvanij and Andrew Yun never trailed in their 2 and 1 victory against Sebastian Cappelen and Ignacio Elvira. Vongvanij birdied No. 6 to take a 1-up lead. Elvira would even the match with birdie at the seventh but Yun would put the Americans back in the lead with a birdie on the next hole. Elvira would again even match when he birdied No. 10. Yun and Cappelen alternated birdies on holes 12-14 to keep a 1-up advantage for the United States. Yun posted another birdie on No. 16 for a 2-up lead. The Americans closed the match out when both teams counted birdie.

The Swedish duo of Henrik Norlander and Pontus Widegren took an early lead against Blayne Barber and Russell Henley when Widegren birdied the third hole. The Americans counted birdie to even the match after five but Norlander birdied six to retake the lead for Europe. Henley and Barber birdied Nos. 9 and 10, respectively, for their first lead. The United States birdied Nos. 15 and 16 to close their match 3 and 2.

Four-Ball Matches Results

Bank Vongvanij/Andrew Yun, USA def. Sebastian Cappelen/Ignacio Elvira, Europe, 2 and 1

Nils Floren/Jeff Karlsson, Europe def. Patrick Cantlay/Alex Carpenter, USA, 4 and 2

Daniel Miernicki/Chris Williams, USA def. Robert Karlsson/Nick MacAndrew, Europe, 4 and 3

Blayne Barber/Russell Henley, USA def. Henrik Norlander, Pontus Widegren, Europe, 3 and 2

Foursomes Matches Pairings

Bank Vongvanij/Andrew Yun, USA vs. Nils Floren/Nick MacAndrew, Europe

Blayne Barber/Alex Carpenter, USA vs. Sebastian Cappelen/Ignacio Elvira, Europe

Daniel Miernicki/Chris Williams, USA vs. Jeff Karlsson/Robert Karlsson, Europe

Patrick Cantlay/Russell Henley, USA vs. Henrik Norlander/Pontus Widegren, Europe