I take great pleasure in welcoming you to the 14th annual Palmer Cup.

It is a particular honor to have this wonderful collegiate competition in Northern Ireland for the first time and at such a prestigious club and demanding course as Royal Portrush.  It was a pleasure for me to compete in the 1995 Senior British Open here at Portrush.  It left a most favorable lasting impression.  All of us involved in the Palmer Cup appreciate very much this fine gesture on the part of the club membership in hosting the event.

I was honored to lend my name to his worthwhile event when I was first approached by representatives of the Golf Coaches Association of America in late 1990s and have enjoyed watching its growth in popularity and prestige ever since.  Many of the finest golf courses and clubs in the United Kingdom and the United States of America have staged the Palmer Cup over the 14 years.  The future looks equally bright with the Stanwich Club in America and Royal County Down here in Northern Ireland coming up  the next two years.

The Palmer Cup certainly enriches the lives of these young collegiate standout players through the universal bond of the great game of golf.  Reflective of its caliber, the Palmer Cup has been a stepping stone to the professional tours for many of its competitors and surely will continue to do so in the years to come.

Best wishes to the members of both teams and their coaches for another interesting and closely-contested match.