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| Dale Whitnell (GB&I), on the 10th hole, was on the losing end in the morning foursomes. (John Mummert/USGA) |
Ardmore, Pa. – Peter Uihlein and Nathan Smith rallied to win the final two holes of their foursomes (alternate-shot) match Saturday to help the USA take a 3-1 lead at the 2009 Walker Cup Match, being played on the par-70, 6,846-yard Merion Golf Club.
The USA team of Uihlein and Smith won the 17th hole against Gavin Dear and Matt Haines with a conceded par to square the match, setting up the dramatics on Merion’s 18th green. After Smith hit his approach shot to 18 feet, Uihlein made the par putt to assure the USA of a half-point. Haines had a chance to match from 6 feet but missed his par attempt left, allowing the Americans to earn a 1-up victory.
USA Captain Buddy Marucci Jr., a member at Merion Golf Club, was thrilled for Uihlein, a sophomore at Oklahoma State University who is playing in his first Walker Cup Match.
“It was a great putt,” said Marucci, who also served as captain of the USA team that won the 2007 Walker Cup. “It was great it was Peter. It’s his first time and he feels the pressure. That pair played the best in practice together for the past seven days but they seemed to struggle a bit today.”
Marucci, who has also played on two Walker Cup teams (1995 and 1997), appreciates the importance of each point.
“The point was big because it was kind of a reversal,” said Marucci. “To go from 2-2 to 3-1 is a big difference.”
The USA earned its first point when Rickie Fowler and Bud Cauley won four consecutive holes, starting with a birdie on the par-5 second hole, to take control of their foursomes match against Luke Goddard and Dale Whitnell of the GB&I. Fowler and Cauley never trailed en route to a 6-and-5 victory.
"We just wanted to start our team out with a little boost of confidence,” said Fowler, a junior at Oklahoma State University who also played on the USA team that won the 2007 Walker Cup. He said he’ll turn professional after this competition.
Brian Harman, another player who delayed turning pro and is also a USA Walker Cup veteran, was paired with Morgan Hoffmann. They recorded the USA’s second point, with a 2-and-1 victory over Wallace Booth and Sam Hutsby.
Stiggy Hodgson and Niall Kearney paired to give the GB&I its lone point of the morning session, with a 3-and-1 victory over Cameron Tringale and Adam Mitchell.
Marucci was pleased with his team’s effort in the opening session.
“We had a great start,” he said. “We hit it well and played well.”
The 2009 Walker Cup Match continues with eight singles matches Saturday afternoon. Play continues Sunday with a second of foursomes matches and concludes with 10 singles matches Sunday afternoon. The USA needs 13 points to retain the Walker Cup for a third consecutive Match, while the GB&I must attain 13½ points to regain the Cup.
The Walker Cup Match is a men’s amateur team competition played every other year, with one squad from the USA and the other representing England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Wales.
Beth Murrison is a manager in communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at bmurrison@usga.org.
Results
Ardmore, Pa. – Results of the first round of foursomes (alternate shot) at the 2009 Walker Cup Match, played Saturday morning at the par-70, 6,846-yard Merion Golf Club:
Foursomes
Brian Harman, Savannah, Ga., and Morgan Hoffmann, Saddle Brook, N.J. (USA) def. Wallace Booth, Comrie, Scotland and Sam Hutsby (GB&I), 2 and 1
Peter Uihlein, Orlando, Fla., and Nathan Smith, Pittsburgh, Pa. (USA) def. Gavin Dear, Scone, Scotland and Matt Haines, Chatham, England (GB&I), 1 up
Rickie Fowler, Murrieta, Calif., & Bud Cauley, Jacksonville, Fla. (USA) def. Luke Goddard, London, England, and Dale Whitnell, London, England, (GB&I), 6 and 5
Stiggy Hodgson, London, England, and Niall Kearney, Dublin, Ireland, (GB&I) def. Cameron Tringale, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and Adam Mitchell, Chattanooga, Tenn. (USA), 3 and 1
Pairings
Ardmore, Pa. – Pairings for the first round of singles matches, to be played Saturday afternoon at the par-70, 6,846-yard Merion Golf Club (times are EDT):
Singles
1 p.m. – Gavin Dear, Scone, Scotland (GB&I) vs. Brian Harman, Savannah, Ga. (USA)
1:10 p.m. – Sam Hutsby, Portsmouth, England (GB&I) vs. Rickie Fowler, Murrieta, Calif. (USA)
1:20 p.m. – Wallace Booth, Comrie, Scotland (GB&) vs. Cameron Tringale, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (USA)
1:30 p.m. – Matt Haines, Chatham, England (GB&I) vs. Morgan Hoffmann, Saddle Brook, N.J. (USA)
1:40 p.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Lancashire, England (GB&I) vs. Peter UIhlein, Orlando, Fla. (USA)
1:50 p.m. – Chris Paisley, Northumberland, England (GB&I) vs. Drew Weaver, High Point, N.C. (USA)
2 p.m. – Niall Kearny, Dublin, Ireland (GB&I) vs. Bud Cauley, Jacksonville, Fla. (USA)
2:10 p.m. – Stiggy Hodgson, London, England (GB&I) vs. Brendan Gielow, Muskegon, Mich. (USA)
