Transcript
The wind was up at Formby Golf Club Sunday morning, as the brightest and best in collegiate golf gathered for the third and final day’s play in the Arnold Palmer Cup.
The home team held a 6 point advantage going into the decisive session; a series of 10 singles matches.
Two and a half more points their target, while America were in need of something spectacular to overturn the deficit and retain the trophy they won so emphatically on home soil 12 months ago.
Out in match one for Europe, as he was yesterday, Antoine Rozner. De ja vu for the Frenchman.
Protecting a 100% record in the contest, it was he who secured the first point of the day, 1 up over Nahum Mendoza III.
Europe inching closer to the trophy.
A defiant Rico Hoey put some red on the board in match two. This putt at 4 providing the American an early advantage over Sam Horsfield.
The Englishman would take the match up 18, but Hoey prevailed 1 up.
Further joy soon followed for the United States. Zach Wright scrambling to fantastic effect here at the par 3 fourth.
Two points from three matches this week, the Louisiana State Senior came close to an ace at sixteen.
He would ultimately close out his match on 17. A 3 and 1 victory over Robin Petersson, the deficit cut to 14-9.
Drawn against one another for the second day running Alistair Docherty and Adrian Meronk played out a repeat of yesterday’s halved match.
The latter went 1 up at the 11th. Only to be pegged back by his American counterpart.
The result moved Europe within one point of victory.
But the visitors were dogged. Charlie Danielson continuing his match winning form of yesterday, this time against Welshman David Boote.
It ended 1 up at the last, closing the gap once more to 4 points.
But in truth it was merely delaying the inevitable.
Matthias Schwab putting the final nail in America’s coffin at the 17th. A 2 and 1 victory over Doug Ghim ensuring Europe reclaim the Arnold Palmer Cup.
As the news filtered around the course, Lars Van Meijel found himself with additional cause for celebration.
Incredible scenes at the 16th hole, though the Dutchman would ultimately halve his match with Derek Bard.
Of the remaining 3 matches, the hosts won 2 and halved the other moving the final score to 18 and a half, 11 and a half. It’s a ninth victory for Europe in the Arnold Palmer Cup, and comes much to the delight of their head coach.
European coach Janice Moodie said, "ECSTATIC, UNBELIEVABLE. THE GUYS ALL JUST GELLED RIGHT FROM THE GET GO AND I THINK THAT THE START WE HAD ON THE FIRST DAY WAS ABLE TO YOU KNOW GET US UP THERE BUT YOU KNOW WE DIDN’T COUNT OUR COOKIES UNTIL THEY WERE FINISHED THERE BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL. YEAH SPEECHLESS."
A memorable week for all involved, but ultimately it is the Europeans celebrating.