JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The United States took the lead following the morning foursomes matches at the Arnold Palmer Cup at Atlanta Athletic Club. The Americans hold a 3.5-1.5 lead heading into the afternoon four-ball.
The United States scored the first point of the competition when John Coultas and Jimmy Stanger downed Viktor Hovland and Kristoffer Ventura, 6 and 5. Team USA won the first hole and never trailed.
The two sides halved the second point. The American duo of Sam Burns and Chandler Phillips took an early lead with a birdie at the second hole. Rory Franssen and Stuart Grehan would capture Nos. 5-8 to move to 3-up. Team USA would battle back to all-square by No. 12. Europe would push the lead back to 2-up 15 before the United States won with birdie and par.
Sean Crocker and Doug Ghim captured a second match for Team USA with a 4 and 2 victory over Fredrik Nilehn and Hannes Ronneblad. The match stood all-square until the Americans won No. 8. The Americans did not lose a hole and closed the match with birdie at No. 16.
Europe claimed its first match 1-up when Harry Ellis and Harry Hall downed Nick Hardy and Norman Xiong. The United States won the first hole but Europe claimed the next. Europe took the lead for good with birdie at No. 5. It eventually pushed the lead to 3-up before the Americans cut the lead to its final margin.
The U.S. won the final match of the morning session, 2 and 1. Maverick McNealy and Collin Morikawa claimed the first three holes and led throughout. Mansell and Wicks cut the lead to 1-up through No. 6 but Americans push the lead back to 3-up with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 10 and 11.
Second round four-ball matches tee off at 1:30 pm ET.
Arnold Palmer Cup
Atlanta Athletic Club
June 9
First Round Foursomes Results
United States 3.5, Europe 1.5
Foursomes Matches Results
Match 1:
Sam Burns/Chandler Phillips USA halved Rory Franssen/Stuart Grehan, Europe
Match 2:
John Coultas/Jimmy Stanger, USA def. Viktor Hovland/Kristoffer Ventura, Europe, 6 and 5
Match 3:
Harry Ellis/Harry Hall, Europe def. Nick Hardy/Norman Xiong, USA, 1-up
Match 4:
Sean Crocker/Doug Ghim, USA def. Fredrik Nilehn/Hannes Ronneblad, Europe, 4 and 2
Match 5:
Maverick McNealy/Collin Morikawa USA def. Richard Mansell/David Wicks, Europe, 2 and 1
Second Round Four-Ball Pairings
Match 6:
Sam Burns/Chandler Phillips, USA vs. Richard Mansell/David Wicks, Europe
Match 7:
John Coultas/Jimmy Stanger, USA vs. Viktor Hovland/Kristoffer Ventura, Europe
Match 8:
Nick Hardy/Norman Xiong, USA vs. Rory Franssen/Stuart Grehan, Europe
Match 9:
Sean Crocker/Collin Morikawa, USA vs. Fredrik Nilehn/Hannes Ronneblad, Europe
Match 10:
Dough Ghim/Maverick McNealy, USA vs. Harry Ellis/Harry Hall, Europe