By: By Brian Harper
GREENWICH, Conn. - After an impressive finish to round two of the 15 Annual Palmer Cup at the Stanwich Club, team Europe fell to the United States 13-11. Rising senior Jeff Karlsson finished his first campaign at the Cup with a record of 2-1-1 falling in round three singles play to Bank Vongvanij 6 and 5.
Vongvanij won five of the first six holes and maintained a five-up lead until closing the match on No. 13.
The Americans would take five matches on the afternoon, halve two and lose one in route to winning their eighth Palmer Cup Title.
Stanfords' Andrew Yun claimed the final match of the Palmer Cup, one-up, to clinch the win for Team USA. Yun birdied the first hole to go one-up before Pontus Widegren of UCLA evened the score after No. three. Yun would again take the lead at No. five but Widegren would win the next two holes for a 1-up advantage. Yun would even the match with a birdie on No. nine. Widegren was back on top with a birdie at No. 11 before Yun retook the lead with back-to-back wins at Nos. 14-15. Widegren got the match back to even by winning the next hole but with a birdie on No. 17 Yun could finish no worse than a halved match and clinched the Palmer Cup for the United States.
In round one Karlsson and partner Nils Floren defeated reigning Jack Nicklaus Award winners Patrick Cantlay and Alex Carpenter 4 and 2. Both Europeans parred to win No. 12 and Karlsson birdied No. 13 to extend Europe’s lead to 3-up after 13. The Owls star closed out the match with a birdie on No. 16 before the Americans would win the next three matches.
In round two Karlsson and his partner Robert Karlsson of Liberty University halved their match vs Daniel Miernicki and Chris Williams while the rest of team Europe would take two of three from the Americans.
In round three of singles action, Karlsson drew the Jack Nicklaus Award Winner for DII golf, Alex Carpenter. Carpenter won the second and fifth holes and was two-up at the turn before Karlsson would win No. 10 with birdie to get within a hole but gave it back with bogey on the 12th. He would respond by winning four-straight holes - all with birdie - to take a 2-up advantage through 15 and held on for the 2 and 1 victory after hole 17.
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Final Round Singles Matches Pairings?
Patrick Cantlay, USA def. Nick MacAndrew, Europe, 3 and 1?
Nils Floren, Europe def. Alex Carpenter, USA, 4 and 2?
Bank Vongvanij, USA def. Jeff Karlsson, Europe, 6 and 5?
Daniel Miernicki, USA def. Robert Karlsson, Europe, 5 and 3
Sebastian Cappelen, Europe def. Russell Henley, USA, 1-up?
Blayne Barber, USA halved Ignacio Elvira, Europe?
Chris Williams, USA def. Henrik Norlander, Europe, 3 and 2
Andrew Yun, USA def. Pontus Widegren, Europe, 1-up
