WALTON-ON-THE-HILL, England - Europe dominated final day singles matches of the Palmer Cup at Walton Heath - claiming 8.5 of 10 points - to defeat the United States, 18.5-11.5. Europe has won the last two Palmer Cups staged in Europe. The United States leads the all-time Palmer Cup series, 9-8-1.
James Ross began the European tidal wave with a 3 and 2 victory over Brandon Hagy. Ross won the first hole and led throughout. He held a 4-up advantage on three occasions.
Grant Forrest made it back-to-back matches for the Scottish contingent when he downed Trey Mullinax, 3 and 2. Forrest took the first hole but Mullinax squared the match thru No. 6. Forrest won three straight starting at No. 12, the last two by birdie.
The United States lone victory was Ollie Schniederjans over Louis Tomlinson, 5 and 3. Schniederjans went 1-up after the first and was 3-up thru 5. Tomlinson moved the match to all square after posting birdie-birdie-par beginning at the sixth hole. Schniederjans took the lead for the duration at No. 9. He won Nos. 11, 13, 14 and 15 to close the match.
Thomas Detry reignited the European winning streak beating Jack Maguire 4 and 3. Maguire held the lead for three holes after a birdie on No. 3. Detry moved ahead after a birdie at the seventh. Wins at Nos. 10, 13 and 15 closed the match for Detry.
Jack McDonald defeated Bryson Dechambeau, 2 and 1. McDonald claimed Nos. 2 and 3 to move to 2-up. Dechambeau shaved the lead to 1-up thru 6 and moved into the lead with wins at Nos. 8 and 9. McDonald evened with birdie at No. 10 but a Dechambeau birdie at No. 12 moved him back ahead. McDonald took the next two holes for a 1-up advantage and closed out the match with a birdie on No. 17.
Paul Dunne survived an early surge by America's Robby Shelton to win 1-up. Shelton claimed the first two holes before Dunne won Nos. 4-6 with a birdie-par-birdie stretch to take a 1-up lead. Another birdie-birdie stretch put him 3-up thru No. 9 but Shelton responded by winning the next two holes. Another set of back-to-back birdies by Dunne at 11 and 12 moved him back to 3-up before Shelton went birdie-birdie-par to go all square thru 17. Dunne closed the match by winning No. 18.
Jon Rahm clinched the match for Europe with a 4 and 2 victory against Wyndham Clark. Clark won the first but Rahm evened the match the next hole. Rahm took a brief lead a thru 7 but Clark won the next with birdie. Rahm took the lead for good winning back-to-back at Nos. 9 and 10. He moved to 3-up after both 12 and 14 and closed the match out at No. 16.
Sweden's Erik Oja defeated Anthony Maccaglia 3 and 2. Maccaglia led early in the match and went 2-up after winning Nos. 3 and 4. Oja claimed the next two holes before the American and European players traded wins for a status of all square thru 8. Maccaglia again took a 2-up lead after taking Nos. 10 and 11 before Oja respond by winning five-straight holes to close out the match.
Ricardo Gouveia downed Stewart Jolly, 3 and 2, in a match he never trailed. He held a couple of 1-up leads early in the match but took control with a 3-up lead by winning Nos. 9-11. He led by as many as 4-up thru 13 before settling for the 3 and 2 win.
Pep Angles and Rico Hoey halved the final match. Angles won the third hole to take an early lead and stayed ahead for 10 of the next 12 holes. Hoey took his only lead of the match after a birdie-birdie-par stretch beginning at No. 14. Angles moved the match back to all square with a birdie at No. 17. The pair halved the final hole.
Ricardo Gouveia of Almancil, Portugal, and Rico Hoey of Rancho Cucamonga, California, were named recipients of the Michael Carter Award which is presented to the Palmer Cup participant that best represents the qualities and ideals sportsmanship, integrity and upholding of the game.
Palmer Cup
Walton Heath Golf Club
June 28
Europe 18.5, United States 11.5
Final Round Singles Results
Game 21: James Ross, Europe def. Brandon Hagy, USA, 3 and 2
Game 22: Grant Forrest, Europe def. Trey Mullinax, USA, 3 and 2
Game 23: Paul Dunne, Europe def. Robby Shelton, USA, 1-up
Game 24: Ollie Schniederjans, USA def. Louis Tomlinson, Europe, 5 and 3
Game 25: Jack McDonald, Europe def. Bryson Dechambeau, USA, 2 and 1
Game 26: Thomas Detry, Europe def. Jack Maguire, USA, 4 and 3
Game 27: Jon Rahm, Europe def. Wyndham Clark, USA, 4 and 2
Game 28: Erik Oja, Europe def. Anthony Maccaglia, USA, 3 and 2
Game 29: Ricardo Gouveia, Europe def. Stewart Jolly, USA, 3 and 2
Game 30: Pep Angles, Europe halved Rico Hoey, USA