Hunter Mahan Splits Matches On Day One at Palmer Cup

Oklahoma State junior-to-be Hunter Mahan teamed with Texas' John Klauk on Thursday at the Palmer Cup to split a pair of matches and help the United States take a 4.5 to 3.5 lead over Great Britain and Ireland at Doonbeg Golf Club in Ireland.

The Palmer Cup is an annual competition that pits the top eight collegiate golfers from the United States against their counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland.

Mahan and Klauk defeated GB and I's Geoff Harris and Stuart Manley 1-up during the event's breakfast session, giving the U.S. its first win of the tournament. The two squad's ended four-ball action deadlocked at two points apiece after splitting the round's four matches.

During the afternoon's alternate-shot round, Harris and Manley rebounded to post a 5-and-4 win over the Big 12 duo. However, the Americans won two matches and halved another to build their one-point lead.

Mahan, a first-team All-America pick last season, will take on Justin Walters in the event's singles-match pairings tomorrow.

Four-ball Matches Results
Doonbeg Golf Club, County Clare, Ireland
Thursday, July 11, 2002

Game 1 GB&I Philip Rowe and Oliver Wilson
def. USA Brock Mackenzie and Nick Watney, 1-up
Game 2 GB&I Andy Smith and Justin Walters
def. USA Ryan Hybl and Lee Williamson, 6 and 4
Game 3 USA John Klauk and Hunter Mahan
def. GB&I Geoff Harris and Stuart Manley, 1-up
Game 4 USA Bill Haas and D.J. Trahan
def. GB&I Justin Kehoe and Stuart Wilson, 1-up
Team Points: GB&I 2
USA 2

Foursomes (Alternate Shot) Results
Doonbeg Golf Club, County Clare, Ireland
Thursday, July 11, 2002

Game 5 GB&I Philip Rowe and Oliver Wilson
halved with USA Ryan Hybl and Lee Williamson
Game 6 USA Brock Mackenzie and Nick Watney
def. GB&I Andy Smith and Justin Walters, 6 and 4
Game 7 GB&I Geoff Harris and Stuart Manley
def. USA John Klauk and Hunter Mahan, 5 and 4
Game 8 USA Bill Haas and D.J. Trahan
def. GB&I Justin Kehoe and Stuart Wilson, 2 and 1
Team Points: USA 4.5
GB&I 3.5

Morning Singles Matches Pairings
Doonbeg Golf Club, County Clare, Ireland
Thursday, July 11, 2002

Game 9 8 a.m. GB&I Oliver Wilson
vs. USA Bill Haas

Game 10 8:10 a.m. GB&I Philip Rowe
vs. USA Nick Watney

Game 11 8:20 a.m. GB&I Geoff Harris
vs. USA John Klauk

Game 12 8:30 a.m. GB&I Stuart Manley
vs. USA Ryan Hybl

Game 13 8:40 a.m. GB&I Stuart Wilson
vs. USA Brock Mackenzie

Game 14 8:50 a.m. GB&I Andy Smith
vs. USA Lee Williamson

Game 15 9 a.m. GB&I Justin Walters
vs. USA Hunter Mahan

Game 16 9:10 a.m. GB&I Justin Kehoe
vs. USA D.J. Trahan