NORMAN, Okla. (April 17, 2006) — Ryan Baca of Baylor, Duke’s Ryan
Blaum, Roberto Castro and Kevin Larsen of Georgia Tech, Georgia’s Brian
Harman and Chris Kirk, Luke List of Vanderbilt and Brigham Young’s Clay
Ogden have been selected to represent the United States in the 2006 Palmer Cup
presented by Monster announced the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
The annual Ryder Cup-style competition between American collegiate golfers and
their counterparts from Europe will be held June 29-30, on the 6,544 yard, par
71 Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, Scotland. Georgia Head Coach Chris Haack
has been named to lead Team USA, his second stint as Palmer Cup coach.
"I’m really happy with the team that we’ve put together for
this Palmer Cup," said Haack. "Not only do we have experienced players
who are having great college seasons, but we have guys who have competed in
Palmer Cups, Walker Cups and The Masters. Hopefully we will have as much success
as we did last time I coached."
Blaum and Castro each posted 3-1 records in last year’s Palmer Cup and
teamed up for a four-ball victory in the event’s opening round. Castro
also served as team captain while Blaum was assistant captain. Haack - the only
U.S. coach to have been selected twice to coach Team USA - previously served
in 2002 when he lead the Americans to a 15.5-8.5 victory at Doonbeg Golf Club
in Ireland.
Baca, Harman, Kirk, Larsen, List and Ogden will be competing in their first
Palmer Cup.
EUROPEAN TEAM - Announced April 14, 2006
NORMAN, Okla. (April 14, 2006) — Alejandro Cañizares of Arizona
State, East Tennessee State’s Rhys Davies, Oscar Floren of Texas Tech,
Georgia State’s Mark Haastrup, Stephen Lewton of NC State, Randstad Topsport
Academie Rotterdam’s Joost Luiten, Pablo Martin of Oklahoma State and
Stirling’s Richard Ramsey have been named to represent Europe in the 2006
Palmer Cup presented by Monster announced European Head Coach Peter Mattsson.
The annual Ryder Cup-style competition between American collegiate golfers and
their counterparts from Europe will be played June 29-30, on the 6,544 yard,
par 71 Prestwick Golf Club. The European squad - which trails the United States
5-3-1 - represents players from six different nations.
"We have players with a wide range of abilities from across Europe,"
said Mattsson, the director of coaching for the English Golf Union. "Several
of our players have links experience, which will be of great benefit, and a
good mix between players based out of the United States and Europe."
Cañizares, a senior from Manilva, Spain, will be competing in his fourth
Palmer Cup. The Palmer Cup all-time leader in victories and points, the former
NCAA champion has a 9-3 career record in the event.
Davies, a native of Bridgend Wales will be competing in his third Palmer Cup
while Martin, hailing from Malaga, Spain, will be participating in his second.
Davies Palmer Cup record is 3-4-1, although he did register a 3-1 mark while
leading Europe to victory at Ballybunion in 2004. Martin went 1-2-1 last year
at Whistling Straits Irish Course.
Floren (Sweden), Haastrup (Denmark), Lewton (England), Luiten (The Netherlands)
and Ramsey (Scotland) will be competing in their first Palmer Cup.
Team USA leads the Palmer Cup series 5-3-1.
ABOUT THE Palmer Cup
The annual Ryder Cup-style competition
features
top men and women collegiate players from the
United States
against their International counterparts.
Each team will be comprised of 12 men's and
12
women's golfers.
Day one will feature Mixed Four-Ball
competition, day
two will see Mixed
Foursomes in the morning and Four-Ball in the
afternoon, with 24 singles
matches on the final day.
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