Internationals with work to do down-under

MELBOURNE, Australia (8 December 2019) – The International Team will have to come out guns blazing in the final round Singles on Monday after the United States Team surged to a commanding 9-3 lead on day one of the Junior Presidents Cup in Australia.

Two years ago, the U.S. Team led the first round by the same margin and went on to win 14-10 at Plainfield Country Club in Edison.

In a repeat of 2017, the International Team lost Sunday morning’s Four-Ball session 2 – 4 and lost five of the alternate shot matches in the afternoon session at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

With 12 singles matches slated for the final round, the International Team will needs 9.5 points to beat the U.S. Team in the curtain-raiser for the Presidents Cup, which tees off at Royal Melbourne on Thursday.

The International Team’s five South Africans combined to earn the two points in the Four-Ball session.

GolfRSA National Squad pair Sam Simpson and Christo Lamprecht delivered the Internationals’ only full point in the morning session, defeating Michael Thorbjornsen and Brett Roberts 3 & 1.

Martin Vorster and Jayden Schaper squared against Canon Claybomb and Jackson van Paris, while Jordan Duminy and his partner Jang Hyun Lee from South Korea tied Ian Siebers and Alexander Yang.

Chinese Taipei’s Chuan-Tai Lin and Bo Jin from China collected the International Team’s only full point in the Foursomes. The pair was 1-down through 13-holes, but won three of the final six holes to defeat Stephen Campbell and Jack Heath 3 & 1.

Four Americans – Benjamin James, Vishnu Sadagopan, Maxwell Moldovan and Preston Summerhays – won both their matches.

The Internationals can take some positives from the fact that seven of the 12 matches went to the 17th hole. If the 12-man team can prevent the Americans from rallying over the closing holes, they could stage a major comeback on Sunday.

Four-Ball Results (International Team vs U.S. Team)
Joshua Greer (AUS) / Karl Vilips (AUS) lost Maxwell Moldovan / Jack Heath 2 & 1
Bo Jin (CHI) / Chuan-Tai Lin (TPE) lost Stephen Campbell / Preston Summerhays 2 & 1
Andi Xu (CHI) / Kartik Sharma (IND) lost Benjamin James / Vishnu Sadagopan 3 & 1
Jordan Duminy (RSA) / Jang Hyun Lee (KOR) TIED Alexander Yang / Ian Siebers
Jayden Schaper (RSA) / Martin Vorster (RSA) TIED Jackson van Paris / Canon Claycomb
Christo Lamprecht (RSA) / Samuel Simpson beat Brett Roberts / Michael Thorbjornsen 3 & 1

Four-Ball Results (International Team vs U.S. Team)
Bo Jin (CHI) / Chuan-Tai Lin (TPE) beat Stephen Campbell / Jack Heath 2 & 1
Joshua Greer (AUS) / Karl Vilips (AUS) beat Benjamin James / Alexander Yang 2 & 1
Jordan Duminy (RSA) / Jang Hyun Lee (KOR) lost Vishnu Sadagopan / Ian Siebers 2-down
Andi Xu (CHI) / Kartik Sharma (IND) lost Preston Summerhays / Jackson van Paris 6 & 4
Jayden Schaper (RSA) / Martin Vorster (RSA) lost Maxwell Moldovan / Brett Roberts 1-down
Christo Lamprecht (RSA) / Samuel Simpson lost Michael Thorbjornsen / Canon Claycomb 2 & 1

Singles Draw Monday 9 December
Chuan-Tai Lin (TPE) vs Ian Siebers
Jayden Schaper (RSA) vs Jackson van Paris
Kartik Sharma (IND) vs Stephen Campbell
Andi Xu (CHI) vs Maxwell Moldovan
Bo Jin (CHI) vs Benjamin James
Jang Hyun Lee (KOR) vs Jack Heath
Jordan Duminy (RSA) vs Alexander Yang
Joshua Greer (AUS) vs Vishnu Sadagopan
Karl Vilips (AUS) vs Michael Thorbjornsen
Sam Simpson (RSA) vs Preston Summerhays
Martin Vorster (RSA) vs Canon Claycomb
Christo Lamprecht (RSA) vs Brett Roberts

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.