David Kitt got his Palmer Cup debut off to an unbeaten start as he and Lorna McClymont shared the spoils in their opening mixed foursomes match against the USA in Switzerland.
The pair were solid together and they helped the Internationals edge into 6.5-5.5 lead at the end of days play.
Maynooth University student Kitt was Ireland’s sole representative on the international side and he will partner Irish Women’s Amateur champion McClymont in tomorrow afternoon’s mixed foursomes.
The duo who both earned their spots in the team after winning the R&A Student Series fell behind after three holes but recovered strongly to turn two to the good.
They were pegged back on the fifteenth by Palmer Jackson and Brooke Seay before they guaranteed at least a half point when they regained the lead after 16.
It was not to be a winning debut for the Athenry man as the Jackson and Seay hit back with a birdie and a par to ensure the match ended honours even.
Kitt is set to play both the morning and afternoon sessions and he will partner James Leow in the morning foursomes.
The day began with the United States winning the first two matches, but three demanding victories helped Team International settle in. One of those wins came from Julia Lopez Ramirez/Mateo Fernández de Oliveira when they halved the 18th hole to secure a 1-up victory they grabbed on 17.
“We tied a lot of holes with birdies, but we stayed patient and believed in each other,” Lopez Ramirez said. “We only wanted one thing, and that’s to bring the points home. Luckily we did that here on 18,” said Fernández de Oliveira, the first Argentinian to participate in the Palmer Cup.
Match 10 gave another jolt of momentum for Team International. Archie Davies/Amelia Williamson halved the first two holes with Americans Nick Gabrelcik/Rachel Heck then birdied 10 of the final 14 holes to secure the 4&2 victory.
The highly-anticipated Match 12 between USA’s Michael Thorbjornsen/Rose Zhang and Christo Lamprecht/Heather Lin of Team International went down to the wire. After the first three holes were halved, the United States and Stanford duo maintained a lead until Team International birdied the 15th hole. Lamprecht then birdied 16 to give Team International the 1-up lead. Both teams parred the last two holes to close out the afternoon.
Round 2 ~ Foursome Pairings
7:30 am
Benedetta Moresco and Chiara Tamburlini (International)
Rachel Heck and Erica Shepherd (USA)
7:30 am
Archie Davies and Christo Lamprecht (International)
Nick Gabrelcik and Dylan Menante (USA)
7:40 am
Fred Biondi and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (International)
Gordon Sargent and Cole Sherwood (USA)
7:40 am
Heather Lin and Hsin-Yu Lu (International)
Gurleen Kaur and Antonia Malate (USA)
7:50 am
Carolina Chacarra and Julia Lopez Ramirez (International)
Olivia Mitchell and Calynne Rosholt (USA)
7:50 am
David Kitt and James Leow (International)
Michael Brennan and Palmer Jackson (USA)
8:00 am
Josele Ballester and Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (International)
Jake Doggett and Travis Vick (USA)
8:00 am
Lorna McClymont and Amelia Williamson (International)
Anna Morgan and Latanna Stone (USA)
8:10 am
Alexandra Forsterling and Aline Krauter (International)
Brooke Seay and Rose Zhang (USA)
8:10 am
Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Frederik Kjettrup (International)
Sam Bennett and Walker Lee (USA)
8:20 am
Ludvig Åberg and Albin Bergstrom (International)
Johnny Keefer and Michael Thorbjornsen (USA)
8:20 am
Kajsa Arwefjäll and Ashley Lau (International)
Amari Avery and Rachel Kuehn (USA)
Round 3 ~ Mixed Foursome Pairings
1:30 pm
Josele Ballester and Carolina Chacarra (International)
Nick Gabrelcik and Rachel Heck (USA)
1:30 pm
Archie Davies and Amelia Williamson (International)
Antonia Malate and Dylan Menante (USA)
1:40 pm
Mateo Fernández de Oliveira and Julia Lopez Chacarra (International)
Calynne Rosholt and Cole Sherwood (USA)
1:40 pm
Heather Lin and Hsin-Yu Lu (International)
Gurleen Kaur and Antonia Malate (USA)
1:50 pm
Fred Biondi and Benedetta Moresco (International)
Latanna Stone and Travis Vick (USA)
1:50 pm
David Kitt and Lorna McClymont (International)
Sam Bennett and Erica Shepherd (USA)
2:00 pm
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Chiara Tamburlini (International)
Gurleen Kaur and Walker Lee (USA)
2:00 pm
James Leow and Hsin-Yu Lu (International)
Johnny Keefer and Anna Morgan (USA)
2:10 pm
Ludvig Åberg and Alexandra Forsterling (International)
Palmer Jackson and Brooke Seay (USA)
2:10 pm
Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Ashley Lau (International)
Michael Thorbjornsen and Rose Zhang (USA)
2:20 pm
Frederik Kjettrup and Aline Krauter (International)
Michael Brennan and Rachel Kuehn (USA)
2:20 pm
Kajsa Arwefjäll and Albin Bergstrom (International)
Amari Avery and Gordon Sargent (USA)
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