Palmer Cup

The Palmer Cup is an annual team golf competition between American college golfers and European college/university golfers. It is named after Arnold Palmer. The teams are selected on the basis of nationality, not according to the location of the players' universities. Many of the European players attend American universities as sports scholarships have never been a feature of the university system in Europe. From 1997 to 2002 the United States played Great Britain & Ireland rather than the whole of Europe. Originally contest between eight-man teams, the rosters expanded to ten per side in 2013.

The current format consists of five four-ball matches, five foursome matches, and two sets of ten singles matches for 30 points overall.

Europe won the 2008 tournament and successfully retained the trophy in 2009 with a 13 – 11 victory, this tied the overall competition up at 6–6–1. USA won the 2010 tournament for the first time on European soil since 2002 with a 13 – 11 victory. This gave the USA a 7–6–1 overall advantage in the Palmer Cup series. The USA team won again in 2011, 13 – 11, to boost the overall record to 8–6–1. Europe won the 2012 Palmer Cup, 13½ – 10½, by winning seven of eight singles matches on the final day. The USA won in 2013 to make the overall record. Europe won in 2014, 18½ – 11½, by winning eight of ten singles matches on the final day and cut the USA's advantage to 9–8–1.

Results

YearWinnerMarginVenueLocation
2014 European Union Europe 18½ – 11½ Walton Heath Golf Club England
2013  United States 20½ – 9½ Wilmington Country Club Delaware
2012 European Union Europe 13½ – 10½ Royal County Down Golf Club Northern Ireland
2011  United States 13 – 11 The Stanwich Club Connecticut
2010  United States 13 – 11 Royal Portrush Golf Club Northern Ireland
2009 European Union Europe 13 – 11 Cherry Hills Country Club Colorado
2008 European Union Europe 14 – 10 Glasgow Golf Club Gailes Links Scotland
2007  United States 18 – 6 Caves Valley Golf Club Maryland
2006 European Union Europe 19½ – 4½ Prestwick Golf Club Scotland
2005  United States 14 – 10 Whistling Straits, Irish Course Wisconsin
2004 European Union Europe 14½ – 9½ Ballybunion Golf Club Ireland
2003 European Union Europe 14 – 10 Kiawah Island Club, Cassique Course South Carolina
2002  United States 15½ – 8½ Doonbeg Golf Club Ireland
2001  United States 18 – 6 Baltusrol Golf Club New Jersey
2000 United Kingdom Great Britain &  Ireland 12½ – 11½ Royal Liverpool Golf Club England
1999  United States 17½ – 6½ The Honors Course Tennessee
1998 Tied 12 – 12 Old Course and New Course Scotland
1997  United States 19 – 5 Bay Hill Club and Lodge Florida

Former participants

Notable former participants include: Jonathan Byrd (2), Patrick Cantlay, Bud Cauley, Luke Donald (2), Derek Ernst, Rickie Fowler, Lucas Glover (2), Bill Haas (2), J. J. Henry, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar (2), Spencer Levin, Jamie Lovemark, Hunter Mahan, Graeme McDowell (2), Bryce Molder (3), Francesco Molinari, Ryan Moore (2), Jeff Overton, Jeff Quinney, Rory Sabbatini, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Chris Stroud, D. J. Trahan, Bo Van Pelt, Nick Watney, and Oliver Wilson (3)

See also

External links