Women’s Amateur champion Melanie Green held nine one putts in a row to come from three down after eleven holes to beat Sara Byrne as the USA won the Arnold Palmer Cup for the second straight year.
Green went on a back nine charge, rolling in birdies on the 12th, 13th, a miraculous par on 14, rattling the back of the hole from 40-feet on 15, up and down for par on 16 and a birdie on 17 to move 1UP on Douglas star Byrne and win on the 18th.
“I wanted to throw that putter into the Atlantic,” laughed Byrne who was in good spirits despite the circumstances of the loss.
“She had nine single putts in a row, nearly ten, which is hard to beat but I gave it my all. I tried to go in after her but mine just lipped out and hers lipped and that’s the way it was.
“Honestly, I played really, really well. I am proud of myself for rallying on as much as I did, but again, the putts just didn’t drop when they needed to.
“She made a nice 18-footer and a nice 40-footer, and I was just laughing at that point and thinking, ‘What am I supposed to do?’ I lipped out on 15 for birdie, trying to will the ball into the hole.”
Despite being bamboozled by Green on the slick Lahinch greens, Byrne was in a positive mood when she reflected on her performance this week which saw her collect two points from four matches on her debut for the International side.
Byrne has had a terrific twelve months, winning two collegiate events Stateside for Miami and she views this week as further validation that she is one of the best amateur players in the world. Certainly fuel for the stomach as she edges closer to turning professional.
“This is one of the biggest events in the world, honestly. You have the best men and women in the world, and not only has it been the most fun ever, but it has also been an unbelievable experience, knowing my ball striking is up there with the best.
“So many of my matches came down 18 here, and some days, the putts dropped for them, and others, they dropped for us. It’s been an absolutely insane week, and these players are the best in the world.”
