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East
takes Canon Cup in a thriller at Caves Valley |
West's
three-year reign ends with 25 1/2 - 24 1/2 loss |
The
Canon Cup trophy changed hands in dramatic fashion August 5,
as the East team completed an impressive two-day rally to edge
the West 25 1⁄2 to 24 1⁄2 in the 15th annual Canon
Cup. In what became the deciding match of the tournament, Jon
McLean of Weston, Fla., held on at No. 18 to halve his bout
with Lucas Lee of Torrance, Calif., closing out the win and
sending the East crowd into a frenzy.
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| The
East Team celebrates as Jon McLean walks off the No. 18
green. |
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The Canon Cup annually brings the nation’s top 40 junior
golfers together for an East-vs.-West match play competition.
Each team is represented by 10 boys and 10 girls during three
days of competition. Past players include Tiger Woods, Charles
Howell III, Grace Park and Beth Bauer.
The East’s win broke the West’s three-year winning
streak and improved the East’s overall record to 8-6-1.
McLean trailed Lee by one after 16 holes, and needed to win
one hole to prevent a Canon Cup tie. After Lee missed his par
putt on No. 17, McLean sank a five-footer to bring the match
back to all square.
“That’s more pressure than I’ve ever felt,
with everyone there from both teams,” McLean said. “I
just hit it soft and prayed.”
The West team led by one point entering the final day, but the
East won 11 of the 20 singles matches and halved two matches
to prevent a tie, which would have resulted in the West keeping
the trophy.
Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla., and Webb Simpson of Raleigh,
N.C., set the tone early for the East team, winning their matches
1-up against Angela Park of Torrance, Calif., and Jordan Cox
of Redwood City, Calif., respectively.
Jennifer Pandolfi of Navarre, Fla., closed out Amanda Blumenherst
of Scottsdale, Ariz., 4 and 3, to give the East three wins in
the first four matches, and Brittany Lincicome of Seminole,
Fla. won the 18th hole to halve her match with Taylor Leon of
Dallas.
Lincicome said her Canon Cup experience topped shooting a 66
in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open in July.
“That was nothing in comparison – this is my favorite
tournament every year,” Lincicome said. “I always
look forward to this – hanging out in rooms with the girls,
buying a bunch of red and white stuff.”
The West team didn’t lay down without a fight. Rolex Girls
Junior Player of the Year Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif.,
defeated Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff of Toms River, N.J., 1-up on No.
18 to give the West a one-point lead with three matches remaining.
The East team, however, grinded out two wins to take the lead.
Julieta Granada of Bradenton, Fla., put away Allison Goodman
of San Diego, 5 and 4, and Mallory Hetzel of Summerville, S.C.,
defeated Sydney Burlison, 3 and 2, to bring the East’s
point total to 25.
“It was a great ending,” Creamer said. “(The
East) played a lot of good golf and we didn’t just give
it to them. Hopefully I will get to play next year because this
was so much fun.”
East Captain Matt Cuccaro said his team’s enthusiasm was
essential to the victory, his first in three years as a Canon
Cup team captain.
“It all really started this morning at 7:30 a.m.,”
Cuccaro said. “All 20 of our players showed up on No.
1 to cheer on the first group – that just shows how they
came together as a team.” |
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