Duncan, Jerman and Swaim Claim
Two Wins Each to Pace 7-2 USA Lead

Pittsburgh, Pa. - A trio of college All-Americans making their first appearances in the Curtis Cup won two matches each as the USA built a 7-2 advantage over Great Britain and Ireland Saturday at Fox Chapel Golf Club.

      Meredith Duncan, the 2001 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion from Shreveport, La., Angela Jerman of Columbus, Ga., and Courtney Swaim of Duluth, Ga., each won an afternoon singles match to go along with a morning foursomes victory.

      "I am really ecstatic with the results," said USA captain Mary Budke.  "It was really fun to win three points in foursomes where we historically tend to be somewhat weak."

      Duncan defeated Fame More, 5 and 4.  Jerman added a 6-and-5 win over Sarah Jones and Swaim completed the third 2-0 day with a 4-and-2 defeat of Heather Stirling.

      In the 2000 Curtis Cup, the USA also had a 7-2 lead but had to withstand a valiant comeback by the GB&I side in which they won six of nine possible points before the USA slipped by with a 10-8 victory.

      "I am not the least bit comfortable with the lead," said Budke.

      The two GB&I points came in the afternoon singles matches in a pair of USA comebacks that fell just short.    Three-time Curtis Cup participant Rebecca Hudson outlasted Emily Bastel, 2 up, despite holding a 5-up lead after nine holes.  Vikki Laing held together to edge Mollie Fankhauser, 1 up.  Laing had a 4-up lead through 14 holes before Fankhauser won the 15th, 16th and 17th to reduce the lead to 1-up.

      In the other USA win in singles, Leigh Anne Hardin beat Emma Duggleby, 2 and 1.

The USA team had taken a 3-0 lead after the morning foursomes matches.

Carol Semple Thompson, who is playing in her record 12th Match and holds six USGA titles, and Fankhauser defeated Stirling and Laing, 1 up, in a closely-contested match – the only one of the morning that reached the 18th hole.  It was Thompson’s record 17th win in Match history.

      With the match all square on the par-5 18th hole, Thompson, who is the only USA player with previous Curtis Cup experience, hit a 5-iron from 158 yards to 4 feet.  Fankhauser rolled in the downhill putt to clinch the match.

      "She’s a very supportive teammate," Fankhauser said of Semple Thompson.  "I couldn’t ask for a better partner out here.  With all her experience, I try to soak it off of her and drain it out of her."

In the other matches, Duncan and Jerman, playing the first match of the day, propelled the USA to a good start with a decisive 4-and-3 victory over GB&I’s most-experienced pair, Hudson and Duggleby.   Swaim and Laura Myerscough combined to win point #2 by besting Kerry Smith and Alison Coffey, 3 and 2.

Three foursome (alternate shots of partners) matches and six singles matches are scheduled for each of the two days of competition.

Begun in 1932, the Curtis Cup is a biennial match for women’s amateur golfers between a team from the United States of America and one from Great Britain and Ireland.  Victory in a match scores one point.  When a match goes 18 holes without a decision, one-half point is awarded to each team.

The Match is conducted alternately in the USA and Great Britain and Ireland.  The team winning the Cup takes custody for the ensuing two years.  In case of a tie, the Cup remains with the previous winner.  The USA leads the series, 22-6-3.

      Pittsburgh, Pa. – Results of Saturday’s foursomes and singles play from the 32nd Curtis Cup Match at the 6,358-yard, par-71 Fox Chapel Golf Club:

Team Score: USA 7, GB&I 2

Foursomes

Meredith Duncan and Angela Jerman (USA) def. Rebecca Hudson and Emma Duggleby (GB&I), 4 and 3

Mollie Fankhauser and Carol Semple Thompson (USA) def. Heather Stirling and Vikki Laing (GB&I), 1 up

Courtney Swaim and Laura Myerscough (USA) def. Kerry Smith and Alison Coffey (GB&I), 3 and 2

Singles

Rebecca Hudson (GB&I) def. Emily Bastel (USA), 2 up

Leigh Anne Hardin (USA) def. Emma Duggleby (GB&I), 2 and 1

Meredith Duncan (USA) def. Fame More (GB&I), 5 and 4

Angela Jerman (USA) def. Sarah Jones (GB&I), 6 and 5

Courtney Swaim (USA) def. Heather Stirling (GB&I), 4 and 2

Vikki Laing (GB&I) def. Mollie Fankhauser (USA), 1 up