Ligue de Paris Leads MGA/WMGA 6.5 to 3.5 After Day One
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (October 16, 2012)– In conditions generally associated with European links golf, the Ligue de Golf de Paris went out impressively on day one of the 16th French-American Challenge and took a 6.5 to 3.5 lead at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. The French head into Wednesday’s 
10 singles matches needing 3.5 points to retain the trophy.
On firm and fast terrain, and with consistent 25 mph winds (and gusts up to 40 mph), the French were led strongly by their four women competitors, who won both of their matches in Fourball and Foursome play. In morning foursomes (alternate shot), Morgane Bazin de Jessey and Amandine Guignard defeated Phoebe Timpson of Locust Valley, N.Y., and Ellen Oswald of New City, N.Y., 5 and 4, while Cindy Ha of Demarest, N.J., and Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., fell to Louise Gateau Chovelon and Anyssia Herbaut 4 and 3.
On the men’s side Max Buckley of Westchester was partnered with Joe Saladino of Huntington who made a miraculous 80-footer on 16 and then a slippery 10-footer on 17 to clinch a 2 and 1 defeat over Arnaud Bonardi and Franck Daux. The MGA/WMGA would trail 3.5 to 1.5 heading into the afternoon matches.
In the afternoon Fourball session, Saladino teamed up with 15-year-old Cameron Young of Sleepy Hollow to again defeat Bonardi and Daux, this time 6 and 5. Mike Miller of Knollwood, who earned half a point in the morning with Young, paired with Niall Handley of Essex Fells, but were taken out convincingly by Olivier Rozner and Christophe Ravetto, 5 and 4.
Late in the afternoon, Brian Komline of Black Oak and Buckley found themselves 2 down after seven holes, but were able to bounce back and edge out the team of Rozner and Ravetto 4 and 2 to pull the MGA/WMGA within three.
The MGA/WMGA team needs to win seven points on Wednesday to win the French-American Challenge Trophy, something they’ve only done once in the championship's history. Ligue de Paris, who has won every challenge since 1996, needs 3.5 points to achieve 10 points overall and retain the trophy.
The 16th French-American Challenge is a biennial matchup of 10-person (6-man, 4-woman) teams representing the MGA/WMGA and the Ligue de Golf de Paris. Sebonack, a Tom Doak/Jack Nicklaus design and one of the Met Area’s premier clubs, is the site of the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open.
Singles matches will begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, and live scoring will be provided for each match. Complete coverage, including full results, player bios, photos and video, can be found at mgagolf.org.
