CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. (October 11, 2007) – On the first day of play at the biennial Governor Hugh L. Carey Challenge Cup matches, the team from the Golfing Union of Ireland won two of three points in the morning four-ball session to take an early lead. The MGA team, however, was in the midst of a strong comeback under deteriorating weather conditions in the afternoon foursomes (alternate shot) session. Rain and lightning caused play to be suspended at 4:25 p.m., and foursomes play will resume at 8:00 Friday morning and be followed by the six singles matches.

At the time play was suspended, the MGA led two matches and the GUI led one. The MGA team of Greg Rohlf (Winged Foot) and Adam Fuchs (Hamlet Windwatch) were 4 up through 13 over the GUI team of Shane Lowry and Simon Ward. Just behind them, the MGA duo of Brian Komline (High Bridge Hills) and Joe Saladino (Huntington) were 2 up through 12 holes over Niall Kearney and Paul O’Hanlon. The Komline/Saladino team made birdie on the 13th hole immediately preceding the suspension in play, with the Irish team facing a 15-foot putt to halve the hole. In the third match, the GUI team of Paul Cutler and Cian Curley held a 2-up lead over teen standouts Morgan Hoffmann (Arcola) andCameron Wilson (Shorehaven).

In the morning four-ball matches, the MGA earned one point as the “oldest/youngest” team of Rohlf, 41, and Wilson, 14, beat Kearney and O’Hanlon 2 & 1. The GUI won the other two four-ball matches, with Lowry/Ward defeating Saladino/Fuchs 1-up and Cutler/Curley beating Komline/Hoffmann 3 & 1.

The Carey Cup matches were inaugurated in 1996 by former New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey as a way to stimulate sportsmanship and goodwill between the U.S. and Ireland. The event is a reincarnation of the Metedeconk Challenge, which was played in 1990 and ’92 and matched teams of Irish and American amateur golfers in a Walker Cup-style competition. This year’s event marks the seventh playing of the Carey Cup, which is presented by First American Title Insurance Company of New York. The field consists of six-man teams of amateur golfers representing the Metropolitan Golf Association and the Golfing Union of Ireland.

For more information on the Carey Cup, contact Jeanne McCooey or Kate Keller at 914-347-4653.