"Men's Golf Releases (2005-06) - Clark, Team USA Lead Early at USA-Japan Golf Classic" - Guilford College

  • CLARK, TEAM USA TAKE EARLY LEAD AT FUJI XEROX GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

TOCHIGI PREFECTURE, Japan (7/13/06) -  The United States won three matches and halved two others to claim an 8-4 lead after the first round of the 31st annual Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship at Sun Hills Country Club in Japan's Tochigi prefecture.

Team USA and Japan halved the first two matches of the competition when Alex Coe and Dustin Johnson tied Japan's Yuta Ikeda and Yuto Watanabe and Guilford's Colin Clark and Dillon Dougherty played even with Yohei Nakamichi and Daisuke Yasumoto.  The Americans took their first lead when Jake Ellison and Andrew Dresser claimed a six-stroke victory against Toru nakajima and Masahiko Sanada.  Japan evened the competition by claiming the final men's match when Yuki Ito and Ayumi Kawamitsu downed Scott Brown and Erik Flores by three shots.

The U.S. claimed both women's matches.  Team USA won the first match behind Tiffany Joh's 69 and three clutch Amanda Blumenherst putts down the stretch to win by two over Erina hara and Miki Saiki.  Irene Cho and Jane Park beat Chika Yamamoto and Tomoko Yokoyama by three strokes.

Guilford College alumnus and Greensboro College head coach Robert Linville '80 is coaching the U.S. team.

The second round begins Friday at 9 a.m.        

31st Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship

Round One Results - Sunhills Country Club

United States 8, Japan 4

Alex Coe/Dustin Johnson, USA halved Yuta Ikeda/Yuto Watanabe, Japan, 139    Tied, 1-1

Colin Clark/Dillon Dougherty, USA halved Yohei Nakamichi/Daisuke Yasumoto, Japan, 150    Tied, 2-2

Andrew Dresser/Jake Ellison, USA def. Toru nakajima/Masahiko Sanada, Japan, 142-148    USA, 4-2

Yuki Ito/Ayumi Kawamitsu, Japan def. Scott Brown/Erik Flores, USA, 142-145    Tied, 4-4

Amanda Blumeherst/Tiffany Joh, USA def. Erina Hara/Miki Saiki, Japan, 141-143    USA, 6-4

Irene Cho/Jane Park, USA def. Chika Yamamoto/Tomoko Yokoyama, Japan, 147-150    USA, 8-4

Round Two Pairings - Friday, July 14 - 9 a.m.

Amanda Blumenherst USA vs. Tomoko Yokoyama, Japan

Tiffany Joh, USA vs. Miki Saiki, Japan

Irene Cho, USA vs. Erina hara, Japan

Jane Park, USA vs. Chika Yamamoto, Japan

Scott Brown USA vs. Yuki Ito, Japn

Alex Coe, USA vs. Yohei Nakamichi, Japan

Dillon Dougherty, USA vs. Masahiko Sanada, Japan

Jake Ellison, USA vs. Yuta Ikeda, Japan

Colin Clark, USA vs. Yuto Yasumoto, Japan

Andrew Dresser, USA vs. Daisuke Yasumoto, Japan

Erik Flores, USA vs. Ayumi Kawamitsu, Japan

Dustin Johnson, USA vs. Toru nakajima, Japan