USA Storms to Lead at Palmer Cup Presented By Monster
Americans sweep singles matches to take 9-3 lead
        
OWINGS MILLS, Md.  — Teams USA swept the afternoon singles matches to take a 9-3 at the Palmer Cup presented by Monster at Caves Valley Golf Club. The sweep was the first singles sweep in the 11-year history of the matches.
        
    Jamie Lovemark got the U.S. off to a fast start by downing Rhys Davies, 4 and 2. Lovemark birdied eight holes in the win and was the only American player to never trail in his match. Luke List beat Jorge Campillo, 2-up. Campillo won the first hole, but List would claim the next three and eventually extend his lead to 3-up thru 11. Campillo evened the match at No. 16 but List would claim the final two holes.
        
    Brian Harman would give the Americans their first team lead of the day after claiming a 4 and 2 victory against Pedro Oriol. Oriol held a 1-up lead for much of the front nine, but Harman would even the match after the turn and claim Nos. 12, 13, 15 and 16. Billy Horschel came from behind to defeat Gareth Shaw, 2-up. Shaw led for nine of the first 15 holes - including 2-up through 12 - but Horschel won the final three.
        
    Two-straight matches ended with 2 and 1 margins of victory - Jonathan Moore over Gordon Yates and Webb Simpson against Jonas Blixt. Moore would take an early lead in his match with a birdie at the third but would relinquish the lead with bogey at Nos. 5 and 6. He would tie the match again with a birdie at the seventh and move ahead with a Yates bogey at No. 9. Yates moved the match back to all square with birdie at No. 12 but Moore would eagle No. 14 and close the match after Yates bogeyed No. 17. Simpson took the lead after the first against Blixt, but Blixt would eagle No. 3 and birdie the par-3 fourth to move ahead. Blixt would give up the lead after a bogey on No. 6 but reclaim the lead the following hole with a birdie. Three-straight Blixt bogeys would allow Simpson to retake a lead he would not relinquish.
        
    Oscar Floren led Dustin Johnson for three of the first four holes of their match but Johnson would lead after the seventh onward in his 4 and 2 victory. Johnson would win No. 10 with a birdie and the 11th with par before Floren conceded No. 13 to extend the lead to four holes. The two players would trade birdies on Nos. 15 and 16.
        
    Chris Kirk would complete the sweep with the biggest of the come-from-behind victories, 1-up, against Mark Haastrup. Haastrup birdied the first two holes and eagled the third to jump to a 3-up lead thru three. Kirk would manage to whittle the lead back to all square by the turn, but Haastrup would regain the lead after No. 11. Kirk would claim Nos. 14 and 15 to take the lead for good.
        
    The matches resume Friday at 7:30 a.m. with foursomes with the final round singles beginning at 1:30 p.m.