“Dream team” Sara Byrne and Max Kennedy rallied to win their mixed foursomes on the last and help the Internationals head into the singles tied 18-18 with the USA in a thrilling Arnold Palmer Cup battle at Lahinch.
Wind and the occasional rain squall made the pristine County Clare links a massive test for some of the game’s top amateurs.
But the hosts rallied from 13-11 down after a 7.5-4.5 loss in the morning foursomes to win the mixed foursomes 7-5 and leave the destiny of the title in the lap of the gods heading into Sunday’s 24 singles clashes.
Day 2 afternoon mixed foursomes
Day 3 Sunday singles pairings (two-tee start)
After Byrne and Kennedy came from two down with six to play to beat Ben James and Amanda Sambach two up, China’s Wenyi Ding ripped his approach to ten feet at the par-five 18th and Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist rolled in the eagle putt to give them a one-up win over Women’s Amateur champion Melanie Green and Michael La Sasso to level the scores heading into the final day.
Kennedy and Byrne were in trouble against Sambach and me’s world number four James before the Royal Dublin man hit a stunning tee shot to seven feet at the par-four 13th that arguably turned the match around.
After a win there, they took the 14th in birdie and the 15th in par to go one-up, then came back from losing the 16th to par with a pair of winning fours at the last two holes.
“Absolutely delighted,” Byrne said. “Me and Max always knew that we just needed to rally on at the end.
“The 13th was the turning point. We said we just wanted momentum from anything and he put it to seven feet and I was like, this is it.
“It was frustrating for me on the greens more than anything else. I’ve been striking it really great for the last couple of weeks
“But honestly, Max has been helping me a lot confidence-wise. He kind of willed it into the hole today with me. So it was good.”
Kennedy’s cut drive against the strong left-to-right wind at the 13th was key in his second win alongside Byrne.
“Two for two, dream team,” the University of Louisville man beamed. “It was some win in the end. It was class. Me and Sara just ground it out all day and didn’t give them a whole lot.
“We gave them a couple at the start but ended up making a couple of birdies coming in and sealed the deal there at the last, it was fantastic.
“It’s always up in the air going into the singles because there’s so many matches. But I’m looking forward it. It should be a long, tough day, but I’m confident in us getting the win.”
