July 13, 2006

TOCHIGI PREFECTURE, Japan -- 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 Colin Clark and former Northwestern golfer Dillon Dougherty (Woodland, Calif./Woodland) 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 would even 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. would claim 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.

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