NUMATA, Japan (AP) — In the men’s final round, LSU’s Alan Morgan shot the day’s best score, a 6-under-par 66, to beat Kiyohiro Ehara of Nippon Sport Science University by nine strokes and lead the United States team to a 37-23 victory in the 26th Collegiate Golf Championship on Thursday.
Morgan also won in Wedneday’s second round singles match, besting Japan’s Takuya Taniguchi (Tohoku Fukushi) by one stroke, 71-72. In the three-round tournament, Morgan won both of his singles matches and the opening-round doubles match on his way to recording the second-lowest three-round score by a U.S. player, 5-under 211.
United States collegiate golfers won seven singles matches on Thursday to beat their Japanese counterparts for the sixth straight year.
The United States won 37-23, with Japan winning five matches on the final day. The U.S. leads 19-7 in the series that began in 1975,
After tying 6-6 in the doubles matches Tuesday, the Americans beat the host team 17-7 in Wednesday’s singles matches and 14-10 Thursday. A win is worth two points and a tie one point.
In women’s play, Natalie Gulbis (Arizona) posted the day’s best round of 1-over-par 73. She beat Mika Saito of Tohoku Fukushi University, who shot a 78.
In the men’s competition, Anthony Arvidson (Oregon St.) had the lowest total of 10-under 206, followed by Morgan’s 211 and Yusaku Miyasato (Tohoku Fukushi), who totaled 212.
Among the women, Gulbis led with a 2-over 218 total, ahead of Hitomi Matsumura (Kyushu Tokai) and Saito. Matsumura finished at 226 and Saito 227.
26th Collegiate Golf Championship — Final results
Final results from the 26th Collegiate Golf Championship July 5, played at the par-72 Verde Sano Country Club course (Men: 6,948 yards; Women: 6,485 yards) in Numata, Japan: (Note: Each match victory is worth two points and a tie is worth one):
FINAL RESULTS: United States 37, Japan 23
THIRD-ROUND RESULTS: United States 14, Japan 10
Men
Kaneyori Aramoto, Toyama Kokusai, (71) def. Rob Oppenheim, Rollins, (72).
Naomi Ohta, Nippon Sport Science, (70) def. Ricky Barnes, Arizona, (71).
Alan Morgan, LSU, (66) def. Kiyohiro Ehara, Nippon Sport Science, (75).
Hunter Mahan, USC, (72) def. Takuya Taniguchi, Tohoku Fukushi, (75).
Taichiro Kiyota, Nippon Sport Science, (71) def. Kevin O’Connell, Greensboro College, (75).
Bryant Odom, Georgia, (72) def. Riki Ikeda, Nihon, (75).
Yusaku Miyasato, Tohoku Fukushi, (74) def. Nick Watney, Fresno St., (75).
Anthony Arvidson, Oregon St., (68) def. Yoshiaki Kimura, Nihon, (78).
Women
Natalie Tucker, Indiana, (79) def. Kaori Kawanaka, Senshu, (87).
Stacy Prammansudh, Tulsa, (75) def. Youko Yonemura, Kinki, (86).
Hitomi Matsumura, Kyushu Tokai, (77) def. Summer Sirmons, Georgia, (78).
Natalie Gulbis, Arizona, (73) def. Mika Saito, Tohoku Fukushi, (78).
SECOND-ROUND RESULTS: United States 17, Japan 7
Men
Kevin O’Connell (66) def. Kaneyori Aramoto (78)
Alan Morgan (71) def. Takuya Taniguchi (72)
Kiyohiro Ehara (74) def. Rob Oppenheim (75)
Ricky Barnes (73) def. Naomi Ohta (74)
Hunter Mahan (71) def. Taichiro Kiyota (72)
Bryant Odom (71) def. Riki Ikeda (72)
Anthony Arvidson (69) def. Yuusaku Miyasato (72)
Nick Watney (72) halved Yoshiaki Kimura (72)
Women
Youko Yonemura (78) def. Natalie Tucker (82)
Stacy Pramannsudh (81) def. Kaori Kawanaka (85)
Hitomi Matsumura (75) def. Summer Sirmons (80)
Natalie Gulbis (73) def. Mika Saito (76)