Wednesday, June 28, 2006

GLASGOW, Scotland (June 28, 2006) - ETSU junior Rhys Davies (Bridgend, Wales) and his European teammates will play in the 10^th Palmer Cup Thursday and Friday at the 6,544-yard, par 71 Prestwick Golf Club. It will mark Davies' third appearance in the event, an annual Ryder Cup-style competition between American collegiate golfers and their counterparts from Europe.

European head coach Peter Mattsson will direct a team that includes Davies, as well as Oscar Floren of Texas Tech, Mark Haastrup of Georgia State, Stephen Lewton of N.C. State, Joost Luiten of Randstad Topsport Academie Rotterdam, Pablo Martin of Oklahoma State and Richard Ramsey of Stirling.

"We have players with a wide range of abilities from across Europe," said Mattsson, the director of coaching for the English Golf Union. "Several of our players have links experience, which will be of great benefit, and a good mix between players based out of the United States and Europe."

The American squad will include Baylor's Ryan Baca, Duke's Ryan Blaum, Georgia Tech'sRoberto Castro and Kevin Larsen, Georgia's Brian Harman and Chris Kirk, Vanderbilt's Luke List, and BYU's Clay Ogden.

Davies, a two-time PING First-Team All-American who is ETSU's all-time leader in victories with seven, holds a Palmer Cup record of 3-4-1, including a 3-1 mark when Europe defeated the U.S. at Ballybunion in 2004.

Cañizares, a senior from Manilva, Spain, will be competing in his fourth Palmer Cup. The Palmer Cup all-time leader in victories and points, the former NCAA champion has a 9-3 career record in the event. Martin, hailing from Malaga, Spain, will be participating in his second Palmer Cup after going 1-2-1 last year at Whistling Straits Irish Course.

To keep up with the latest news from the 2006 Palmer Cup, visit the following link http://gcaa.collegiategolf.com/files/gcaa/2006pc_index.html, or visit ETSUBucs.com at the conclusion of play each day.