Williams Named To 2011 Palmer Cup Team
April 20, 2011
NORMAN, Okla. -- Washington sophomore Chris Williams was one of eight American collegiate golfers selected to represent Team USA in the Palmer Cup it was announced Thursday by the Golf Coaches Association of America. The annual Ryder Cup-style competition that pits eight collegians from the USA and Europe will be played June 9-11 at The Stanwich Club outside of Greenwich, Conn.
The Husky golf program has previous experience in the Palmer Cup with UW Coach Matt Thurmond leading the USA squad in 2009 and Brock Mackenzie playing for the USA in 2002.
Williams is having an outstanding 2010-11 season at Washington, a year after winning the 2010 Phil Mickelson Award handed out annually to the nation's top collegiate freshman. He currently leads the team with a 71.31 scoring average, which would tie for the second lowest average in a season by a Husky. He has one win under his belt this year and three for his career. Williams has finished in the top-10 at events six times this year and has shot in the 60's nine times this season.
"I am really excited for Chris," said 10th-year UW Coach Thurmond. "He deserves it. He is a great competitor and amazing player. (Tim Poe) is going to be lucky to have him on his squad for a week. He will really thrive in that environment."
Williams joins a USA squad that includes Blayne Barber of Auburn, UCLA's Patrick Cantlay, Abilene Christian's Alex Carpenter, Russell Henley of Georgia, Oregon's Daniel Miernicki, Bank Vongvanij of Florida and Stanford's Andrew Yun. Representing Europe will be Arkansas' Sebastian Cappelen, Ignacio Elvira of Texas A&M, Texas Tech's Nils Floren, Jeff Karlsson of Kennesaw State, Liberty's Robert Karlsson, Nick MacAndrew of Aberdeen, Augusta State's Henrik Norland¬er and UCLA's Pontus Widegren. The United States team will be lead by head coach Tim Poe of Central Missouri and assistant coach Michael Burcin of South Carolina.
