SUGAR GROVE, Ill. (June 12, 2021) – Facing elite NCAA Division I competition, Trevor Norby's groups held their own on a hot, sticky Saturday in the Arnold Palmer Cup, but the Oklahoma Christian senior golfer finished on the wrong side of a pair of close matches at Rich Harvest Farms.

In the morning foursomes matches, Norby and U.S. teammate Benjamin Shipp of North Carolina State took an early three-hole lead but the International squad of Puwit Anupansuebsai of San Diego State and Thailand and Adrien Dumont de Chassart of Illinois and Belgium rallied down the stretch to beat the USA side 2-up.

Norby and his teammate, fellow Division II All-American Hanna Harrison of Dallas Baptist (Texas), rallied to tie their afternoon mixed foursomes match early and were within striking distance of a pair of Spaniards, Ana Pelaez Trivino of South Carolina and David Puig of Arizona State, before falling 3 and 1. Puig, who just finished his sophomore season, entered the Palmer Cup at No. 18 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, while Pelaez Trivino is currently No. 14 in the women's WAGR.

The good news is the U.S. team – which entered the day tied – seized control of the Ryder Cup-style event, considered one of the most prestigious in collegiate golf. Entering singles play on Sunday, the U.S. leads the International team 20-16. The U.S. needs only 10½ points from the 24 singles matches to win the event for the first time since 2018.

The morning match was going swimmingly for Norby (from Carlsbad, Calif.) and Shipp (from Duluth, Ga.) early on. An out-of-bounds tee shot by the International side on the tricky par-4 No. 4 – known as the "Devil's Elbow" with a difficult shot from a tee box surrounded by trees – gave the U.S. squad an early one-hole advantage.

Norby's tee shot took an unfortunate bounce off rocks and into water on the par-3 No. 5, quickly evening the match, but the U.S. duo took the next three holes, rolling in birdie putts on the par-5 No. 7 (by Norby) and par-4 No. 8 (by Shipp).

But Anupansuebsai – a former teammate of Norby's at San Diego State, before Norby transferred to OC – made a birdie putt of his own at No. 9 to cut into the U.S. lead and that seemed to energize the International team. They birdied the par-4 No. 12 to pull within one, then tied the match with a birdie on the par-4 No. 14, a hole with a green surrounded on all sides by large bunkers.

Two breaks went against the U.S. squad on the next two holes. Dumont de Chassart's tee shot on the par-4 No. 15 found the water on the left, but Anupansuebsai's subsequent approach shot led to an unexpected par for the International side, while the U.S. team three-putted from 70 feet. Norby lagged the first putt within 10 feet but Shipp wasn't able to convert and the match stayed tied.

On the par-3 No. 16, Anupansuebsai's tee shot was short of the elevated green, but Dumont de Chassart positioned his nearly blind chip shot so well that Anupansuebsai was able to hit an easy par putt. Shipp missed a par putt for the U.S. team, which suddenly trailed for the first time in the match.

The U.S. team had to go for broke on the par-5 No. 18 and Norby missed a tricky 25-foot par putt after a chip by Shipp. A terrific approach shot by Anupansuebsai left his teammate with another easy par putt.

The afternoon round was delayed for about 90 minutes in the middle due to a passing thunderstorm. Norby and Harrison, the Lone Star Conference's best male and female players, respectively, were paired for a second straight day. They started their match on No. 10 and lost the first two holes, but Norby made a 12-foot par putt to give the U.S. team the win at No. 12. Another par at No. 14 for the U.S. tied the match.

The International team birdied No. 15, but a par at the par-4 No. 17 for the U.S. again tied the match before the International side again went ahead – this time for good – with a birdie on No. 18, after an approach shot to within 15 feet. The U.S. bogeyed No. 1, putting the International team 2-up.

Again, Norby and Harrison rallied, as Norby hit an approach shot on the par-5 No. 2 to within 20 feet and the International team conceded the birdie. A three-putt on the par-3 No. 3 cost the U.S. team a hole, though.

Given a chance for redemption for his morning tee shot from No. 5, Norby's afternoon effort landed within five feet of the hole and Harrison rolled it in for another birdie, again pulling them within a hole. But the duo bogeyed the par-4 No. 6 and had a double bogey on the par-4 No. 8, losing both holes to end the match.