WEST POINT, N.Y. —  The Army and Navy men's golf teams completed the first day of action in the annual Star Match with the Black Knights taking a 3.5-0.5 advantage following Saturday's four-ball matches played at West Point. The two teams will return to the links on Sunday with seven singles matches on tap to begin at 8:30 am. The first team to six points will be declared the winner.

"With seven singles matches tomorrow, we have some work to do," said Pat Owen, who is in his 29th season as the Mids' head coach. "We were not as sharp around the greens today as we would have liked, and there's always local knowledge in play here, but we are looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow and doing our best to make up the deficit."

While the overall score of Saturday's opening leg may appear to have been lop-sided, three of the four matches were decided on the final hole, including the opening match between Navy's Thomas Garbee (Asheville, N.C.) and Paul Mauer (Eagleville, Pa.) vs. Army's Nick Turner and Sam Yom. Garbee and Mauer rallied from a one-hole deficit to get to the 18th tee all square, however Turner hit the 18th green in two shots and made birdie to pull out a 1-up victory despite a solid 69 by Garbee.

Sophomores Ward Wilkinson (Ashland, Va.) and Jake Miles (Fredericksburg, Va.) fought back from a three-hole deficit to square their match through 17 against the Army tandem of James McKee and Thomas Messner. Army birdied both 17 and 18, but Wilkinson two-putted 18 for a birdie to halve the match. Miles added a pair of birdies on par-threes to help Wilkinson, who carded a 67.

Army's Gunnar Doyle and Tom Katsenes picked up a 2-and-1 victory over the Mids' second-year duo of Charlie Musto (Sterling, Va.) and Michael Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y.). Brennan made a clutch birdie on 15 to pull within one, but they were unable to close the gap.

In the final match of the day, Navy seniors Griffin Peters (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) and Matthew Starobin (Davidsonville, Md.) were all square with the Black Knights' Justin Williamson and Matt Plunkett with two to go. Both Navy players just missed birdie on the par-4 17th, while Williamson made his three to put Army one up. Peters had a short putt for birdie on 18, but both Williamson and Plunkett had conceded birdies to win the point.


Army 3.5, Navy 0.5

Four-Ball Results
Nick Turner  / Sam Yom (A) def. Thomas Garbee / Paul Mauer, 1-up
James McKee / Thomas Messner (A) halved Ward Wilkinson / Jake Miles
Gunnar Doyle / Tom Katsenes (A) def. Charlie Musto / Michael Brennan, 2-and-1
Justin Williamson / Matt Plunkett (A) def. Matthew Starobin / Griffin Peters, 1-up

### Go Navy ###