U.S. Amateur Champion Danny Lee Wins Georgia Cup Over
British Amateur Champion Reinier Saxton

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – United States Amateur Champion Danny Lee of New Zealand defeated British Amateur Champion Reinier Saxton of The Netherlands, 2 and 1, March 31, 2009, in the 12th Annual Georgia Cup Match at The Golf Club of Georgia.

Lee, 18, then the youngest champion in U.S. Amateur history, closed out Saxton, 21, on the 17th hole in the charity event held on The Golf Club of Georgia's Lakeside Course.

It was the most talented pairing of amateur players in the history of The Georgia Cup, with Lee ranked No. 1 in the world and Saxton No. 6.

Both players competed in The Georgia Cup on their way to the Masters.

“The course was fantastic,” Lee said of the Lakeside Course. “I think it will be great preparation for the Masters, playing greens this fast. I'm very proud to be the Georgia Cup champion. It is a great event and I am very thankful to have been invited.”

A month earlier Lee won the Johnnie Walker Classic, a pro event in Australia , becoming the youngest champion in European Tour history. Saxton won the Spanish Amateur leading up to The Georgia Cup.

After a rainy front nine concluded by his two-putt birdie at the par-5 9th hole – highlighted by a sensational, 250-yard 3-wood shot to about 12 feet – Lee took a 2-up lead into the back nine, when conditions improved and the sun even shone briefly.

Although Saxton birdied the 10th hole with a 15-foot sliding putt, he gave it away with a lost ball off his drive at the par-5 11th and eventually conceded the hole.

Lee birdied the tricky, par-4 14th with a 3-footer to go 3-up again, then three-putted the 15th to stand at 2-up. But Lee closed out the match at the 17th, barely missing a big breaker from 20 feet, then rattling in a 3-footer for par, matching Saxton.

“I thought I hit the ball pretty well,” said Saxton. “I just needed to make a few more putts. But it was a good day.”

Long-time Atlanta amateur Danny Yates, the two-time Walker Cup captain, served as Honorary Captain for the 2009 Georgia Cup, which benefits the scholarship programs of the Georgia State Golf Foundation.

The Georgia Cup was presented in 2009 by SunTrust and Atlanta Classic Cars/Mercedes-Benz, with Butler/Toyo Tires also a major sponsor.

The Golf Club of Georgia is a member-owned private club north of Atlanta featuring two Arthur Hills-designed courses, Lakeside and Creekside. Lakeside was named Golf Digest's “Best New Private Course” in 1991.

Georgia Cup Results

1998 (Lakeside) - Matt Kuchar (U.S.) def. Craig Watson (Brit.), 3 & 1.

1999 (Lakeside) - Sergio Garcia (Brit.) def. Hank Kuehne (U.S.), 5 & 4.

2000 (Lakeside) - David Gossett (U.S.) def. Graeme Storm (Brit.), 3 & 2.

2001 (Creekside) - Mikko Ilonen (Brit.) def. Jeff Quinney (U.S.), 6 & 4.

2002 (Creekside) - Michael Hoey (Brit.) def. Bubba Dickerson (U.S.), 4 & 2.

2003 (Lakeside) - Ricky Barnes (U.S.) def. Alejandro Larrazabal (Brit.), 4 & 2.

2004 (Creekside) - Gary Wolstenholme (Brit.) def. Nick Flanagan (U.S.), 4 & 2.

2005 (Creekside) - Ryan Moore (U.S.) def. Stuart Wilson (Brit.), 2 & 1.

2006 (Lakeside) - Brian McElhinney (Brit.) def. Edoardo Molinari (U.S.), 3 & 2.

2007 (Lakeside) – Richie Ramsay (U.S.) def. Julien Guerrier (Brit.), 2 & 1.

2008 (Lakeside) - Colt Knost (U.S.) def. Drew Weaver (Brit.), 2 & 1.

2009 (Lakeside) - Danny Lee (U.S.) def. Reinier Saxton (Brit.), 2 & 1.