PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell birdied both par 3s along the ocean at Cypress Point to close out his match and Jace Summy won twice Saturday as the Americans rallied in singles to build a 6 1/2-5 1/2 lead over Great Britain & Ireland after the opening day of the Walker Cup.

Howell earned his spot on the U.S. team when the 18-year-old high school senior in Georgia won the U.S. Amateur last month up the coast at the Olympic Club.

He sat during the morning foursomes session, when GB&I built a 3-1 lead, and felt the nerves in the afternoon singles, but only briefly.

Howell was 1 up over Luke Poulter, the Florida junior and son of Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter , when he birdied the short 15th along the ocean, and then holed a 45-foot birdie putt on the iconic 1

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