NATCHEZ — Day one of the 2009 Beau Pré Cup was one of momentum swings as defending champion Team St. Andrews rallied to take a two-point lead at the end of the morning’s best ball matches and then Team Carnoustie came back in the afternoon alternate shot matches.

When the final alternate shot match was completed late Saturday afternoon at Beau Pré Country Club, Team St. Andrews had a narrow lead of 7 1/2 points to Team Carnoustie’s 6 1/2 points.

Last year Team St. Andrews won by the most lopsided margin in the tournament’s history — 14 points. This year, however, it will have to win today’s singles matches to keep the Beau Pré Cup in its possession. Those matches start at noon.

“This is the best tournament we have out here,” Team Carnoustie captain Robin Punches said. “It always comes down to Sunday.”

Team St. Andrews got off to a tough start in the best ball matches and trailed 2 points to 1 point after the third match. Led by Stephen Hollingsworth and Mel Beltzhoover’s win over Trampus Butler and Hayden Kaiser III, St. Andrews won three of the next four matches to take a 4 ½ point to 2 ½ point lead.

“Our last couple of guys played well. Brian Simpson and Keith Rayborn played real strong. Howard Jones and Al Guido won 6 & 5,” St. Andrews captain Dr. Jeff Anderson said. “We (Anderson and Chuck Fields) had a pretty good matchup this morning with Robin Punches and Dan Bland. It was foggy. Some of the matches didn’t end up 1 or 1:30 this afternoon.”

“I played with Dan this morning. It was a great match,” Punches said.

“What broke our back was No. 10. It was all-square at that point. We were in great shape. We had a 15-foot putt. Then Chuck sank a putt from 50 feet away and we missed our putt. That put us 1-down. When Jeff and I do the pairings, it’s about sportsmanship and fellowship.”

And that meant the afternoon alternate shot matches didn’t start until 2 p.m. instead of the original 1 p.m. starting time.

Team Carnoustie won matches nine through 13 to surge into the lead at 6 1/2 points to 4 1/2 points, but Team St. Andrews won the final three matches to take a slim one-point lead heading into the all-important singles matches.

During the alternate shot matches, Punches said. “Team Carnoustie’s coming back this afternoon.”

Jordan Farmer won two matches on Saturday. Farmer teamed up with Jason Rooks to defeat Kevin Smith Jr. and Mark Carter in a best ball match. Then he and Bill Byrne defeated Howard and Lee Jones in an alternate shot match. Not bad considering this is Farmer’s first time to play in the Beau Pré Cup.

“I had good partners all day. Jason and I made a bunch of birdies. We got it rolling early and played well,” Farmer said. “Byrne and I were on the same page and set up the next shot very well. This is my first Cup matches ever, and it’s a lot of fun.”

One person on Team Carnoustie who had an up-and-down day was Kurt Russ, who was the captain of Team St. Andrews just last year. He and Craig Bradford lost to Rayborn and Simpson in best ball, but he and Butler responded by defeating Hollingsworth and Bill Lambert in alternate shot.

“It is what it is,” Russ said. “I didn’t play well this morning. Trampus and I played better this afternoon. The golf course is in immaculate condition considering all the rain we’ve had.”

Farmer wasn’t the only person on Team St. Andrews to win two matches on Saturday. Rayborn also won a pair of matches. He and Joel Dupre’ defeated Carter and Woody Allen to get St. Andrews back on track in alternate shot.

“First match was four-ball (best ball) with Brian Simpson. It was even after nine. I made a birdie putt. He almost made a hole-in-one on 13. We won 3 and 2,” Rayborn said. “Me and Joel had one bad hole, but we won 3 and 2. I commend the course superintendent, Dee Barron. He did a fantastic job. The course is in great shape.”