Americans outclass GB&I to win PGA Cup
match in emphatic fashion
By NAT SYLVESTER, PGA Press Officer
Britain & Ireland’s hopes of regaining the PGA Cup were swept away by a tidal of wave of red as the United States crushed their hosts in the final day’s singles at The Carrick on Loch Lomond today.
The US continued their transatlantic domination of team golf by retaining the Llandudno Trophy in emphatic fashion achieved on the back of a record 8½ – 1½ victory in the singles.
The singles result left the US clasping the trophy with a winning margin of 17½ - 8 ½ points achieved over the three days.GB&I captain Gary Alliss striving at the second attempt to get his hands on the Trophy, admitted his team had been soundly beaten.
“The US were very strong, they didn’t make any mistakes, holed some putts at crucial times and they were a shot and hole better all week,” he said.“I didn’t think we putted as well as the US. I think it was as simple as that. In history they will look back and say we were absolutely annihilated and we were, albeit that the margin is very tiny and in the individual matches it was a shot here and there.
“You have to say enormous congratulations to Brian Whitcomb and his team. The GB&I guys were absolutely up for it, and they really felt that amount of red on the board could have been that amount of blue and so did I but I think all week the US have played the turn slightly better. They made some birdies on nine, 10 and 11 – they probably played the difficult 12 slightly better but only because they holed putts.”
US captain Brian Whitcomb hailed his team’s consistency which he believed was a decisive factor.“Some of the GB&I team said that our team kept constant pressure on, they hit fairways and hit greens and when you play an opponent that doesn’t give holes away then that is a tough opponent. Several of the GB&I players said that and I believe that to be the difference,” he said.
But Whitcomb also said the scoreline had not reflected the closeness of the matches over the three days.
“The final score is not indicative of how close the matches were, ask anyone of our players that prevailed today.“I’m not sorry for the outcome but the outcome does not reflect the quality and closeness of the matches.”
For GB&I, defeat was a bitter blow after they had rallied in the Saturday fourballs to reduce the deficit to 9-7 but early hopes and expectations rapidly evaporated as the US chalked off the required points.Houghwood Golf Club’s Barry Taylor was sent out first, fighting gallantly to take Sonny Skinner to the final hole but the American preserved his 100 per cent record from four games to put the first point of the day on the board with a one hole victory.This was quickly followed by the impressive Scott Hebert, who beat Jon Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre) by two holes to secure a maximum haul of five points for his side.There was brief respite as GB&I's Jeremy Robinson (Twyford) secured a 2&1 success over Mike Small, but it was all in vain as Falkirk Tryst' Craig Matheson lost 3&1 to Lee Rinker before the US victory was confirmed out on the course as James Lee lost 6&5 to Mark Sheftic at the 13th green at 1.57pm.That left just pride and the scoreline to play for but GB&I were unable to halt the US momentum. Andrew Barnett (North Wales Driving Range) was next to fall, taking Steve Schneiter to 18 but losing by one hole as did Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) to Craig Thomas.“I think I shot 68 out there but there you go that’s what happens in matchplay, you need some breaks and he got all the breaks,” said Wesselingh.Will Barnes (Garstang G&CC) was unable to stop Ryan Benzel who won by two holes while Nevill Golf Club’s Jamie Harris went down 2&1 to Eric Lippert.“I’ve never played as well against anybody and lost. It was an amazing game,” said Harris.The final match between Paul Simpson (West Berkshire) and Kyle Flinton was halved.The next PGA Cup matches will be staged at CordeValle, Northern California, in September 2011.
Sunday singles results
(GB&I player first)
Barry Taylor lost by one hole to Sonny Skinner
Jon Bevan lost by two holes to Scott Hebert
Jeremy Robinson beat Mike Small 2&1
Craig Matheson lost 3&1 to Lee Rinker
Andrew Barnett lost by one hole to Steve Schneiter
Paul Wesselingh lost by one hole to Craig Thomas
Will Barnes lost by two holes to Ryan Benzel
Jamie Harris lost 2&1 to Eric Lippert
James Lee lost 6&5 to Mark Sheftic
Paul Simpson halved with Kyle Flinton
**For results and scores from all three days go to www.pgacup.com
match in emphatic fashion
By NAT SYLVESTER, PGA Press Officer
Britain & Ireland’s hopes of regaining the PGA Cup were swept away by a tidal of wave of red as the United States crushed their hosts in the final day’s singles at The Carrick on Loch Lomond today.
The US continued their transatlantic domination of team golf by retaining the Llandudno Trophy in emphatic fashion achieved on the back of a record 8½ – 1½ victory in the singles.
The singles result left the US clasping the trophy with a winning margin of 17½ - 8 ½ points achieved over the three days.GB&I captain Gary Alliss striving at the second attempt to get his hands on the Trophy, admitted his team had been soundly beaten.
“The US were very strong, they didn’t make any mistakes, holed some putts at crucial times and they were a shot and hole better all week,” he said.“I didn’t think we putted as well as the US. I think it was as simple as that. In history they will look back and say we were absolutely annihilated and we were, albeit that the margin is very tiny and in the individual matches it was a shot here and there.
“You have to say enormous congratulations to Brian Whitcomb and his team. The GB&I guys were absolutely up for it, and they really felt that amount of red on the board could have been that amount of blue and so did I but I think all week the US have played the turn slightly better. They made some birdies on nine, 10 and 11 – they probably played the difficult 12 slightly better but only because they holed putts.”
US captain Brian Whitcomb hailed his team’s consistency which he believed was a decisive factor.“Some of the GB&I team said that our team kept constant pressure on, they hit fairways and hit greens and when you play an opponent that doesn’t give holes away then that is a tough opponent. Several of the GB&I players said that and I believe that to be the difference,” he said.
But Whitcomb also said the scoreline had not reflected the closeness of the matches over the three days.
“The final score is not indicative of how close the matches were, ask anyone of our players that prevailed today.“I’m not sorry for the outcome but the outcome does not reflect the quality and closeness of the matches.”
For GB&I, defeat was a bitter blow after they had rallied in the Saturday fourballs to reduce the deficit to 9-7 but early hopes and expectations rapidly evaporated as the US chalked off the required points.Houghwood Golf Club’s Barry Taylor was sent out first, fighting gallantly to take Sonny Skinner to the final hole but the American preserved his 100 per cent record from four games to put the first point of the day on the board with a one hole victory.This was quickly followed by the impressive Scott Hebert, who beat Jon Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre) by two holes to secure a maximum haul of five points for his side.There was brief respite as GB&I's Jeremy Robinson (Twyford) secured a 2&1 success over Mike Small, but it was all in vain as Falkirk Tryst' Craig Matheson lost 3&1 to Lee Rinker before the US victory was confirmed out on the course as James Lee lost 6&5 to Mark Sheftic at the 13th green at 1.57pm.That left just pride and the scoreline to play for but GB&I were unable to halt the US momentum. Andrew Barnett (North Wales Driving Range) was next to fall, taking Steve Schneiter to 18 but losing by one hole as did Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) to Craig Thomas.“I think I shot 68 out there but there you go that’s what happens in matchplay, you need some breaks and he got all the breaks,” said Wesselingh.Will Barnes (Garstang G&CC) was unable to stop Ryan Benzel who won by two holes while Nevill Golf Club’s Jamie Harris went down 2&1 to Eric Lippert.“I’ve never played as well against anybody and lost. It was an amazing game,” said Harris.The final match between Paul Simpson (West Berkshire) and Kyle Flinton was halved.The next PGA Cup matches will be staged at CordeValle, Northern California, in September 2011.
Sunday singles results
(GB&I player first)
Barry Taylor lost by one hole to Sonny Skinner
Jon Bevan lost by two holes to Scott Hebert
Jeremy Robinson beat Mike Small 2&1
Craig Matheson lost 3&1 to Lee Rinker
Andrew Barnett lost by one hole to Steve Schneiter
Paul Wesselingh lost by one hole to Craig Thomas
Will Barnes lost by two holes to Ryan Benzel
Jamie Harris lost 2&1 to Eric Lippert
James Lee lost 6&5 to Mark Sheftic
Paul Simpson halved with Kyle Flinton
**For results and scores from all three days go to www.pgacup.com
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, September 20, 2009
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