JOHN KENNEDY GETS PGA CUP CALL-UP
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY PGA
South Region PGA professional John Kennedy has answered an 11th hour call from his country after being drafted in to the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team – just days before they take on the United States.
The 44-year-old from Wexham Park Golf Centre, Buckinghamshire, has been called up after the 10-man side, which jets off to California on Monday, lost the services of Midlands-based Matt Morris, who was forced to withdraw through injury.
That has opened the door for Kennedy, who initially missed out on securing a place in the side back in June when a five-man play-off was required to fill the final two berths in the squad, following the conclusion of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at The Belfry.
Kennedy, who finished in a share of sixth at The Belfry, has hastily had to rearrange his schedule as he prepares to put in some last minute practice before joining team captain Russell Weir and the rest of the team-mates.
The stunned PGA Fellow Professional said : “It’s a shock because I hadn’t really thought about the PGA Cup since missing out in the play-off.
“In the play-off I birdied the first extra play-off hole and Matt Morris and John Wells both had tricky putts for their birdies so I thought this is possibly the PGA Cup for me but they both holed their putts and when John beat me for the last place he was a worthy winner.
“I was obviously a little bit disappointed but hadn’t given the PGA Cup another thought until I got the phone call yesterday saying Matt had been forced to pull out.
“I played with Matt in three of the four rounds during the Glenmuir, he was a fantastic player and would have been a great asset to the team with his experience.
“He was also a smashing bloke so it is a real pity he is injured and has had to pull out.”
Kennedy, who is chairman of the BBO (Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire) PGA, admits the prospect of facing the cream of US PGA professionals is a daunting one.
“I am a typical club pro so this will be the highest level I have played at and will be nerve-racking for me as probably the least experienced tournament player,” he added.
“I have spoken to the captain Russell Weir who was upset for Matt but he was very welcoming and said it was good to have me on the team and said all he wanted me to do was enjoy the experience.”
The team fly out on Monday to the CordeValle Resort, in the heart of the California wine valley, where they will take on their US counterparts in the biennial Ryder-Cup style contest between September 16-18.
This will be the 25th Match between the two sides, with the GB&I side looking to make history being the first team from these shores to win on American soil since the tournament’s inception in 1973.
The Americans currently hold the PGA Cup following an emphatic win at The Carrick on Loch Lomond two years ago.
The full 2011 Great Britain Ireland and PGA Cup team is:
Russell Weir (Captain), Cowal Golf Club
Craig Goodfellow, Carlisle Driving Range
Robert Giles, Greenore Golf Club
Gary Brown, Ganton Golf Club
David Mortimer, Galway Golf Club
Stuart Little, Minchinhampton New Golf Club
Christopher Gill, Exeter Golf & Country Club
David Shacklady, Mossock Hall Golf Club
John Kennedy Wexham Park Golf Club
John Wells, Cherry Burton Golf Club
Simon Edwards, Windermere Golf Club
ends
South Region PGA professional John Kennedy has answered an 11th hour call from his country after being drafted in to the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team – just days before they take on the United States.
The 44-year-old from Wexham Park Golf Centre, Buckinghamshire, has been called up after the 10-man side, which jets off to California on Monday, lost the services of Midlands-based Matt Morris, who was forced to withdraw through injury.
That has opened the door for Kennedy, who initially missed out on securing a place in the side back in June when a five-man play-off was required to fill the final two berths in the squad, following the conclusion of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at The Belfry.
Kennedy, who finished in a share of sixth at The Belfry, has hastily had to rearrange his schedule as he prepares to put in some last minute practice before joining team captain Russell Weir and the rest of the team-mates.
The stunned PGA Fellow Professional said : “It’s a shock because I hadn’t really thought about the PGA Cup since missing out in the play-off.
“In the play-off I birdied the first extra play-off hole and Matt Morris and John Wells both had tricky putts for their birdies so I thought this is possibly the PGA Cup for me but they both holed their putts and when John beat me for the last place he was a worthy winner.
“I was obviously a little bit disappointed but hadn’t given the PGA Cup another thought until I got the phone call yesterday saying Matt had been forced to pull out.
“I played with Matt in three of the four rounds during the Glenmuir, he was a fantastic player and would have been a great asset to the team with his experience.
“He was also a smashing bloke so it is a real pity he is injured and has had to pull out.”
Kennedy, who is chairman of the BBO (Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire) PGA, admits the prospect of facing the cream of US PGA professionals is a daunting one.
“I am a typical club pro so this will be the highest level I have played at and will be nerve-racking for me as probably the least experienced tournament player,” he added.
“I have spoken to the captain Russell Weir who was upset for Matt but he was very welcoming and said it was good to have me on the team and said all he wanted me to do was enjoy the experience.”
The team fly out on Monday to the CordeValle Resort, in the heart of the California wine valley, where they will take on their US counterparts in the biennial Ryder-Cup style contest between September 16-18.
This will be the 25th Match between the two sides, with the GB&I side looking to make history being the first team from these shores to win on American soil since the tournament’s inception in 1973.
The Americans currently hold the PGA Cup following an emphatic win at The Carrick on Loch Lomond two years ago.
The full 2011 Great Britain Ireland and PGA Cup team is:
Russell Weir (Captain), Cowal Golf Club
Craig Goodfellow, Carlisle Driving Range
Robert Giles, Greenore Golf Club
Gary Brown, Ganton Golf Club
David Mortimer, Galway Golf Club
Stuart Little, Minchinhampton New Golf Club
Christopher Gill, Exeter Golf & Country Club
David Shacklady, Mossock Hall Golf Club
John Kennedy Wexham Park Golf Club
John Wells, Cherry Burton Golf Club
Simon Edwards, Windermere Golf Club
ends
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Tuesday, September 06, 2011
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