Great Britain & Ireland retained the PGA Cup after defeating USA 16-10 at Foxhills Resort in Surrey.
Victory for the home side marked the first back-to-back win since 1984, and ensured that at least one of the transatlantic team trophies stayed in Europe, following recent defeats in the Ryder, Solheim and Walker Cups
Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon holed the match-winning putt after fellow countryman Chris Currie had halved his match to retain the Llandudno Trophy, while masterminding the triumph was team captain Albert MacKenzie, who also hails from north of the border.
MacKenzie made it clear the success was not solely down to his compatriots. “It was all about being a team effort, there was no individual glory here,” he insisted.
A big GB&I win looked an unlikely scenario after the USA won Saturday’s foursomes 3-1 to go into Sunday’s singles just one point adrift of their hosts. But Robert Coles, Matthew Cort, Andrew Raitt, Phillip Archer, Greig Hutcheon, David Higgins and Damien McGrane all won their matches in a 7.5-2.5 rout.
Elsewhere, a stunning half point was grabbed by Currie, who was three down at the turn to Rod Perry, but reeled in his opponent by the 16th, and was one-up playing the 18th. However, his hopes of taking his tally to four wins, a defeat and winning the contest for the hosts, were thwarted when his approach felled Coles’ caddy and his par was eclipsed by Perry’s birdie.
The half point meant it fell to Hutcheon on the 17th to claim the other half point needed for victory. Describing how it unfolded, Hutcheon said: “I hit a great second shot in – one of the best I’ve hit all week, but it went too long and I left myself a tricky chip. I managed to knock it down. But I’m glad noone told me the putt was for the official victory, because I might have missed it. It is absolutely brilliant. At my age, I’m never going to get in a Ryder Cup team, so it’s absolutely the next best thing.
“As for Albert – he’s been fantastic. He has done all sorts this week. There have been messages, joke presents, team talks. He has been a great captain. It’s a great honour for me coming from the same neck of the woods. To hole the putt that won the Cup is great.”