Higgins and McGrane help GB&I retain PGA Cup
OTTERSHAW, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: The victorious GB&I team poses with the trophy during the singles matches on the final day of the 28th PGA Cup at Foxhills Golf Course on September 17, 2017 in Ottershaw, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Damien McGrane and David Higgins won their singles on the final day as Great Britain and Ireland retained the PGA Cup at Foxhills Resort in Surrey.
The GB&I team defeated the USA 16-10 to register back-to-back victories in the biennial event for the first time since 1984.
Scotland's Greig Hutcheon holed the match-winning putt after compatriot Chris Currie had staged a stirring recovery to halve the match that retained the trophy.
“It was all about being a team effort, there was no individual glory here,” said GB&I skipper Albert MacKenzie.
The USA won Saturday’s foursomes 3 and 1 to go into the singles a point adrift of their hosts, who were bidding to follow up their first away win at CordeValle in California in 2015 with a successful defence
The did it in style too, winning the final day singles session 7.5–2.5 with wins for McGrane, Higgins, Robert Coles, Matthew Cort, Andrew Raitt, Phillip Archer and Greig Hutcheon.
McGrane was two down to Mark Brown after three holes after a bogey, double bogey, bogey start and still two down after seven holes.
But he won the eighth with a bogey five to cut the deficit to one hole, then won four holes in a row from the 12th, going par-birdie-birdie-par to go three up with three to play before closing out a 3 and 2 win.
The Kells man finished the week with two wins, one half (in Friday's foursomes with Higgins) and two losses from his five matches.
Waterville's Higgins never trailed as he beat Adam Rainaud 3 and 2 in the singles and finished the week with three wins, one half and one defeat from his five matches.
The comeback kid, however, proved to be Currie who was three down at the turn, but went up the 18th a hole to the good after halving the 17th.
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 Rod Perry’s birdie.
The half point meant it fell to Hutcheon on the 17th to claim the half point needed for victory and deliver the coup de grace match-wise.
