PGA Cup

A pulsating week of golf on the stunning Oconee Course at Reynolds Plantation, Georgia, culminated in a topsy-turvy day of singles on the final Sunday. The 10-man team, made up of the cream of GB&I's club professionals, went into the last day two points behind the Americans after two thrilling days of fourballs and foursomes, but despite edging the singles 5½-4½ they ultimately succumbed to a slender 13½-12½ defeat.

But they will be able to take comfort from a magnificent display on the final day as they edged out a vastly mores experienced set of players on their own turf.

It was a week packed with sensational golf, heart-warming sportsmanship and magnificent hospitality and all of those in the GB&I travelling party crossed back over the Atlantic with a lifetime worth of memories.

The action kicked off in overcast conditions on the Friday morning and friends Michael Nesbit and Craig Goodfellow combined to devastating effect as GB&I took a slender 4½-3½ first-day lead over their hosts. Nesbit (Westerhope Golf Club) and Goodfellow (Carlisle Driving Range) were the third pairing out in the morning fourballs and they were in rampant mood as they blitzed their American counterparts Chip Sullivan and Ron Philo Jr.

The duo posted the first blue numbers on the scoreboard after cruising to a 6&5 victory, galloping to seven under through 13 to earn an early lunch.

West Country duo George Ryall (The Players' Club, Bristol) and Jon Bevan, who amassed 7½ points between them over the three days, were in inspired form on the second day but unfortunately it was not enough to prevent their side from slipping to a 9-7 deficit going into the final day's play.

USA edged a thrilling morning of foursome to level the scores at 6-6 lunch. And the home team extended their supremacy in the afternoon fourballs, winning three matches to GB&I's one. But despite the deficit Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre, Devon) remained in bullish mood and had a stark warning for his opponents.

He said: "We've got nothing but respect for these guys because they're so good, but if they're going to beat use they're going to have to work as hard as we are to salvage something out of these matches."

It was the inspirational Bevan who got the charge underway on the final day and the 40-year-old did not let the side down as he recorded a one hole victory over Tim Thelen to get some sought-after blue on the scoreboard.

The Americans pegged GB&I back, though, in the second match as Don Yrene, backed by a partisan home crowd, secured a 2&1 win over John Dwyer (Ashbourne).

Perhaps the pivotal moment of the match came in the third game as Ryan Benzel produced a stunning fight back to halve his match with Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park).

Wesselingh, competing in his fifth PGA Cup, was 3up going into the final three holes, but after winning the 16th Benzel birdied the 17th and 18th to strike a blow, which later proved to be fatal, to GB&I's hopes of victory.

The outstanding highlight of GB&I's day was undoubtedly Danny Taylor's (Swingers, Lichfield) tremendous 4&3 win over Mike Small. Small was considered by many to be the American's strongest player, but Taylor showed no fear as he blitzed the 41-year-old with a dazzling array of shots to have the match wrapped up by the 15th hole.

James Whatley (East Midlands Golf Club) and Nesbit suffered defeats at the hands of Sullivan and Philo Jr respectively to give the Americans a clear sight of the finishing line.

And despite notable wins for Ryall and Andrew Barnett (North Wales Driving Range), Chris Starkjohann's 4&3 win over Duncan Muscroft (Montecchia Golf Club, Italy) ensured the Llandudno Trophy made a return to American Shores after a two-year absence.

Speaking afterwards an emotional Alliss said: "I've enjoyed almost every minute of it. Leaving people out of the team is hard and I would look back over it and thought if I'd done something different could I have squeezed an extra point out of it but at the end of the day we've done out best but we were just not quite good enough.

"This has been the opportunity of a lifetime and the real highlight was just to be able to be here. And we've come out of the singles having won" that is fantastic, it really is.

"I think the spirit of this match - the teams, the players and camaraderie that's the thing that either of our Associations would like to continue."

It was truly a memorable week for all those involved and if there was any proof needed of the indomitable mark that our inspirational boys made on that small town in the deep south of America then just ask the American caddies who they were rooting for on that thrilling Sunday in September.

Images supplied courtesy of Getty Images / Dave Cannon