This weekend, Great Britain and Ireland will battle the United States for PGA Cup glory as the biennial event returns to The K Club (South Course) for the first time since 2005.
The PGA Cup sees 10 of the top PGA Professionals from the Home Nations take on their US counterparts in Ryder Cup-style format for the Llandudno International Trophy from October 2-4.
Last staged at Sunriver Resort in Oregon in 2024, the United States are looking to stage a successful defence once again and complete a four-in-a-row for the first time since 1992 when The K Club first hosted the event.
Led by Team Captain David Scott from Scotland, the 10-man GB&I roster features representation from all four of the home nations – Scotland’s Graeme Robertson and Gavin Hay, Englishmen Ashley Mansell, Harry Casey, Ben Amor, Gareth Davies, James Freeman, and Matthew Ford, Welshman Toby Hunt and Ireland’s Simon Thornton.
“It’s a wonderful format and matchplay beats strokeplay hands down,” said Scott. “To have that head-to-head and the need to beat the opponent, it’s like a gladiator fight. You’re up against the opponent and you want to take him out, it’s as simple as that.
“I’ve not considered defeat. Any captain would say that, but I genuinely haven’t thought about it.
“I can’t wait. And I think the team we’ve got is really rock solid. If I can get them gelling, get them motivated, and get them on form, then I don’t see why we can’t win the cup back.”
Thornton, a former European Tour (DP World Tour) winner, is also a four-time Irish PGA Championship winner and is currently serving as Captain of the PGA in Ireland. The County Down man was one of four Captain’s picks selected by Scott, and this is his second PGA Cup appearance having made his debut in a losing effort at Foxhills in 2022.
“We know what we’ve got to do, and though there are always going to be really good players coming from America, there’s no reason why we can’t make it a quadruple and have the Ryder Cup, Walker Cup, Solheim Cup and PGA Cup this side of the pond,” Thornton said.
“It’s a great event to be part of, but as I said to the boys on the WhatsApp group, it’s an even better event to win. So that’s the goal.”
The action kicks off with two sessions (four fourball matches and four foursomes matches) on Friday, October 2, with a repeat on Saturday before all 10 players square off in singles combat on Sunday with GB&I needing 13.5 points from a possible 26 to win back the trophy.
The K Club will become the first venue to host the event on three separate occasions, and there are good omens for GB&I as on the last staging in County Kildare in 2005, GB&I emerged victorious on a 15-11 scoreline to deny the United States another four-in-a-row.
Entry is free for all spectators who wish to come and watch some top-quality golf, played on one of Ireland’s premier parkland golf courses.
The event is free to attend and all are welcome to come along and support GB&I in person. Parking is also available on site at the K Club.
The schedule for the event is as follows and if you can’t make it in person you can follow along remotely on the PGA social media channels:
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