Great Britain and Ireland continued their dominance of the 32nd PGA Cup as they sauntered 11.5-4.5 clear of Team USA to leave themselves needing just two points from the Sunday singles at the K Club.
After a superb Friday put them four points clear, courtesy of a fourballs whitewash, they continued their momentum almost completing a foursomes clean sweep in a 3.5-0.5 session win before sharing the spoils with America in the fourballs with two wins apiece. David Scott’s side are yet to lose a session.
PGA in Ireland captain Simon Thornton sat out the afternoon session but he has two wins from three and he was particularly pleased that he and Matt Ford avenged their Friday foursomes defeat to Michael Kartrude and Ben Kern with a 4&2 victory.
“Anything can still happen we take it one shot at a time and one hole at a time. We got ahead in our match and kept the momentum going, we were ahead comfortably really but they didn’t really threaten. We were good. We let them make the mistakes that’s what foursomes is all about.”
Thornton will lead out GB&I in the Sunday singles and in doing so will have a chance to clinch the winning point should other results fall in his favour.
GB&I continued their momentum from Friday into this morning winning the first three foursomes matches and only being denied back to back session whitewashes by a stirring comeback from American pair Zach Haynes and Ryan Lenahan who came from four down through ten to snatch a half point from Ash Mansell and Harry Casey.
The score was 9.5-2.5 after the morning session which meant that GB&I could win their first PGA Cup since 2017 if they won all four fourball sessions. An unbelievable position for any team to be in but also one that reflected their true dominance in the contest so far.
After GB&I pulled away on Friday afternoon in some horrendous conditions it was expected that a picture perfect Saturday would coincide with an American fightback. But it turned out that the hosts can play come rain, hail or shine as they dug into their opponents again.
After Thornton and Ford got the job done victories followed from Scottish pair Graeme Robertson and Gavin Hay who were 3UP early on against Tyler Collet and Jesse Droemer before sealing the deal on 17 for a 2&1 win. Then came the turn of GB&I star pairing James Freeman and Gareth Davies who won four holes in a row around the turn to come from 3 down through six to win 1UP.
The dominance continued with Toby Hunt and Ben Amor beating Kartrude and Austin Hurt 2&1. The tie was level through six before both GB&I players shared four birdies in five holes to take the game away from their opponents.
A long awaited first USA victory since Friday morning was confirmed by Brian Bergstol and Brendon Bingaman as they overcame star duo James Freeman and Gareth Davies 3&2.
The day belonged to Scottish pair Robertson and Hay who made it four wins from four with a superb victory on the 18th. Robertson birdied 14 and 15 to move the hosts 2UP in the match before America halved the deficit. A closing birdie from Robertson sealed a 1UP win and ensured GB&I couldn’t lose the session.
“It was good, I lost my game a bit today I was struggling off the tee but my partner was there to bail me out, we couldn’t get any putts to drop at all. Graeme got a few birdies on the back nine. A great way to get the win at the last,” said Hay.
“It was a great match, some crucial birdies. I fell away at the end but my partner was there to bail me out,” added Robertson.
Pride was restored again in the anchor match for America through Lenahan and Haynes who were 2&1 victors over Ford and Ash Mansell.
Heading into the Sunday singles it is a case of when rather than if for GB&I can repeat the K Club feat of 2005 and win their eighth PGA Cup.
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