Trio of Area Pros Compete in PGA Cup
Play in the 28th PGA Cup begins September 15. (Photo: Montana Pritchard/PGA)
UPDATE (September 17, 2017) -- The U.S. team entered Sunday's final day of action at the 28th PGA Cup just one point behind the Great Britain & Ireland squad, but the hosts at Foxhills Club and Resort in Surrey, England, claimed 7.5 of the 10 possible points to win the Llandudno Trophy for the second straight time, 16-10.
Related: Scoring | PGA Cup Home
Matt Dobyns of Fresh Meadow led the Met Area's trio competing in the event, going 2-2-1 while playing in all five sessions as he made his third consecutive appearance in the biennial event.
Adam Rainaud of Winged Foot also competed in all five sessions, going 2-3 overall with his two wins coming in four-ball matches with partner Rich Berberian of New Hampshire.
Mark Brown of Tam O'Shanter got off to a strong start with a Friday win alongside partner Dobyns in four-ball, but went 0-2 in his remaining two matches--another four-ball and singles.
GB&I's win marks their first repeat victory since 1984, while their dominating singles performance led to their highest ever point total against the U.S.
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UPDATE (September 15, 2017) -- The U.S. team trails Great Britain & Ireland, 4.5 to 3.5, following the opening day of the 28th PGA Cup, which began Friday at Foxhills Club and Resort in Surrey, England. Met Area PGA Professionals competing in the event helped the U.S. capture 2.5 points as the team looks to claim victory on foreign soil.
Related: Scoring | PGA Cup Home
In morning four-ball matches, Matt Dobyns of Fresh Meadow and Mark Brown of Tam O'Shanter faced a three-hole deficit through nine holes of play, but claimed three of the first five holes on the inward nine to square the match. The teams also halved with eagles on the par-five 14th. Dobyns and Brown closed strongly, winning both Nos. 17 and 18 with birdies for the 2-up victory.
Winged Foot's Adam Rainaud also secured a point in his first-ever PGA Cup match, teaming up with Rich Berberian for a 2-and-1 win. The pair also faced a deficit early, two down through five, but won three consecutive holes to take a lead into the final nine. The duo built their lead to three holes, eventually taking the 2-and-1 victory.
While the U.S. squad took a 3-1 lead in the morning, Great Britain & Ireland secured 3.5 of the four total points in the afternoon foursomes. Rainaud and Berberian dropped their afternoon match, 2-and-1, while Dobyns and Omar Uresti used a birdie on the par-five 18th to halve their match and keep the U.S. from being held scoreless.
Play continues Saturday with four-ball and foursomes matches once again, then concludes Sunday with 10 singles matches.
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ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 14, 2017) -- The Met Area will be well represented in the 28th PGA Cup, which takes place September 15-17 at Foxhills Club and Resort in Surrey, England, as Mark Brown of Tam O'Shanter, Matt Dobyns of Fresh Meadow and Adam Rainaud of Winged Foot are all on the 10-man U.S. team that will face off against Great Britain & Ireland.
Related: PGA Cup Home | Brown, Dobyns, Rainaud Interview on XM Radio
The PGA Cup is identical to the Ryder Cup, featuring two days of foursomes (alternate shot) and four-ball, followed by a closing day of singles matches. While the U.S. owns an overwhelming 17-6-4 lead in the series, the team is aiming to return to its winning ways and rebound from the first-ever U.S. loss on home soil in 2015. The U.S. is 6-5-1 in the competitions on the road.
Dobyns, a recent runner-up in the 102nd Met Open Presented by Callaway, is making his third consecutive appearance in the biennial matches. "It's really exciting to represent your country," said Dobyns, who is 3-4-2 in the PGA Cup. "It's a great honor ... Being in England adds another dimension to it, taking a special trip and kind of living the life of a tour player is really exciting and something we all cherish."
Three-time Met Open champion Brown is making his second appearance in the PGA Cup, last competing in 2000. "When you see that flag on the back of your shirt, it is really a special honor," said Brown, who went 3-2-0 in 2000. "Hopefully, we'll take care of business."
Meanwhile, Rainaud is one of five competitors making their first appearance in the team competition. "When my brother and I found out that I had made the team, it was the most pumped up that I have been," recalled Rainaud, who is in his first year as an assistant at Winged Foot. "We get the camaraderie of the team and are friends forever," he said.