Met Trio Competes in PGA Cup
UPDATE (September 20, 2015) - The United States team came up short against Great Britain & Ireland in the 27th PGA Cup, as the visitors claimed the title on U.S. soil for the first time behind a 13.5 to 12.5 victory at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif.
Related: 27th PGA Cup Match Results
Matt Dobyns led the trio of Met Area pros competing in the match, scoring two points on the weekend. Dobyns paired with Ben Polland for two halves in foursomes (alternating shot) and also won his Sunday singles match by a 2&1 margin.
Grant Sturgeon tallied one point, teaming with Alan Morin in Saturday's Four-Ball matches for a 4&2 victory.
The teams entered Sunday with the match square, 8-8, but GB&I oustcored the U.S. 5.5 to 4.5 as 10 singles matches concluded the battle for the Llandudno International Golf Trophy. It is GB&I's first win in the series since 2005.
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ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 17, 2015) - While the Walker Cup, Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup have certainly taken the spotlight for international golf competitions as of late, the 27th PGA Cup is also set to take place, squaring off United States PGA Club Professionals against their counterparts from Great Britain & Ireland. The match takes place September 18-20 at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif., and the Met Area has three representatives competing.
Matt Dobyns of Fresh Meadow, Ben Polland of Deepdale and Grant Sturgeon of Winged Foot are each set to play in the event, which utilizes a format identical to that of the Ryder Cup: match play competition in foursomes, four-ball, and singles.
Related: Information | Scoring
The trio earned their spots on the team by finishing in the top-10 of a two-year points system, based on performances in the 2014 and 2015 PGA Professional Championships and the 2015 PGA Championship. Dobyns is making his second appearance in the battle for the Llandudno International Golf Trophy, having competed to a 1-2-1 record in 2013. Polland and Sturgeon, winners of the last two Met Opens, are two of seven first-time competitors for the U.S. in this year’s match. The GB&I team has eight players making their first appearance.
Dobyns’ win at this year’s PGA Professional Championship propelled him to the top spot on the final points listing, while Polland ranked second and Sturgeon fourth--also thanks to their high finishes at the PGA Professional Championship, placing second and tied third, respectively. At 25 years old, Polland is making history as the youngest-ever competitor in the PGA Cup.
The U.S. owns a 17-5-4 record in the competition, which began in 1973. The two teams played to a 13-13 draw in 2013 at Slaley Hall in Hexham, England. The U.S. is looking to build on its impressive home mark of 11-0-2. GB&I last came out on top in 2005, at the K Club in Ireland.
“We have an outstanding mix of talent and experience, and now will focus on blending as a team,” said U.S. Captain and Honorary PGA President Allen Wronowski of Bel Air, Md. “The PGA Cup is a very special experience for players to represent their country and to do what is rare in golf – to work as a team. It is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
CordeValle will play to a par of 72 at 7,252 yards. It was the site of the Frys.com Open from 2010-2013, and will host next year’s U.S. Women’s Open.
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