‘A wonderful journey’

Albert MacKenzie celebrated the culmination of more than a year’s work by proudly watching Greig Hutcheon hole the putt that sealed the PGA Cup for Great Britain and Ireland.

In the true tradition of great captains, MacKenzie seemed to be everywhere on the final day. There he was watching the Damien McGrane come back in the top match one moment – the next he’d be encouraging Chris Currie. 

And, of course, GB and I’s skipper was perched on the hill overlooking the 17th green as Hutcheon knocked home a four-foot putt that secured the half that took the home side over the line. Two years on from serving as Jon Bevan’s vice-captain at CordeValle, MacKenzie presided over a famous 16-10 triumph. 

It was the first time GB and I had secured back-to-back victories in the PGA Cup since 1984. Understandably, their captain was a happy man.

He said: “To see Greg knock that putt in, it was a very emotional few minutes after it. That was the best sporting afternoon of my life. I never thought that Aberdeen beating Real Madrid in 1983 (in the European Cup Winners’ Cup) would be eclipsed for me. It has been this afternoon.

“I’m absolutely thrilled. The way the guys stuck to the task – they are 10 warriors. I am just so happy that we have retained the PGA Cup. It’s just a wonderful end to a wonderful journey.”

MacKenzie’s men began the day with an 8.5-7.5 lead but the US team started the singles in strong fashion. Gradually, though, GB and I turned the tide, running out six-point winners. It was a monumental last-day effort, laced with so many heroes.

MacKenzie added: “We had one more final task today – to climb the final piece of the mountain and plant two flags on top. That’s what we did today. 

“We had a very strong structure to our singles matches. It was important to put experience and strength at the top and although there was some red on the board early on I was confident that Damien and Robert in the first two games would turn them around. And, of course they did.

“Martyn Thompson and Cameron Clark, my two vice-captains have been so fantastic and we had 10 great players. We stood back and let them do what they do best and that’s play great golf.”

USA captain Paul Levy gave an astute assessment of the three days’ golf.

He said: “It was a rollercoaster five sets when you look at it. We did great in the opening match, we did terribly in the afternoon, did almost equally as poorly point-wise on Saturday morning, and had a great comeback yesterday. At one point today, on the back nine, we were up in all the first three matches and only got half a point (from those).”

One of the hallmarks of the three days was the excellent spirit in which the competition was played. This was epitomised by the two captains’ excellent relationship. Indeed, it seems fitting to leave the final word to Levy who paid a handsome compliment to his opposite number.

Levy said: “Albert became a friend for life the last five days – a friend that I will have until the day I die. I think that says it all. He was a great leader and a great captain.”

There was wholesale agreement on that point all around Foxhills tonight.