US PGA Cup team takes shape
03/07/2015
Great Britain & Ireland’s PGA Cup players now have a clearer idea of who they will have to beat after the United States confirmed eight of its team for the 27th matches at Cordevalle, California in September.
The eight were pencilled in following the conclusion of their PGA Professional National Championship at the Philadelphia Cricket Club which was won by Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, New York.
Dobyns made a three-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to overtake Ben Polland, who suffered a disastrous double bogey.
Dobyns, 37, who trailed by two strokes coming to the 18th tee, hit a gap wedge from 148 yards to three feet of the hole after Polland, a 24-year-old PGA Assistant Professional at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, New York, played his approach shot from an awkward lie in a fairway bunker into the hazard on the Wissahickon Course.
From there, Polland took a penalty stroke and hit his fourth shot to the green before missing a potential-tying 10-foot bogey putt. Dobyns, the PGA Head Professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success, New York, then rolled in his winning putt to add to his 2012 National Championship.
Dobyns finished with an even-par 70 for a 72-hole total of three-under par 279, while Polland closed with a 72 and 280 in his debut in the Championship. They were the only players finishing under-par.
The eight players who clinched berths on the 10-member US team to face GB&I at CordeValle in San Martin, California from September 18-20 are: Dobyns, Polland, 2014 National Champion Michael Block; Grant Sturgeon; Alan Morin; Jamie Broce; Stuart Deane and 2014 PGA Professional Player of the Year Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio.
The remaining two PGA Cup Team berths will be determined after the 97th PGA Championship at Whistling Straits on August 13-16.
Jon Bevan’s GB&I team includes Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) and Gareth Wright (West Linton) who both played against Dobyns in the 2013 tie at Slaley Hall.
The remainder of the GB&I team is Cameron Clark (Moor Hall), Lee Clarke (Beeston Fields), David Dixon (Enmore Park), Paul Hendriksen (Dinnaton), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Jason Levermore (Channels), Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) and Alex Wrigley (Hartlepool).
