Watson to fire opening shot in PGA Cup

Michael Watson will unleash the opening salvo in the 27^th PGA Cup in California where Great Britain & Ireland are seeking an historic first win on US soil.

The 45 year old Wessex Golf Centre head pro, the senior player in Jon Bevan’s team, tees off first at a sun-scorched CordeValle Golf Club alongside Moor Hall’s Cameron Clark in the first of the Friday morning fourballs.

They will face the United States duo of Michael Block and Ben Polland – at 25 the youngster ever US PGA Cup player.

GB&I skipper Bevan sends out the powerful combination of Scotland’s Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) and Somerset’s David Dixon (Enmore Park) second against two-time PGA Cup player Bob Sowards and rookie Jamie Broce.

Fox was part of the GB&I team that staged an epic fightback to salvage a draw at Slaley Hall while Dixon is a European Tour winner.

Out third will be Beeston Field’s Lee Clarke who teams up with Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional champion Paul Hendriksen against Omar Uresti and Sean Dougherty.

Uresti has six US Open appearances to his name and is a PGA Life Member.

Out last in the opening day fourballs for GB&I are Gareth Wright (West Linton), and Jason Levermore (Channels) who take Alan Morin – unbeaten in his previous PGA Cup appearance – and Grant Sturgeon.

“I’m very happy with the pairings,” said Bevan. “We spent most evenings coming up with scenarios based on everything we have seen here.

“In the first group, Mike has a calmness that we liked and it’s a big position to kick the thing off so we were happy with Mike to do that.

“Graham and David are one of the stronger pairings. Dave is a tour winner, Graham is experienced in this before so we felt we had power to back up the guys that are leading us out.

“Match three for me are almost opposites. We have a fiery one and a calm, considered one. And they feed off each other as they play.

“The final match is a strong pairing, Gareth with experience and Jason one of the best playing clubs pros certainly in our country for a couple of years now.

“I’m happy, I’m calm, I’m expecting massive resistance but as a team we are happy with the order.”