U.S. wins second Bridges Cup, cruising to 19-11 victory over Europe

SAINT-LAURENT-NOUAN, France — It’s fascinating to watch an occasion develop from one 12 months to the following.

When I touched down in South Korea final October, I didn’t know what to count on throughout the first-ever Bridges Cup. What it delivered was spirited vibes and an impeccable host venue in Nine Bridges Golf Club. This 12 months, for the second iteration of the Bridges Cup, these two qualities remained the identical — laughter and friendship have been the core of the occasion, and the venue in Les Bordes Golf Club proved to be simply as robust. But the standard of competitors grew considerably.

Team USA and Team Europe every had 12 opponents who have been handpicked by their respective captains with the next three standards in thoughts: Handicap Index and a robust historical past of match play; a revered fame on and off the course; and high quality of affiliated golf equipment. While Handicap Index was the third-most essential high quality forward of the primary Bridges Cup (to make sure the inaugural occasion was as enjoyable to play because it was aggressive), that high quality turned extra vital this 12 months at Les Bordes, making it really feel like a very elite mid-amateur championship.

The construction of competitors additionally modified to stop one aspect from working away with the Cup early like Team USA did in South Korea. The matches this 12 months mirrored the normal Ryder Cup format, albeit compressed into two days — Team USA and Team Europe ended Saturday morning’s opening Fourball matches tied at three factors every, and Team USA pulled away throughout the afternoon’s fourball matches, ultimately main with 7 factors to Europe’s 5 factors. The subsequent day, Team USA received 5 of their six foursomes matches to lengthen their lead to 12-6. The U.S. sealed the deal when it received seven of its singles matches, ending with a 19-11 victory. 

Even although Team USA ultimately received in commanding trend, the Europeans, who represented 5 international locations, fought to the end. They had an opportunity to come again nicely into Sunday afternoon’s matches, and it was obvious, as a spectator, that they have been digging deep to make it occur. Eventually, Team USA’s Hoyt McGarity, the president of 8AM Golf who conceived the Bridges Cup, received his match 5 and 4 over England’s Tom Eldridge to declare Team USA’s fifteenth level, which was sufficient to retain the cup. Taylor Wood, a plus 4.2-handicap, sealed the outright win when he received his match 5 and three over France’s Antoine Delon.

Wood stayed regular underneath stress as the gang gathered round him and his match, and that got here as no shock — the two-time All American on the University of Southern California has competed in 9 USGA championships and helped the West Team win the celebrated East-West Matches in 2020.

The solely competitor to fly house from Les Bordes with an ideal profitable document was Team USA’s Andrew Medley, a plus 1.4-handicap and former Eastern Amateur Championship winner.

Les Bordes Golf Club, with its three programs and delightful clubhouse, was a perfect host for the Bridges Cup. On the eve earlier than the matches started, a pleasant competitors on the Wild Piglet, a brand new Gil Hanse-designed 10-hole par-3 course, warmed up the groups. The matches have been then held on each the New Course and the Old Course on Saturday, each of which had their very own personalities — the New Course, a 7,300-yard Hanse design that opened for play in 2021, is huge open and performs agency and quick and options massive and character-filled inexperienced complexes; and the Old Course, a 7,000-yard Robert von Hagge design that opened for play in 1987, is tree-lined and undulated, demanding precision over each shot. Sunday’s matches have been held solely on the New Course, and the number of enjoying grounds saved the golfers, and the competitors, feeling contemporary.

Only the Americans headed house with the Cup on Monday morning, however each groups left with a way of success and camaraderie.

Golf.com

Mayo is GOLF’s Editorial Director and oversees the model’s imaginative and prescient and technique. Whether content material lives digitally or in print, Mayo ensures that its requirements dwell up to these established by GOLF’s chairman. Before becoming a member of the GOLF group, Ashley spent 11 years as an editor at Golf Digest. While there, she earned her Masters diploma from Columbia’s School of Journalism. Before becoming a member of Golf Digest, Mayo competed on the first-ever ladies’s golf group on the University of Virginia. She can also be the Head of Brand at GOLF’s mother or father firm, 8AM Golf.