SAN MARTIN, Calif. – Ireland's Niall Kearney beat Alan Morin 1 up to give Great Britain and Ireland its first PGA Cup victory on U.S. soil, a 13 1/2-12 1/2 decision Sunday at CordeValle
Great Britain and Ireland cut the Americans' series lead to 17-6-4 in the event for club professionals.
Kearney got up-and-down for par from behind the 18th green to halve the hole, win the match and give GB&I the Llandudno Trophy. Facing a false front and water beyond the hole, Kearney hit a chip that cleared a deep bunker and rolled within 7 feet.
"I heard my caddie (Eddie Icaza) say, 'Just hit it right edge.' And that is what I did," Kearney said.
Morin, a PGA assistant professional at The Falls Country Club in Lake Worth, Florida, missed a 45-foot birdie try before Kearney holed his par putt.
"I could not tell you exactly what was in my head," Kearney said about the deciding putt.
David Dixon, Graham Fox, Jason Levermore and Jamie Broce also won matches for GB&I, and Lee Clarke halved with Sean Dougherty. Michael Block, Omar Uresti, Matt Dobyns and Bob Sowards won for the Americans.
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