The PGA has now confirmed the 10-man Great Britain and Ireland team to compete against the United States in September’s PGA Cup in Oregon and Colm Moriarty has ensured that Ireland is represented.
With seven automatic places in the team settled after the PGA Professional Championships in June, Tim Rouse has selected his three captain’s picks – with Matt Cort, Adam Keogh and James Walker completing a strong line-up for the away match.
The trio join Gareth Davies, Daniel Brown, Toby Hunt, Craig Lee, Paul McKechnie, Colm Moriarty and James Ruth in Rouse’s side that features PGA Members from England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
First played in 1973, the PGA Cup is a biennial contest between PGA Professionals from the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland and the PGA of America, with teams of 10 playing foursomes, fourballs and singles matches in the same format as the Ryder Cup. At Foxhills in 2022, the United States ran out 15.5 – 10.5 winners, sealing a first overseas win for the American side since 2009.
Moriarty earned his place on the team via a fifth-place finish at the PGA Professional Championship at Conwy, in North Wales back in early June, and he’s delighted to get the opportunity to help wrestle the cup back from the United States’ clutches.
“Yeah, I was delighted with that,” he said. “Obviously, I had a good start in the rankings last year by finishing third in the PGA, so I knew going that I needed to play well without looking into it in any great detail, to be honest.
“And I played solidly in the first two rounds. I played fine over the weekend as well, so, I’m delighted to make the team. I’ve heard a lot about how great an event it is, so I’m thrilled to be part of that and represent all the PGA Professionals in Great Britain and Ireland
It’s great to take part, but he’s going over there with one goal in mind.
“Yeah, it’s all about the win,” he said. “It will be a brilliant occasion and the course looks fantastic, but hopefully we’ll bring our best and recover the trophy back.”
Simon Thornton’s victory at the PGA Playoffs in Cyprus earlier this year earned him an invitation, but the win also brought invitations to the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down, the BMW PGA at Wentworth and the Betfred British Masters at the Belfry. And since the Irish Open dates clash with the PGA Cup, the Spa professional couldn’t turn down the opportunity to make the short trip to Newcastle.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be leading such a strong team,” said GB&I captain Rouse. “We’re all looking forward to going over to America and competing hard to return with the Llandudno Trophy. There’s a great blend in the side, as we’ve got some experienced past PGA Cup players alongside some new faces who will be really excited to play. There’s so much history with this event and a great deal of pride in representing our PGA against our American counterparts. This is our Ryder Cup and we will be giving everything to win.”
The 2024 PGA Cup team in full:
Tim Rouse (captain)
Graham Walker (vice-captain)
Daniel Brown (Sene Valley Golf Club) – PGA in England & Wales (South)
Matthew Cort (Beedles Lake Golf Club) – PGA in England & Wales (Midlands)
Gareth Davies (Abbeydale Golf Club) – PGA in England & Wales (North)
Toby Hunt (Whitchurch Golf Club) – PGA in England & Wales (West)
Adam Keogh (Woodhall Spa Golf Club) – PGA in England & Wales (Midlands)
Craig Lee (Craig Lee Golf Studio) – PGA in Scotland
Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills Golf Range) – PGA in Scotland
Colm Moriarty (Glasson Lakehouse) – PGA in Ireland
James Ruth (Studio One) – PGA in England & Wales (West)
James Walker (The Oaks Golf Club) – PGA in England & Wales (North)
Craig Lee, who last month won the PGA Professional Championship at Conwy, will be making his second appearance representing Team GB&I. The Scot said: “It’s a brilliant event and I really hoped the last one wouldn’t be my only one. It’s such a great experience in a team environment and you go from not really knowing some of the guys to having an incredible bond at the end of the week. It’s a great privilege to be playing again.”
Captain’s pick Adam Keogh was unbeaten in the 2022 defeat at Foxhills, with a record of 3-1-0. He said: “Once you’ve played one it almost feels harder to get in again because the event is just so special, it means even more to play. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief when I got the call. Out of around 8,000 PGA Members, to be one of the team of 10 is a really special thing.”
James Walker will be making his first PGA Cup appearance and has a solid background in team appearances, having represented England in the past as well as winning the 2023 PGA Fourball Championship. He said: “I can’t wait to get out there and compete against the best PGA Pros from the United States. It’s great to be selected and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of being tested against top players. Having played some internationals I’m really excited to be in a team again – I love the environment.”
The 2024 matches will be Cort’s fourth consecutive PGA Cup appearance. The Englishman is also in fine form, with two wins and five top 10s under his belt already this season. “I’m thrilled to be on the team,” said Cort. “It’s different from the three I’ve played. I made those teams quite easily, so I hoped I was in the running for a pick, but you never know how the captain sees it. We’re the underdogs again, and playing on home soil is a big advantage – but we will believe that although it hasn’t happened a lot we can go over and win.”
