The away team

A gloriously sunny Cornish day greeted the teams for the 12 singles matches which would decide the 2015 Ryder Cup on the fearsome Nicklaus Signature course. The draw had seen Whitworth put his big guns out early whilst Lister threw in a curve ball with the selection in the number two slot of Steve ‘not a sacrifice’ Callaghan who would duly succumb 5&4 to Burke. In the top match Fleming played some imperious golf to beat the talented and steady Thorngate 6&4.

Calla heading for tee to not be sacrificed

Matches 3 and 4 looked critical in the draw and would end up being shared. Ulla was a solid favourite to beat Lister but the northerner played a true captain’s innings to take the game 2&1. Meanwhile an exhausted Rich and Hardwick would go down the 18th, each of them for the third time in the weekend, with Rich coming out on top for the South with a 1 Up victory to level the match score at 8-8. The next two matches went with form and saw South regain a two point advantage: Ephremsen took care of business with a 6&5 win against Joe Curley, whilst brother Jim had his slip torn up by everyone’s favourite bookie Martin Johnstone, 3&2.

Ulla tees off, very picturesque around the turn on Signature course

That all meant that the South needed 1½ points from the final four matches to regain the trophy they last won in 2003. Lister though had shrewdly packed his bottom order with experience and flair. Bell went down 5&4 as expected to Mountain, despite a brave front 9 which saw him all square at the turn. And then in a probably the pivotal match of the contest northern rookie Kaye recovered from his disappointing blank of the opening day to record a vital 3&1 win against South’s Wallis.

Kaye and Mountain, two crucial winners for North

With the match again tied at 11-11 it was always going to be a big ask for Whitworth and Moyle respectively to deliver the required points from top northerners Fearnsides and Tattersfield. South captain Whitworth, who had performed the rest of his duties so well, sadly never really got going against an ultra consistent Fearnsides who would complete a 100% rookie appearance with a 3&2 win to retain the cup for the North. Moyle missed chances to establish a lead against his older brother (separated at birth) but a disastrous run of 7 holes without reply left him with a mountain to climb and ended with Tattersfield claiming the 3&2 victory that won the Cup outright for the North with a final score of 13-11.

Winners and losers