David Higgins named as GB & Ireland vicecaptain for PGA Cup
WATERVILLE golfer David Higgins has been named as one of two vice-captains on the Great Britain & Ireland team for the PGA Cup matches against the USA next September at Barton Creek in Austin, Texas.
The 45-year old Kerry man played in the event for the first time when it last took place in 2017 at Foxhills in Surrey and was one of the stand-out performers on the European side that comfortably beat the Americans.
Higgins claimed three-and-half points on his PGA Cup debut in 2017 and is really looking forward to joining the other vice-captain Robert Coles, who like Higgins, is a former European Tour player, while the team will be captained by Cameron Clark.
“Playing in the 2017 PGA Cup was a special week so to know I’m going to be involved again is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to it,” Higgins said.
“The whole experience at Foxhills was fantastic. I was delighted to make the team and I was excited about it, but I didn’t realise what an honour it is to play for your country. It will be a different feeling being there as Vice-Captain, but I think I’ll enjoy it just as much.”
WATERVILLE’S David Higgins has been named as one of two Vice-Captains on the Great Britain & Ireland team for the PGA Cup matches against the USA next September at Barton Creek in Austin, Texas.
The 45-year old Kerry man played in the event for the first time when it last took place in 2017 at Foxhills in Surrey and was one of the stand out performers on the European side that comfortably beat the Americans.
The event originated in 1973 with the inaugural matches taking place at the legendary Pinehurst course in North Carolina between the club professionals of Europe and the USA.
The matches were held annually until 1984 when it became a bi-annual event like the Ryder Cup and in 1996 which the format was changed to Great Britain & Ireland versus the USA.
There is no prize money for this event with players competing purely for the pride of representing their country.
David Higgins claimed threeand-half points on his PGA Cup debut in 2017 and is really looking forward to joining the other Vice-Captain Robert Coles, who like Higgins, is a former European Tour player while the team will be captained by Cameron Clark, who also happens to be a former European Tour player but has been head professional at Moor Hall Golf Club in Sutton -Coalfield on the outskirts of Birmingham since 2003.
Speaking after the announcement of his Vice-Captaincy David Higgins said: “Playing in the 2017 PGA Cup was a special week, so to know I’m going to be involved again is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to it. The whole experience at Foxhills was fantastic. I was delighted to make the team and I was excited about it but I didn’t realise what an honour it is to play for your country. It will be a different feeling being there as Vice-Captain but I think I’ll enjoy it just as much.”
Commenting on Higgins’ appointment, Cameron Clark said: “David epitomised what the PGA Cup is all about with his performances and attitude at Foxhills and the passion he showed at the event and how competitive he was, demonstrated how much he wanted the win and that was one of the main reasons I selected him as my vice-captain.”
Great Britain & Ireland will be attempting to win three in a row when they face the Americans in 2019 having won at Foxhills in 2017 and Corde Valley, California in 2015.
However, its an event that has been largely dominated by the USA who have registered 17 wins to Great Britain & Ireland’s seven since its inception.
David Higgins was joined on the team in 2017 by fellow Irishman Damian McGrane while others from this country who have competed in this event in the past include Ernie Jones, Niall Kearney, Jimmy Kinsella, Paul Leonard, Brendan McGovern, Leonard Owens and David Jones who holds the record for an Irish player having competed on six different occasions.