INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Arran golfer helps to defeat the Auld Enemy
Whiting Bay golfer John Pennycott, who is vice-captain of Team Scotland – made up of golfers from the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership – was part of the team who secured a staggering victory over the Auld Enemy, after a threeday matchplay competition at the Murrayshall Resort in Perth.
Team Scotland is made up of golfers from the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership and John is a mid-thigh amputee on his left side and former captain of Whiting Bay Golf Club, where he still regularly plays.
The Phoenix Cup, which is much like the Ryder Cup format, took place over the Perthshire course earlier this month, where 12 players from each team battled it out over the parkland course, in the traditional matchplay formats like fourball and foursomes and took the cup on the third day by 12 points to six.
Day one, in very wet conditions, saw Scotland take a narrow one-point lead over the English disabled golfers. Day two, in much brighter conditions, saw the Scots batter the opposition by taking five of the six matches and a half-point from a drawn game. This set the Scots on track for a historic victory as, to date, Team Scotland has won other international Phoenix formats, but never won at home.
Scottish captain Jim Thomson said: ‘We thought we had a strong team on paper, but it’s one thing to theorise, and you can never tell how individuals will gel or not during a competition. The first day was more of a struggle against the elements, but we had them on day two, by taking five of the six available points and halving the last. A great competition and a result to relish.’
John Pennycott also played at Fairmont, St Andrews, from August 21-24 in the European Disabled Association Scottish Open where he finished in joint ninth position.