Whitley Bay Golf Club’s Jonathan Jones represented Great Britain & Ireland in back-to-back Phoenix Cup matches in Scotland.
The event traditionally pits the US against Europe in the same format as the Ryder and Solheim cup matches, but the US team failed to make it to Scotland for this year’s event due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the 25th and 26th Phoenix Cups saw GB&I take on the rest of Europe in two separate matches over five of Scotland’s best courses. Europe won the first contest while GB&I won the second.
Four-handicapper Jonathan was part of the GB&I team for the matches over the Gleneagles PGA Centenary course, Panmure, Blairgowrie, Carnoustie and Trump International.
Adam Storrie of Fauldhouse and Jim Gales of Springfield co-captained the GB&I team and said: “This year’s events provided a great opportunity for our members and friends to play some fantastic courses. We are chuffed and this will be something to treasure for the rest of our golfing days. More than 30 of our disabled members got to play during the week-long competition and it is undoubtedly a great boost for our profile. We can’t thank the host venues enough for their generosity and hospitality.”
Plans are already in place for matches through to 2024, when the Phoenix Cup will be played over the Old and Jubilee courses at St Andrews.