The United States swept the Concession Cup, defeating Europe’s men, 15-9, and the continent’s women, 14½-9½, over the weekend at the Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Georgia.
The Concession Cup is a match-play event, like the Walker Cup, that brings together the world’s best mid-amateurs and senior amateurs from both sides of the Atlantic. The Great Britain and Ireland team was expanded to include five players from the European Union this year, and a women’s competition was played for the first time.
The American men fell behind after the first two sessions – four-balls and foursomes, respectively – with consecutive 3½-2½ victories. However, the hosts stormed back in Saturday’s singles session, winning 10 of a possible 12 points to claim the victory. The American seniors won all six of their matches, and the American mid-amateurs won four of six.
Ireland’s Hugh Foley went undefeated in three matches for the European team, while Randy Haag led the American men with 2½ points.
The American women came out blazing in the opening-round four-balls session, taking the day, 5-1. They prevailed by the same score in the second-round foursomes, taking an almost insurmountable lead into the singles session. Europe made it interesting, winning 7½ of 12 possible points, but it was not enough.
Lauren Greenlief and Jackie Rogowicz paced the American women by winning all three of their matches.
This was the fifth edition of the Concession Cup, which is organized by the Amateur Golf Alliance. The AGA has a mission to support and promote the amateur game via competitions providing amateur golfers throughout the globe more opportunities to compete at national and international events, and fund research and initiatives that will enhance the landscape of competitive amateur golf.
RESULTS
Connor Doyal shot 9-under-par 207 to win the Devil’s Elbow Mid-Amateur and Senior Invitational, played at the Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic. Doyal closed the 54-hole tournament with a 4-under 68 on Saturday to pass Andy Schonbaum, who was bidding for a wire-to-wire win.
With his victory, Doyal secured a berth in the PGA Tour’s Corales Puntacana Championship on April 17-20.
Schonbaum signed for a final-round 71 to tie for second, with Ricky Stimets and Ryan Terry at 8-under 208.
Doyal is a new face on the mid-amateur trail. He attended Auburn University but did not play on the golf team. After earning a degree in industrial engineering, he took a job in Atlanta but wasn’t able to play as much golf as he would have liked. He relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where he won the City Amateur and the 2023 South Carolina Amateur Match Play.
This fall, in his first USGA tournament, he advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur, losing to eventual champion Evan Beck, 1-up.
Jim Nugent