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Suzy Whaley makes history as first woman to captain United States men in PGA Cup, Americans victorious in England

Suzy Whaley made history Sunday.

Whaley, a PGA Honorary President from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, captained the United States to victory in the 30th PGA Cup at Foxhills Resort and Club in Surrey, England, against Great Britain and Ireland. It is the Americans’ first overseas victory since 2009 and their second Llandudno International Trophy win. In the overall series, which dates to 1973, it’s the 19th win for the U.S.

Yet for Whaley, she’s the first woman to not only captain the men’s PGA Cup team but win it, too. She was also captain of the victorious United States Women’s PGA Cup team in its inaugural event in 2019.

“I have been able to do a lot of amazing things in my career, and this ranks right at the very top,” said Whaley.

Captain and PGA of America Honorary President, Suzy Whaley during single matches for the 30th PGA Cup at Foxhills Golf Club on September 18, 2022 in Ottershaw, England. (Photo by Matthew Harris/PGA of America)

The PGA Cup originated in 1973 at Pinehurst Country Club in North Carolina as an outgrowth of the PGA Professional Championship. Structured after the format of the Ryder Cup, with match-play competition between the U.S. and Europe, the PGA Cup features the top PGA Club Professionals from both sides of the Atlantic.

The U.S. led 9.5-6.5 entering singles on Sunday, and American Michael Block started the day with an incredible comeback. Block, the PGA Head Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, in Mission Viejo, California, birdied five of his six final holes, including two lengthy birdie putts on Nos. 15 and 17, to win the match 1 up.

“It really set the tone for everybody else,” said Whaley, who followed Block across the back nine. “He fought so hard, and he earned us that first point. That first point is so crucial for the rest of the team. I have never seen anyone fight so hard for a point.”

PGA Life Member and Austin native Omar Uresti, a two-time PGA Professional Champion, earned the clinching point for the United States, 4 & 3 over Great Britain & Ireland’s Simon Lilly, to help secure a 15.5-10.5 road win.

“It started to get a little dicey,” admitted Whaley. “But in the end, we got it done.”

The United States holds a 19-7-4 advantage in a series. The U.S. won in 2019 at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, on a miraculous final day rally.

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12 best golf courses in Ireland and Northern Ireland

The best golf courses that the Éire has to offer.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ireland and Northern Ireland? The green waves of Emerald Isle? An ice-cold pint of Guinness? Rory McIlroy?

One thing that should not go overlooked is the beauty of both Irish and Northern Irish golf.

The Éire boasts some of the most breathtaking golf courses in the world, and Golfweek has compiled a ranking so you know exactly which courses you need to hit on your next golf vacation.

More U.K. course rankings: 10 best courses in Scotland | 10 Best courses in England

This ranking comes directly from the hundreds of Golfweek’s Best Raters for 2021 who continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course on a points basis of 1-10. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Only a handful of courses in the world achieve a rating above 9, and any course rated 7 or above presents a can’t-miss opportunity.

For more of Golfweek’s Best course lists, check out the most recent selection of course rankings:

We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Golfweek’s Best 2021: Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain and Ireland

From links layouts to parkland courses, these are the best courses built before 1960 in Great Britain and Ireland.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best rankings of the Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain and Ireland – built before 1960 – as determined by Golfweek’s Best Raters for 2021 (pictured atop this story: Royal Dornoch in Scotland).

The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in Great Britain and Ireland to produce the final rankings.

Golfweek also ranks Modern Courses in Great Britain and Ireland. For more on top courses outside the U.S., check out the following lists:

Listed with each course below is its average ranking, location, designers and year opened.

Golfweek’s Best 2021: Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain and Ireland

From links layouts to parkland courses, these are the best courses built since 1960 in Great Britain and Ireland.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best rankings of the Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain and Ireland – built in or after 1960 – as determined by Golfweek’s Best Raters for 2021 (Pictured atop this story: Kingsbarns in Scotland).

Golfweek also ranks Classic Courses in Great Britain and Ireland, and that list will be released next week. For more on top courses outside the U.S., check out the following lists:

Listed with each course below is its average ranking, location, designers and year opened.

Significant moments in the history of the Ryder Cup, one of the game’s most riveting spectacles

The first Ryder Cup was played in 1927, and ever since has provided some of the most memorable moments in the sport.

Founded on the principles of goodwill and prestige rather than prize money, the Ryder Cup has matched the best male professional golfers from the United States against those in Great Britain and Ireland, then later all of Europe, for the past nine decades. Ahead of the matches at Whistling Straits, we look back at some of the Ryder Cup’s most significant moments since the inaugural meeting in 1927 at Worcester Country Club, then played over two days in early June.

Overall, the United States leads in the series with 26 wins against 14 defeats, and two matches have ended in ties.

While the U.S. won seven consecutive Ryder Cups between 1935-55, and captured 12 and tied one between 1959-83, Europe has dominated the past two decades. The Europeans have claimed seven of the last nine and nine of the last 12. Europe enjoyed its largest margin of victory, nine points, in 2004, then matched that in 2006.

Here’s a closer look at some of the more memorable matches.