Team B.C. Looking To Bring The PNGA Cup Back Home
Team BC, Led By PNGA Cup Veterans Alison Murdoch (Above Left) And Craig Doell (Above Right) Will Be Looking To Use Home Field Advantage To Bring Home The PNGA Cup (Above Middle)
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
This is Year No. 11 of the PNGA Cup and Alison Murdoch can tell you about every one of the previous 10. Murdoch has played in them all and once again will be part of Team British Columbia when this year’s PNGA Cup matches are played Thursday and Friday at Richmond Country Club.
“It’s a really, really good kickoff to the competitive season,” Murdoch said before she played her practice round Wednesday at Richmond. “You run into the really good people from around the region at the beginning of the season, so you have an idea of how your game is shaping up. I only get to play match play a couple of times a year, so I always enjoy this competition.”
The PNGA Cup is a Ryder Cup-style competition featuring some of the top amateur golfers from British Columbia Golf and the Washington, Oregon and Idaho golf associations. Each association has selected a 12-person team consisting of eight men and four women.
The representation includes four mid-amateur men of 25 years of age or older, two men of 40 years or older, two senior men of 55 years or older, two mid-amateur women of 25 years or older and two senior women of 50 years or older.
The teams will play 36 holes on Thursday, with four-ball in the morning followed by foursomes (alternate shot) in the afternoon. Twelve singles matches will conclude the competition on Friday.
CLICK HERE FOR THURSDAY FOUR-BALL PAIRINGS
CLICK HERE FOR THURSDAY FOURSOME PAIRINGS
Murdoch has compiled a record of 16-11-3 in her previous PNGA Cup matches. “Match play can be a little different,” said Murdoch, a member at Victoria Golf Club who has a long list of amateur titles. “In stroke play, if you play well, you’ll win, whereas with match play you can play well and get blown out of the water because it’s only 18 holes. With 54 holes of stroke play, generally you have a chance to come back.”
British Columbia has a veteran-laden team that includes only one PNGA Cup rookie, Adam Kernan of Kamloops. Victoria’s Craig Doell has almost as much PNGA Cup experience as Murdoch. “I have been lucky enough to play in all of them but one,” Doell said.
“It’s a Ryder Cup-style event and we don’t get a chance to play this kind of golf very often. A lot of the guys that we are playing against from the other states are guys we have played against over the years, so it’s an opportunity to renew friendships.”
Doell, who has compiled a PNGA Cup record of 13-9-5 over the years, will be partnered with Lance Lundy of Pemberton in Thursday’s matches. “I have had a lot of great teammates over the years and it’s nice to have been part of three wins,” said Doell, who is also a member at Victoria Golf Club.
After winning in 2013 and 2014, Team B.C. was thwarted in its attempt to 'three-peat' last year and is looking to start another streak at this week’s competition.
Washington won last year’s PNGA Cup, which was played at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland. “We won twice in Idaho and once at the Home Course in Dupont, Wash.,” Murdoch said. “It would be nice to win at home. We have a good strong team, I think.”
Other members of Team B.C. include Norm Bradley of Kelowna, Holly Horwood of Vancouver, Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, John Gallacher of Burnaby, Jackie Little of Port Alberni, Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, Patrick Weeks of Vancouver and Brent Wilson of Cobble Hill.
Oregon has won five of the previous 10 PNGA Cups, while Washington has won two. Idaho is searching for its first win in the competition.
“I have made some good friendships through this competition,” said Carrigan, who will be playing in his fifth PNGA Cup. “We have got home-course advantage this year, so that should be fun. I like match play because it’s good for a long-ball hitter. I don’t have to worry about making a big number. And I just really enjoy the whole team aspect of this event and getting to play with so many other good players.”
The Pacific Northwest Golf Association was founded on Feb. 4, 1899 and is dedicated to preserving the true spirit of golf by supporting its allied associations, conducting quality championships and promoting activities beneficial to golfers in the Pacific Northwest.
The PNGA Cup is the first event of the association’s 2016 championship schedule. Click Here For Live scoring of the event
For more visit thepnga.org.