Bryden Macpherson has become the first Australian to capture the Georgia Cup in defeating American Kelly Kraft 2 & 1 in the 15th Anniversary Georgia Cup Match at The Golf Club of Georgia.
The Georgia Cup annuals pits the reigning British Amateur champion against the present U.S. Amateur winner and Macpherson’s win makes ammends for fellow Australian Nick Flanagan who lost out to England’s Gary Wolstenholme in 4 & 2 in 2004.
Bryden MacPherson becomes the first Australian to win Georgia Cup. (Photo - Thanks to fotoswiss.com/cattaneo)
With an impressive display of clutch putting on the typically quick greens of the Lakeside Course, Macpherson clinched the match on the 17th hole to gather some confidence for an appearance next week in the Masters.
The Masters will be the last amateur event for both players, who are turning pro immediately after the season’s first major.
“Obviously, my putting kept me in the match,” said Macpherson, who was 2-down to Kraft after four holes, but rallied to take a 1-up lead to the back nine.
“I was able to kind of grab control of the match by holing some putts and kept myself in it.”
After Macpherson went 3-up through 13 with a par, Kraft came back with a 7-footer for par at the 14th to cut it to 2-down.
But it ended at the par-3 17th when Kraft left himself 40 feet to the hole for birdie, putted well past and Bryden lagged his 35-footer to a foot for a conceded par.
“I just never got the speed of the greens today,” said Kraft.
“I just wasn’t able to make any putts. Now I know I have something to work on this week.”
Macpherson, who played two years at the University of Georgia, was thrilled to win an event that has featured players such as Sergio Garcia, Ricky Barnes, Richie Ramsay, Edoardo Molinari, Matteo Manassero and Peter Uihlein through the years.
The Georgia Cup all-time series now stands at 8-7 in favor of the U.S. Amateur champions.
“It’s just another one of those things you can add to your list as top achievements as an amateur,” said Macpherson.
“Now I can say I’ve won the British Amateur and The Georgia Cup.”
* Special thanks to Glenn Sheeley at Golf Club of Georgia for this information.
