Team USA wins first World Champions Cup at The Concession

  • By Ryan Kohn
  • | 7:00 p.m. December 10, 2023
  • East County
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Team Europe led after the first day.

Team International led after the second day.

But in the final holes of the first World Champions Cup at The Concession in the Lakewood Ranch area on Sunday, it was Team USA that forged into the lead and prevailed. 

The Americans (221 points) came back to defeat Team International (219) at the PGA Tour Champions event, which was held Thursday, Friday and Sunday. 

Team USA used a strong afternoon session of singles matches to take the victory, but even then, it took a lot of effort — and some mistakes by opponents.

The Americans were 2 1/2 points behind headed into the final holes, but Team USA rallied.

Team USA's David Toms, playing in the final group, birdied the No. 8 hole (second to last hole) to earn two points while Team International's Retief Goosen, playing in the same group, earned only a half-point. That put Team USA in the lead by a half point.

Then on the final hole, Goosen hit his drive near the edge of a bunker, which gave him a difficult stance. Instead of being conservative and pitching up in front the green, he tried to hit a full shot, and ended up hitting a poor shot far to the right, and into the water. Goosen would end up with a double bogey, allowing Toms, who flew his iron shot over the green, to clinch the match with just a bogey. 

Team USA's Billy Andrade, in the second-to-last group, helped his team late as well, making par on the No. 9 hole while Team International's Vijay Singh bogeyed.

"These guys just fought, and I mean fought hard," Team USA captain Jim Furyk said. "(I'm) just so happy for them. It was a pleasure to be their captain. It was a pleasure to work with them all week. We're good buddies every week of the year, but to get together as a team is cool."

Andrade, who never played in a Ryder's Cup or President's Cup event as a PGA Tour member, was only playing in the event because of Furyk's lingering back injury. He turned out to be an important piece of the victory. 

"I wanted to contribute as much as I could," Andrade said. "(I) played great players today and I thought I needed to make the putt on the last hole.

"Every single player up here lifted all of us up. Saying something (like), 'Go get 'em' or a fist pump or whatever. We were truly together, truly a team. Great teams like this win. I'm just absolutely floored to be a part of this."

Team USA's Jerry Kelly led all players in points earned throughout the week with 61. He, too, dismissed any personal accolades, turning the attention back to the team. 

"These guys are my family," Kelly said. 'The points that I made were our points, they weren't my points. So what we did as a team trumps everything that any individual had going on. I love (these) guys. I mean, it just feels so great to be on a team." 

The golfers also had compliments about the event itself and how it was run by the PGA Tour Champions and The Concession. 

"From the moment we arrived, every 'I' was crossed, every 'T' was dotted — I'm from Texas, that's how we say it," Team USA's Justin Leonard said. "To get on property and to play practice rounds. I mean, just the dinners. Having dinner with these guys and their wives and their families and kids. It's just been a great, great week. A great atmosphere. The bonus of all of it — it was a great week regardless — the bonus is that we're getting to sit up here as the inaugural champions of the World Champions Cup." 

 

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