Ian Woods’ brave PGS team crashed to Wryter Cup defeat against a French team who made sure they had every advantage.
The 24.5-7.5 scoreline – sadly, a record defeat in the 26-year history of the competition – does not reflect the brilliant spirit within the PGS team.
The French play Chantilly twice a year in their society meetings and benefitted, as usual, from the slope system of handicapping.
The full scores are below, but the success of a trip is not measured by victory alone. We stayed in wonderful surroundings, ate and drank magnificently, and enjoyed playing a superb golf course.
The spirit between the two sides was as good as anyone can remember. As rookie Ross Slater put it: “If that’s how much fun we have when we lose, I can’t wait to be on the winning side.”
Woodsie was a great captain and we looked resplendent in our Coventry City light blue and Irish green shirts.
Sorry we couldn’t bring it home for you, skipper – but we’ll have them at Carnoustie next year!
Chantilly 2018: APG 24½, PGS 7½
APG Captain: Francois Scimeca, PGS Captain Ian Woods
Foursomes: APG 6½, PGS 1½
Jean Marc L’Henoret/Didier Largillier v Jonny Bramley/Ian Woods L2&1
Alexis Duclos/Alexandre Campi v Steve Lewis/Keith Malone L1DN
Jean Louis Aragon/Davide Baroudh v Ross Slater/Khalid Javed L6&5
Jean Jacques Brehier/Edouard Cambette v Tim Allan/Dylan Dronfield L5&4
Remi Meyer/Tomas Desson v Rob Hewer/Tony Smith W6&5
Damien Houles/Philippe Millereau v Simon Taylor/Felix Duckworth L5&4
Francois Scimeca/Guillaume Baraise v Patrick Eagar/Paul Trow L2&1
Christophe Lassault/Guillaume Michel v Andy Glen/Colin Hancock Halved
Fourballs: APG 6, PGS 2
Jean Marc L’Henoret/Alexis Duclos v Ian Woods/Ross Slater L2&1
Alexandre Campi/Davide Baroudh v Jonny Bramley/Dylan Dronfield W4&3
Jean Louis Aragon/Didier Largillier v Rob Hewer/Steve Lewis L1DN
Jean Jacques Brehier/Remi Meyer v Keith Malone/Felix Duckworth L2&1
Edouard Cambette/Thomas Desson v Patrick Eagar/Simon Taylor L3&1
Damien Houles/Francois Scimeca v Andy Glen/Tony Smith W1UP
Guillaume Michel/Guillaume Baraise v Paul Trow/Khalid Javed L6&5
Christophe Lassault/Philippe Millereau v Tim Allan/Colin Hancock L2&1
Singles: APG 12, PGS 4
Guillaume Baraise v Steve Lewis L2&1
Jean Jacques Brehier v Tony Smith L4&2
Guillaume Miched v Dylan Dronfield L2DN
Remi Meyer v Andy Glen L2DN
Jean Marc L’Henoret v Rob Hewer L2&1
Alexandre Campi v Ross Slater L4&3
Philippe Millereau v Ian Woods W3&2
Christophe Lassault v Keith Malone W1UP
Thomas Desson v Felix Duckworth W1UP
Alexis Duclos v Tim Allan W3&2
Didier Largillier v Colin Hancock L6&5
Davide Baroudh v Patrick Eagar L7&5
Jean Louis Aragon v Khalid Javed L5&4
Damien Houles v Simon Taylor L3&1
Francois Scimeca v Paul Trow L1DN