Taymouth Prevail In The Spanish Sun To Take Two In A Row
- jhbruce
- 23 hours ago
- 38 min read
As day broke in the south of Spain on Thursday 13th August, many of the Kenmore and Taymouth players had started their journey for the 5th Rider Cup as part of the 20th Breadalbane weekend. With play starting on the Friday, most of the competitors took the opportunity to relax in the pool before the media launch event that evening.
The build up had focussed on the two Captains, meeting again 18 years on from their battle on the fairways and greens of Slaley Hall in the north-east of England. As defending champions, Taymouth's Eddie Roberts was first to speak at the opening ceremony; stressing it was a privilege to be back in amongst the action and guaranteeing his team would give their all across the three days. Alex Smith, Kenmore's leader, had similar sentiments and assured his team were up for the fight in trying to regain the trophy they had finally surrendered just 11 months prior.
The pairings for the first session leads to weeks of speculation and guessing in the run up to the event. This year had been no different and a video was shown to both sets of players to confirm who they would be up against for the Friday Foursomes:
As always, it had thrown up some intriguing match ups, with the opening pairings as follows:
Match 1 - Steven Roberts & Baz Ramsay vs. Jimmy Ramsay & James Cornelius
Match 2 - John McLuckie & Anton Mowatt vs. Gary Cornelius & Jason Kerr
Match 3 - Ian Baird & Paul Matuszczyk vs. Alex Smith & Steven Rodgers
Match 4 - Chris Taylor & Darren Petersen vs. Adam Duncan & Miles Shaw
Match 5 - Alex Keir & Stephen MacKinnon vs. John Bruce & Blair Reid
Match 6 - Lex McTaggart & Andy Roberts vs. Craig Roberts & Eddie Roberts
For the first time in Rider Cup history, the two Captains would not be teeing off against each other in the opening session. However, with Jimmy Ramsay facing off against his son, Baz; and fellow Rider Cup debutant Andy Roberts going up against his brother and son in the anchor match; there was a lot to look forward to.
Match one teed off at 10.20am as the heat started to build. Steven Roberts hit the first shot of the day, drawing his tee shot beautifully over the hill to set Taymouth on their way. That was followed by an equally assured opening strike from Jimmy Ramsay. Both teams would par the first two holes before Roberts and Ramsay won the 3rd, 4th and 5th to go 3up; the perfect start for the defending champions. Cornelius and Ramsay replied by taking the 6th hole, after both teams got into trouble off the tee, to win their first hole of the day and get back to 2down.
Meanwhile, match 2 had started in Taymouth's favour too. John McLuckie had hit an excellent opening tee shot to help him and Mowatt secure a par at the 1st. That was good enough to take the hole and with Gary Cornelius and Jason Kerr making a slow start; McLuckie and Mowatt were 3up through 3 holes. A superb par, nett birdie from the Kenmore pair at the difficult 4th then got them on the board but they would surrender the 5th immediately to remain 3down through 6.
The third match included the returning Kenmore Captain, Alex Smith. It wasn't the start he had envisaged as him and Steven Rodgers got into difficulty and lost the opening hole with a triple bogey 7. Worse followed for Kenmore as Baird and Matuszczyk made a solid par at the 2nd to go 2up. With the early exchanges very much going Taymouth's way, Kenmore needed a pick up. Smith and Rodgers delivered just that, winning the 3rd, 5th and 6th holes to go 1up and finally get some blue on the board.
Game four saw Kenmore's usually reliable pair of Adam Duncan and Miles Shaw tee off against Chris Taylor and Darren Petersen. After two excellent tee shots from Duncan and Taylor, the Taymouth pair capitalised with a par to Kenmore's bogey. What followed was a sensational run from Taylor and Petersen, who secured pars at the 2nd and 3rd; before birdying the par 4, 4th. The pair were -1 through 5 with another par at the 5th and found themselves 5up. Duncan and Shaw managed to stem the bleeding with a win on the 6th to reduce the deficit to 4 but it had not been the start they had in mind.
The penultimate game of the day saw John Bruce and Alex Keir lead off their pairings. Bruce drove over the hill to give Kenmore a good start, whilst Keir also found the fairway off the tee. Bruce and Reid would take the 1st hole but their joy was short lived as Keir and MacKinnon won the 2nd. The game was swinging both ways early on as the Kenmore pair won the par 3, 3rd with a solid par, before halving the 4th. Keir and MacKinnon responded with a par on the 5th to draw level but Bruce and Reid edged ahead again at the 6th. It looked like the match would be closer than many had predicted.
The final match was probably the most intriguing of the day. The Roberts family affair with Lex McTaggart throw in for good measure. It was anticipated to be a tight one but it would be Kenmore who made a fast start. Roberts and McTaggart won the 1st after both teams found trouble and then backed that up by taking the 2nd and the 3rd. Taymouth's Roberts pairing finally responded by winning the 4th but their joy was short lived as they lost the next two; meaning Kenmore were 4up through 6 holes.
Back in the top match, Taymouth were stretching their advantage and looking to put the first point on the board early. Roberts and Ramsay birdied the par 3, 7th before winning both the par 5, 9th and 10th holes to go 5up. Ramsay and Cornelius showed some resistance at the par 3, 11th to win it with a par before they headed to the tricky par 4, 12th which had a tight fairway and difficult approach over water. With the Kenmore pair in pole position on the hole, Corenlius found the water with his approach and the hole was halved in triple bogey 7s; it felt like a missed opportunity to get back to just 3down as they entered the final stretch of holes.
Behind them, McLuckie and Mowatt were putting on the afterburners. After halving the par 3, 7th the Taymouth pair won the 8th and 9th with pars to lead 5up at the turn. That was followed with another win on the 10th as Cornelius and Kerr got into trouble on the hole. Being 6up through 10, it looked like McLuckie and Mowatt would secure the first point of the 2026 Rider Cup but the Kenmore pair halved the 11th with par and won the 12th with a nett par to show they were still fighting. However, the match would be over at the next hole as McLuckie and Mowatt's bogey was good enough to take the match 6&5. It was a solid start for Taymouth's talisman, McLuckie and a much needed confidence boost for Anton Mowatt; securing his first ever foursomes victory at the third time of asking.
With Kenmore desperately needing some good news, Smith and Rodgers were starting to provide it. After losing the par 3, 7th; the pair went par, birdie, par through the 8th, 9th and 10th to win all three hole and go 3up. Baird and Matuszczyk needed to keep pace and were able to win the 12th and 13th to get back to just 1down. It looked like the match was going to be tight.
In match four, the tide wasn't turning. Taylor and Petersen won the 8th and 9th to find themselves 6up at the turn. Further wins at the 10th and 11th secured an unthinkable 8&7 victory over Duncan and Shaw. It had been a harrowing opening session for one of Kenmore's most reliable Friday pairings who had been simply blown away by the fast start from their opponents. For Taylor, a second foursomes win to maintain his 100% record in the Friday format, whilst Petersen returned with a bang having missed the 2025 event. With the confirmed scores now already 2-0 to Taymouth and the top match looking like it would also go their way, Kenmore needed to find some points.
Bruce and Reid certainly looked like they could do that for the men in blue. A solid run of pars through the 7th, 8th and 9th had taken them 3up at the turn, with Keir and MacKinnon only able to match that scoring at the 8th with their stroke. With both teams finding trouble at the par 5, 10th; Bruce and Reid would still win the hole to increase that lead to 4up. The Taymouth pair took the 11th before immediately surrendering that at the 12th as Kenmore remained 4up with just 6 holes to play. Surely they would see that through for the first point of the day?
In the final match, the Roberts pairing was starting to show signs of life after their awful start. Halves had been secured at the 7th and 8th before they won the 9th and 10th to get within 2 holes of their opponents. A par at the par 3, 11th from Roberts and McTaggart was enough to win their first hole since the 6th but the relief didn't last long as the Kenmore pair got into difficulty at the 12th and handed back the advantage. From 4up through 6, they were now just 2up with 6 holes to play; that match also looked tight.
Taymouth would stretch the session lead to 3-0 shortly afterwards, meaning they could not be beaten in the opening session. Roberts and Ramsay won the par 4,13th with a bogey to go dormie 5. Then at the short par 4,14th; the Taymouth pair secured victory to take the match 6&4 and finally shake off Ramsay and Cornelius. It had been a difficult introduction to the Rider Cup for Jimmy Ramsay, defeated by his son in the top match. For Steven Roberts and Baz Ramsay, it had justified the selection from Captain Eddie Roberts, having been able to transfer their Saturday form into the Friday format.
Kenmore now needed points. Bruce and Reid, now on the par 4,13th against Keir and MacKinnon, were in control. A bogey 5 was enough to win the hole and go dormie 5. The Taymouth pair, however, were not for folding and managed a par at the next hole to keep it going down the 15th. It was here that Kenmore would secure their first point of the day as Bruce and Reid managed to see out the match 4&3. It was a big moment for Reid, having not played golf since ankle surgery and coming into the event cold but the decision to pair him with Bruce had proved fruitful with a point secured.
Behind them, Andy Roberts and Lex McTaggart managed to win a colourful 13th hole to go back to 3up. That was followed by another win at the 14th and suddenly the Kenmore pair were 4up with 4 to play. With the Taymouth team of Craig and Eddie Roberts now struggling for any sort of form, Kenmore had another point back after taking the 15th hole too and finalising a 5&3 victory; the final score perhaps looking more comfortable than the match had been. A win on his Rider Cup debut for Andy Roberts against his family rivals was the stuff of dreams; whilst Lex McTaggart finally got his first full Rider Cup point for Kenmore after failing to win in his 2023 Blackpool appearance.
With the session now 3-2 in Taymouth's favour, all eyes turned the third match out on course. With Smith and Rodgers just 1up on Baird and Matuszczyk, they halved the 14th with pars before heading to the 15th tee. Taymouth having the honour, an errant tee shot from Ian Baird opened the door for Kenmore and they capitalised to go 2up with 3 to play. The defending champions were determined to take a lead from the session, though. Baird and Matuszczyk made amends with a par on the par 5, 16th to get back to within one hole. With no match lasting this far round the course, the par 3, 17th had always felt like it could be a pivotal hole at just 100 yards. With Kenmore needing the point, Smith and Rodgers produced a solid par to seal the match 2&1 and ensure honours were even at the end of day one. Alex Smith had started Rider Cup life with a win and led his team in the fightback against the early Taymouth pressure. For Steven Rodgers, it marked a first Friday Foursomes victory in his 5th Rider Cup, a big relief for him personally.
It couldn't be more evenly poised heading into the fourballs and the Captains had to decide how to select their pairings for the better ball format; would they stick with the combinations that had brought them success on day one? Would Captain Roberts send out Roberts and Ramsay again with their successful Saturday record and who would he pair himself with after an opening day loss?
For Kenmore Captain Smith, he had a lot to ponder; especially given Kenmore hadn't won a Saturday session since the very first Rider Cup. Who could he send out first to get some early confidence on the board for his charges?
The pairings were announced as follows on the Friday night:
Match 1 - John McLuckie & Ian Baird vs. Lex McTaggart & Andy Roberts
Match 2 - Steven Roberts & Baz Ramsay vs. Adam Duncan & Blair Reid
Match 3 - Eddie Roberts & Anton Mowatt vs. Gary Cornelius & Steven Rodgers
Match 4 - Chris Taylor & Darren Petersen vs. Jason Kerr & Miles Shaw
Match 5 - Alex Keir & Craig Roberts vs. John Bruce & Jimmy Ramsay
Match 6 - Paul Matuszczyk & Stephen MacKinnon vs. Alex Smith & James Cornelius
Kenmore had decided to lead off with McTaggart and Roberts after their convincing Friday win, whilst Taymouth had selected the strong looking pairing of McLuckie and Baird. The draw once again pitted Baz Ramsay against Adam Duncan in match two; whilst Alex Keir had an immediate chance for revenge over John Bruce after Friday's defeat; paired with Craig Roberts who would also be desperate to get one over on his fellow Kilmarnock native.
With everything to play for, the top match started with some fireworks. After a great drive, McTaggart hit two poor shots to end up still short of the green in 3. He then chipped in from off the green for his par 4, only to be followed by Ian Baird draining a long putt for birdie and taking the hole for Taymouth. McTaggart hit back with a nett birdie at the 2nd and the par 3, 3rd was halved. A double bogey 6 from McLuckie was enough to take the 4th for Taymouth and Baird's par at the 6th extended their lead to 2up. However, Andy Roberts used his stroke to good effect on the next hole to make the match 1up Taymouth through 7 holes.
The second match saw the opening two holes halved. Baz Ramsay and Blair Reid both made nett birdies on the 1st, whilst Steven Roberts and Adam Duncan made pars on the 2nd. At the 3rd, Reid made use of his shot to win the hole and put Kenmore 1up but Roberts immediately made use of his stroke over Duncan on the difficult par 4, 4th and the 5th to turn the match on its head and put Taymouth in front. The 6th hole was halved before Roberts won the 7th with a par to put himself and Ramsay 2up. The early running was again being made by the holders.
The next game out looked like it could be a close encounter with Captain Eddie Roberts and Anton Mowatt against Gary Cornelius and Steven Rodgers. Cornelius made the best start, winning the opening two holes with a bogey and a par for Kenmore. With all players struggling on the par 3, 3rd; Mowatt secured a 5 to get Taymouth going in the tie. Roberts then won a calamitous 4th hole with a 9 before the game went from the ridiculous to the sublime as Mowatt recorded a birdie nett eagle on the par 4, 5th to put Taymouth 1up. As Cornelius' early form faded and Rodgers struggled to get going, Roberts and Mowatt took full advantage by winning the 6th and 7th holes to go 3up.
Following behind was a match which, on paper, looked to be one Taymouth would fancy their chances in. The strong pairing of Taylor and Petersen out again, taking on Kenmore's Kerr and Shaw. However, the Kenmore pair had beaten Taylor on the Saturday at Belton Woods in 2025 and they made a strong start. Both men in blue got bogeys at the 1st to win the hole, before Kerr made another bogey nett par at the 2nd to go 2up through 2 holes. Petersen made a bogey at the 3rd to pull Taymouth back into the game but another par from Kerr at the 5th was enough to restore the 2up advantage through 5 holes for Kenmore.
The fifth game looked like it could be a tight one. The 1st was halved in bogey 5s before Craig Roberts won the 2nd with a par nett birdie to better Bruce's par. Alex Keir made a par at the 3rd to half the hole with Ramsay before Roberts took the 4th with his stroke to go 2up. Both the 5th and 6th were halved by the Taymouth pair using their strokes to match Bruce's pars before the Kenmore man finally won the next with a par to ensure he and Ramsay were only 1down through 7.
In the final game of the day, Captain Alex Smith had the difficult task of giving away a combined 59 shots to Matuszczyk and MacKinnon; although his own partner James Cornelius was himself receiving 28 shots. Smith took the 1st with a par before the Taymouth pair used their strokes to good effect and halved the 2nd and 3rd holes. A bogey nett par from Cornelius at the 4th was good enough to extend Kenmore's lead as it looked like they would take control of the match. However, Matuszczyk made a bogey nett birdie on the 5th to win Taymouth's first hole in the tie; Smith immediately winning the next with a par and going 2up through 6.
Back in the top match, McLuckie and Baird secured pars to win the par 5, 8th and go 2up. After halving the 9th in pars, the pair then extended their lead to 3up at the 10th with McLuckie's par. Andy Roberts used his stroke to halve the par 5, 11th before pars from McLuckie and Baird at the 12th put Taymouth 4up with just 6 to play and firmly in control. Better was to come at the difficult par 4, 13th as Baird made his second birdie of the day to make the game dormie 5. It looked certain that Taymouth would add the first point of the day to the board.
In game two, Taymouth had reached the turn 2up after halving the 8th and 9th. Kenmore halved the deficit as Duncan and Reid both got pars at the 10th; unbelievably, it had only been the second par of the day for an out of sorts Duncan. At the hardest hole on the course, the par 5, 11th; Steven Roberts secured a par nett birdie to restore Taymouth's 2 hole advantage. Someone needed to step up for Kenmore and Reid took up the challenge, winning the 12th with bogey nett par and the 13th with a par nett birdie to make it all square with 5 to play. It was going to be close.
Captain Roberts and Mowatt had reached the turn 3up behind them and would extend that advantage to 4 after Mowatt's par at the 10th. It began a run of holes that would ultimately close out the match as Gary Cornelius and Rodgers continued to struggle for form. Mowatt made a bogey nett par at the 11th and a further bogey at the 12th was good enough to take the hole. Taymouth were now 6up with 6 to play. At the par 4, 13th the match was over and Taymouth had their first point on the board. It was Mowatt, again, who got the bogey which was good enough against Rodger's double bogey. It was a comfortable 7&5 win for the defending champions and would have given confidence to the rest of their team still battling on the course. For Eddie Roberts, a welcome first win of the weekend and his partner, Mowatt, now had a 100% record over the first two days.
Kenmore had been leading in game four and it looked increasingly like Kerr and Shaw would need to close out that game to give the team in blue something from the session. A pair of bogeys at the 6th had been good enough for Taylor and Petersen to get back within 1. However, Miles Shaw's par nett birdie at the 8th put Kenmore 2up again. Around the turn though, Taylor started to find some form. His par at the 9th was matched by Shaw's nett par but with no one stroking on the short par 3, 10th; Taylor produced a close approach and another par to win the hole for Taymouth. He followed that up with a bogey at the 11th, good enough to make the match all square; the first time Taymouth had been level since the 1st tee. Kerr and Shaw had to dig in and the pair managed to keep pace with Taylor and Petersen over the 12th and 13th to keep things level with just 5 holes to play. This game felt crucial.
Following on behind them, Alex Keir and Craig Roberts started to turn the screw round the turn. The par 5, 8th had been halved to keep Taymouth 1up but two three putts from Ramsay and Bruce on the 9th and 10th handed both holes to their opponents and suddenly had the lead at 3. After a calamitous 11th from all players, not in keeping with form being shown until that point, the game remained as 3up Taymouth with 7 to play. An excellent par from Roberts at the 12th was good enough to extend that lead further. With time running out for Bruce and Ramsay, Roberts and Keir made bogey nett pars at the 13th to move dormie 5. With both Taymouth players and Ramsay stroking at the par3, 14th; the Kenmore man made a par nett birdie to give hope of extending the match. However, that was matched by Keir's par nett birdie to secure a 5&4 victory for Taymouth. It was redemption for Keir; avenging his Friday loss to Bruce and a big win for the defending champions in a match that had looked close on paper. Taymouth now led the session 2-0 and Kenmore needed points.
The final match was looking like it could go either way too. Having been 2down, MacKinnon won the 7th with a nett par before he and Matuszczyk used their strokes to halve the 8th and 9th; Kenmore were just 1up at the turn. With Smith and Cornelius getting into trouble at the par 3, 10th; Matuszczyk took the hole with a nett par to level the tie. Smith responded with a birdie at the par 5, 11th to edge Kenmore ahead again. After halving the 12th, Matuszczyk used his 2 strokes on the 13th for a bogey nett birdie to bring the match level again. There was a further shock in store, as the same man made a par nett eagle at the very next hole to put Taymouth 1up with 4 to play. Suddenly Taymouth were leading the session 6-0 with the matches on the closing stretch; the biggest session win in Rider Cup history having been 4-1 to Kenmore in the very first competition at Wokefield. The team in blue now needed to find wins over the closing holes.
The confirmed score, however, would soon be 3-0. The top match had been dormie 5 but the Kenmore pair of McTaggart and Roberts weren't going down without a fight. McTaggart won the 14th with a nett par and Roberts won the 15th with a nett birdie to keep the match going to the par 3, 16th. At that hole, both men could only bogey and McLuckie was able to get an up and down par to close out the point for Taymouth with a 4&2 victory. Ian Baird was off the mark for the weekend, whilst McLuckie had gone 2 from 2 with the win. For McTaggart and Roberts, it was a first defeat together after winning on the Friday and in the warm up match at Glenbervie the previous week. Kenmore now desperately needed one of the close matches to go their way.
Much rested on the second match with Duncan and Reid battling hard against Steven Roberts and Baz Ramsay. Ramsay produced a bogey nett birdie at the 14th to edge Taymouth ahead and then followed that with another nett birdie at the 15th to put them 2up. It looked like it was another one heading the way of the Tays. However, as he had all day; Blair Reid continued to lead the resistance. A bogey nett par at the 16th halved the deficit and an excellent par at the uphill par 5, 17th wasn't enough to take the hole with Roberts matching the score and also stroking on Duncan. It all came down to the 18th. Taymouth couldn't lose but they wanted the full point. With Reid stroking, he could only manage a double bogey 6 and Roberts made his bogey 5 to see out the 1up victory. It was yet another win for the Roberts and Ramsay combination, now with 4 wins from 4 in the Saturday Fourball format. It was also the third time they had got one over on Adam Duncan in the Rider Cup on a Saturday. The score now 4-0 and the unthinkable whitewash most definitely on.
Back at the par 3, 14th Darren Petersen made a par nett birdie to put him and Chris Taylor 1up for the first time in the match against Jason Kerr and Miles Shaw. Then, at the par 5, 15th; Chris Taylor made another par to extend that lead to 2up. Taylor was only +2 from the 8th onwards and another par on the 16th finished the match 3&2 in Taymouth's favour. Kerr and Shaw had battled hard throughout but ran out of steam on the closing stretch as Taylor's form improved after a shaky start. For him and Petersen, it was two wins from two in the Rider Cup and they had backed Captain Roberts' decision to pair them together again after their big win of day 1. The score for the day now read 5-0 and Kenmore were in shock. The overall match now sitting at 8-3 and in danger of being almost over before the Sunday Singles.
Kenmore desperately needed a full point from the final game to have any chance of taking back the Rider Cup. MacKinnon and Matuszczyk both made nett pars on the 15th and Smith had a chance at a birdie to level the match. His miss could have proved costly, especially when he then missed the return putt. However, James Cornelius used his shots to match the nett par of the Taymouth two and keep Kenmore just 1down. The Captain was desperate to step up and deliver for his side and, at the 16th, he made par to take the hole and get him and Cornelius back to all square. A further par at the 17th was enough to beat Matuszczyk's nett bogey as blue returned to board for the first time in nearly an hour. As the four men headed to the par 4, 18th; with its huge downhill drive, it felt like a pivotal moment for the whole Rider Cup. With all other pairings back in the clubhouse watching the live feed, Kenmore needed the full point. With Cornelius out of the hole, Smith was playing against Matuszczyk and MacKinnon; both receiving two shots. The Kenmore skipper could only make bogey, leaving Matuszczyk to win the hole with a nett birdie for Taymouth and ending a titanic tussle with honours even. For Matuszczyk, it was another upset in the Rider Cup, ensuring he didn't lose for the second day running to Smith. It was also a hard earned half point for MacKinnon, who secured his first Saturday contribution in his Rider Cup career. For Kenmore's Captain and James Cornelius, they had prevented the whitewash but it was scant consolation on what had been a bruising day for their side.
With the overall score now 8.5-3.5, Taymouth only needed 3.5 points from the 12 singles ties to retain their trophy. It felt like it was over. However, Captain Roberts remained cautious in press briefings on the Saturday night, saying he expected Kenmore to come out fighting on the Sunday. What would he do with his singles order? Did he look to anticipate what the opposition may do or stick to his own game plan?
For Captain Smith and Kenmore, it was all or nothing. They would need a fast start to the Sunday to hold out any hope of a miracle comeback. It was anticipated he would stack his top order with the stronger players to try and make that fast start and with more matches than ever before, there was certainly enough points available.
The singles draw was announced late on the Saturday night as follows:
Match 1 - John McLuckie vs. Alex Smith
Match 2 - Paul Matuszczyk vs. John Bruce
Match 3 - Steven Roberts vs. Blair Reid
Match 4 - Craig Roberts vs. Adam Duncan
Match 5 - Ian Baird vs. Andy Roberts
Match 6 - Chris Taylor vs. Lex McTaggart
Match 7 - Darren Petersen vs. Steven Rodgers
Match 8 - Anton Mowatt vs. Jason Kerr
Match 9 - Eddie Roberts vs. Gary Cornelius
Match 10 - Baz Ramsay vs. Jimmy Ramsay
Match 11 - Alex Keir vs. James Cornelius
Match 12 - Stephen MacKinnon vs. Miles Shaw
As seems inevitable in the Rider Cup, there were some tantalising match ups on paper. An in-form McLuckie leading off against Kenmore's best player and Captain, Smith; Roberts and Reid doing battle again as they had at Heron's Reach in 2023 and another battle of the Ramsay's with Jimmy looking for his revenge over Baz.
The Kenmore plan was clear, get as much blue on the board as early as possible and test the Taymouth nerve.
In the top match, Smith got Kenmore off to the start they wanted. His par at the opening hole was enough to go 1up immediately on John McLuckie and send a message back to the rest of his charges that the battle was on. The Taymouth man, though, has only one singles defeat on his record and struck back with a superb birdie at the 2nd to level the match. Another par from Smith at the par 3, 3rd was good enough to reclaim the advantage but, after finding trouble off the tee at the 4th; it was all square again.
Following them were Matuszczyk and Bruce, who had also had one previous singles encounter at Blackpool. The Taymouth man had asked to go out early in anticipation of playing one of Kenmore's stronger players, feeding off the opportunity of an upset. It didn't take him long to get going as a nett par at the 1st was good enough to give him the early advantage. Receiving 22 shots from his opponent, Matuszczyk was making the most of them and another nett par at the 2nd kept him ahead as Bruce matched it was a par of his own. The early promise started to fade, however, as the Bruce secured pars at the 3rd, 4th and 5th to take all 3 holes and go 2up through 5.
Game 3 was another rematch between Roberts and Reid. With Roberts still yet to record a singles victory in the Rider Cup, he was desperate to do so against his friend and rival. It was a solid start for the Taymouth man as pars on the opening two holes had him 2up on the struggling Reid. After the 3rd was halved in bogeys, Reid used his shot on the 4th to record a nett par and reduce the deficit. Even better was to follow, with the Kenmore player making a birdie nett eagle on the 5th to get level. With Roberts early lead wiped out, how would he respond?
The 4th match was certainly going Kenmore's way early on. Adam Duncan, keen to put Saturday's horror show behind him, was 2up through 3 on Craig Roberts with the former Taymouth Captain struggling to emulate his Saturday start. Roberts got into trouble at the tough 4th hole and handed another one to Duncan, before finally getting a foothold in the match on the 5th with a nett par to remain 2down. There was certainly plenty of blue on the board early on, just as Smith had hoped.
With Taymouth needing someone to change that, Ian Baird answered the call in his match with Andy Roberts. Baird was -1 through 3 holes after a birdie at the 2nd and found himself 3up; the perfect start. With both players struggling on the 4th, Roberts took the hole with a nett double bogey before Baird responded with a par at the 5th to restore his 3 hole advantage. Roberts had to use all of his experience to stay in the match and kept pace with a steady Baird who got further pars at the 6th, 7th and 8th. The Taymouth man would remain 3up at the turn and it looked like one of their points was possible.
Match 6 was between the in-form Chris Taylor and Lex McTaggart. Both men started well with only a birdie from Taylor on the par 3, 3rd edging him ahead as McTaggart got a par. With only three shots going to McTaggart, he used one of them to stay 1down at the 4th before matching Taylor on the 5th, 6th and 7th. At the par 5, 8th; McTaggart's bogey was enough to take the hole and get him level before Taylor made a par at the 9th to go 1up at the turn. With the Kenmore man having struggled on the back 9 the previous day, could Taylor press home the advantage and secure the point for Taymouth?
On the form of the previous two days, it looked like games 7 and 8 could be points for Taymouth in their quest for victory. Darren Petersen was taking on Steven Rodgers, who had struggled for consistency across the matches so far. Both players made a mess of the opening hole as it was halved in 8s. However, Petersen would win the 2nd with a bogey as Rodgers recorded a nett double bogey. Worse was to follow for Kenmore, Rodgers failing to record anything better than a 7 in the opening 5 holes and finding himself 4down. Petersen won the par 4, 6th with a bogey and repeated that at the 7th. Taymouth and Petersen were 6up through 7; it looked like a point was on the way.
In the next game, Anton Mowatt was hoping to keep up his excellent weekend form against Jason Kerr. Mowatt has won his first singles point at Belton Woods the previous year in the match that eventually decided the Rider Cup in Taymouth's favour. However, Kerr, with a solid 2 from 3 singles record of his own; would be no pushover. With both players making shaky starts, Kerr would go 2up through 2 before Mowatt won the 3rd with a triple bogey 6. At the 4th, which seemed to be causing all sorts of problems across the field, Mowatt got level with a double bogey 6, also winning the 5th with the same score. Holes 6 and 7 were traded before Mowatt took the 8th to go 2up. Kerr's form was erratic and he would need to dig deep to turn the game around.
With Kenmore starting fast at the top, the bottom matches looked like they could still be vital despite Taymouth's dominant lead. The Tay's Captain, Roberts, was in game 9 against Gary Cornelius; who was staring at an unwanted return of no points for the second year running in Rider Cup. The opening two holes were halved before blue was on the board at the 3rd after a bogey from the Kenmore man. With Cornelius receiving 6 shots, he used them to great effect at the 4th and 5th holes to go 2up. Roberts responded with a par at the 6th but handed the initiative back on the par 4, 7th with a disappointing double bogey. On the downhill par 5, 8th Cornelius made a bogey which Roberts couldn't match and suddenly Kenmore had a 3up advantage in a tie that had looked like it could go either way. There was encouragement that the unthinkable could be on.
The 10th match out was the father and son battle between Jimmy and Baz Ramsay. With Jimmy still looking for his first Rider Cup point on debut and keen for revenge after losing to Baz on the Friday, he needed a fast start to put the pressure on. After halving the 1st in pars, Baz used the first of his 14 shots to stay level at the 2nd. A par nett birdie from the Taymouth player then put him 1up at the 3rd before Jimmy won his first hole in the match at the 4th to square things up again. More blue would be on the board as Kenmore's rookie took both the 5th and 6th to go 2up. The 7th and 8th holes were traded, before a par at the 9th for Jimmy extended his lead at the half way stage to 3up.
With plenty of Kenmore blue now showing, it looked like; as always seems to be the case in this event, the final matches may yet prove crucial. The penultimate match was a rerun from Belton Woods the previous year with Alex Keir up against James Cornelius. Taymouth's Keir had taken the match 2&1 in 2025 and so was confident he could repeat that victory. A birdie at the 1st was just what he wanted to get himself 1up. Cornelius, however, was up for the battle. A par nett birdie at the 2nd was good enough to get him level before Keir responded with a par at the 3rd to edge ahead. The 4th hole had proved to be many players undoing over the weekend and it proved so again for Keir as he lost out to a nett bogey. It was all square again. With Cornelius stroking on 3 of the next 4 holes, it looked like it would be a close match to the turn. The Kenmore man, though, struggled to find any consistency as he carded 9, 7, 8 at the run of par 4s to hand Keir the initiative at 3up through 7. It was looking good for Taymouth in that tie.
The anchor match was between Stephen MacKinnon and Miles Shaw, both who had struggled to find Sunday points in the Rider Cup. Kenmore's Shaw was in now mood to be charitable, seeking his first ever singles victory, he found himslef 3up after 3. A half at the 4th stopped the rot for MacKinnon but he would lose the 5th to a Shaw bogey. The Taymouth man finally got a win at the par 4, 6th before the 7th was halved in triple bogey 7s. Shaw further extended his advantage at the par 5, 8th with another bogey and was in dreamland moments later as he won the 9th to head round the turn 5up. Kenmore surely had another point on the way towards their uphill task?
Back in the top match, McLuckie had started to take control for Taymouth. Winning the 5th with a par nett birdie to Smith's par, he then recording another par at the 6th to go 2up. A superb approach on the 7th left a tap in birdie nett eagle to increase his lead before another par at the 8th took McLuckie 4up. Smith had been hit by a whirlwind from the Taymouth player, McLuckie being just +1 through 8 holes. It was just the message that the rest of the Taymouth team needed to see against the Kenmore charge. Smith needed to dig in and try to turn the match around and the Captain did just that. Back-to-back pars at the 9th and 10th were good enough to take both holes and halve the deficit before an excellent birdie at the par 5, 11th matched McLuckie's nett birdie. Smith then made another par at the 12th to reduce McLuckie's lead to just 1 with 6 to play. It looked like it would go the distance, as had been expected.
Bruce, meanwhile, was looking to get a blue point secured against Matuszczyk. The 6th was shared and the 7th won by the Taymouth man, who used his stroke to score a nett par and get back to 1down. However, pars at the 8th and 9th were good enough for Bruce to go 3up at the turn and better was to follow as Matuszczyk got into trouble at the short par 3, 10th and found himself with 4 holes to make up. If one thing is for certain though, Matuszczyk doesn't give up. A sensational par nett eagle at the 11th was followed by another win at the 12th to get back in the match. After the 13th was halved, Matuszczyk made a par nett birdie at the par 3, 14th to get back to just 1down. Could he turn it around and cause an upset again against one of Kenmore's better players?
Game three meanwhile, had started to go Kenmore's way. With the match having been all square through 6, nett pars from Reid at the 7th and 8th were good enough to win both holes. Roberts responded with a run of 4 pars in a row between the 9th and 12th but could only win one of those holes as Reid used his strokes to go 3up with just 6 holes to play. Having dug in to stage a half point comeback the previous year, Roberts needed to do the same and he immediately won the 13th to get back within 2. At the par 3, 14th Reid again had a shot and secured a nett birdie to nudge himself 3 ahead again. There were now just 4 to play and it looked like Kenmore could get another point.
Adam Duncan was also taking control in the next tie. Still 2up through 7, the Kenmore talisman produced a magnificent birdie at the par 5, 8th to extend his advantage. The 9th was halved as Duncan reached the turn 3up but Craig Roberts rolled in a birdie of his own at the 10th to eat into his lead. It was a positive start to the back 9 from the Taymouth player, who was receiving a shot on every hole down the closing stretch. However, Roberts got into trouble at the par 5, 11th allowing Duncan to go 3up again with a solid par. After the 12th was halved, Duncan hit a superb approach into the 13th to notch another birdie; finding himself now 4up with just 5 to play.
Back down the fairways at the 12th, the first point of the day was confirmed. Darren Petersen had reached the turn 5up on Steven Rodgers after losing the 8th to a par from the Kenmore man. With Petersen determined to secure his 100% record across the weekend, his par at the 10th took him back to 6up and was followed by a superb birdie at the 11th to move dormie 7. Despite only making a double bogey 6 at the 12th, Rodgers could not respond and the players shook hands on a resounding 8&6 victory for Taymouth. It was one of the three and a half points needed. Could they wrap up the Rider Cup quickly and take the pressure off some of the other matches?
The match behind them was also still heavily stacked in Taymouth's favour. Mowatt had reached the turn 3up on Jason Kerr after the Kenmore man made a mess of the par 3, 9th. Kerr, perhaps tiring after a great effort in his match the day before, just couldn't find any form and watched as Mowatt took the 10th with a par. A further concession at the difficult 11th put the Taymouth player 5up as he too was on the hunt for maximum points from the weekend. A double bogey 6 was enough to take the 12th for Mowatt and that was repeated at the 13th as he finished off Kerr 7&5. The overall score was now 10.5 - 3.5 and Kenmore desperately needed some confirmed points to keep the match alive. Taymouth were just 1.5 points away from retaining after just two singles matches.
As has so often been the case, Duncan was the first to deliver for his side. At the par 5, 15th he made another birdie, his third of the round, to see off Craig Roberts 4&3. It hadn't been a vintage weekend for Kenmore's former Captain but he had ground out a point when the team needed it badly and kept up his strong singles record of only losing once in Rider Cup. Kenmore still had hope. The men in blue needed every close game to go their way.
Ian Baird had looked like a certainty for another Taymouth point. Still 3up through 10 having halved the opening hole of the back 9, he lost the 11th to Andy Roberts' nett bogey. The former Breadalbane winner was enjoying the competition and he started to apply the pressure on Baird for the first time in the match, winning the par 4, 12th to get within 1. Roberts used his strokes to halve the 13th and 14th as they reached the par 5, 15th. With the Kenmore player stroking there too, he made a par nett birdie to get back to all square for the first time since the match had teed off. Could he do the unthinkable and turn that match into a point for Kenmore?
In game 6, Taylor and McTaggart were having a close battle of their own. McTaggart had won the 10th to get back to all square and backed that up by using his stroke on the 11th to go 1up for the first time in the tie. Neither man was playing their best golf and Taylor's par at the 12th and bogey at the 13th were enough to nudge him ahead again. Just as it looked as if Taylor, who had scored maximum points on the first two days for Taymouth, was turning the corner; his game evaporated. A run of two no scores and a quadruple bogey 9 at the 15th allowed McTaggart to get 2up with just 2 to play. If both Roberts and McTaggart could secure wins, it would be massive for the men in blue.
Another blue point was just about to be added to the board too. John Bruce has birdied the 15th in his match against Paul Matuszczyk to go 2up with 3 to play. At the par 3, 16th the Kenmore man closed out the game with a solid par, beating Matuszczyk's nett bogey and securing another precious win. The scoreboard now read 10.5 - 5.5. It still looked like Taymouth would close it out but there were several close matches that they needed to see through.
Back in game 9, Gary Cornelius was keeping ahead of Taymouth's Captain. Reaching the turn 2up after Eddie Roberts had won the 9th, Cornelius reinstated his 3up lead with a par at the 10th. The 11th was halved with the Kenmore man's shot helping card a nett bogey. Roberts had proven over the years that he is a determined fighter when it comes to match play golf and he wasn't about to let Cornelius run away with the point. At the par 4, 12th he carded a par of his own to get one back before both managed to run up uncharacteristic 8s to halve the 13th; not in keeping with the scoring on the back 9 to that point. The next hole saw Cornelius find a par to go 3up with 4 to play. It looked like Kenmore could get a vital win in this one.
The next game to finish was the one following that battle. Jimmy Ramsay had gone 4up through 11 in his revenge mission. Baz Ramsay's form had escaped him after the 3rd hole but he managed to find a nett par on the 12th to win the hole and stay in the tie. Ramsay senior, though, was hell bent on delivering his first point for Kenmore and won the 13th with a bogey to cancel that out. At the par 3, 14th; the very hole Ramsay and Bruce had been beaten on the previous day, the Kenmore debutant had his moment. A bogey 4 was good enough to take the hole and register a maiden win, seeing off Baz 5&4. Kenmore had no room for error but Jimmy Ramsay had made the overall match score 10.5 - 6.5.
The top game by now was heading to the 18th. It hadn't looked like it would make it that far as McLuckie won the 13th to go 2up after Smith went out of bounds off the tee. With his stellar singles record on the line, the Taymouth man then made use of his shot at the 14th to record a nett birdie and extend his lead. At 3up with just 4 to play, it looked like he would record an absolutely vital point for his side against Kenmore's Captain. Having another shot to use on the par 5, 15th; McLuckie made par nett birdie. However, Smith showed he was still up for the fight and, having been unfortunate to just miss the green in two, got up and down for a birdie to halve the hole. He was now dormie 3 down but had kept the match going. The par 3, 16th was won by Smith with a par and when both men missed short putts on the uphill par 5, 17th; Smith prevailed with a par to McLuckie's nett bogey. The pressure was on for Taymouth's leading man; the full point would take his side within a half point of retaining. At the tricky par 4, 18th Smith was short of the green in 2, with McLuckie safely on. The Kenmore skipper needed to win the hole and he got up and down for his par before McLuckie safely two putted to close out the full point in what had been a superb matchplay game. The confirmed score was now 11.5 - 6.5; surely someone would secure the half point to retain the Rider Cup for the Tays?
Back up the hill on the 18th tee, Steven Roberts had a chance to be that man. Having been 3down with 3 to play against Blair Reid after halving the 15th, Roberts won the 16th with a par to keep the match alive. Reid was stroking on the final two holes and Roberts knew he needed to produce something special. An excellent birdie 4 at the par 5, 17th snatched another hole back and suddenly he was on a charge. The Taymouth man was level par from the 9th tee onwards and had momentum. On the last hole, Roberts put more pressure on Reid with another par to complete a superb back 9 performance. However, it wasn't enough in the match as Kenmore's singles expert made a bogey nett par to close out a 1up victory. It had been another close game between the two, just as it had been at Heron's Reach three years prior. Ultimately though, it had gone the way of Reid again and the match was 11.5 - 7.5.
Almost immediately, attentions turned to the 16th green, where another game was concluding. Gary Cornelius and Eddie Roberts had halved the 15th, with the Kenmore man using his stroke to good effect after nearly finding trouble with his approach. The Taymouth Captain needed a comeback similar to his son up ahead but, with both struggling on the par 3, Cornelius closed out the point with a double bogey 5 and a halved hole to win 3&2. It was a major scalp for last year's defeated Captain, having failed to win a point on the first two days and been staring at that unwanted possibility of no points in two years. Seeing off Roberts was no easy mission, having previously been unbeaten in singles in the Rider Cup. It felt like a big win for Kenmore and brought the match back to 11.5 - 8.5.
With all matches reaching their conclusion, everyone was glued to the leaderboard; every permutation being discussed. Andy Roberts and Ian Baird had reached the 18th up ahead. Baird had nudged himself 1up again after a par at the 16th before Andy Roberts had taken the 17th with a nett bogey to level it up. Baird needed a half to be the hero, having never been behind in the match and racing into an early lead. With both players knowing what was at stake, the nerves took over and Baird recorded a disappointing triple bogey 7. That left the door open and Roberts was in the mood to walk straight through it. A double bogey 6 taking the last hole and completing a remarkable turnaround for the Kenmore rookie. There were gasps around the field as the result was confirmed and the live score updated to 11.5 - 9.5, suddenly Kenmore were within 2 points and there were just three matches left on the course.
Having looked like it would never come down to the final matches, that was now a real possibility. James Cornelius had been battling in his game against Alex Keir. A win at the 8th had reduced the deficit to 2 holes as they rounded the turn halving the 9th. Keir's par at the 10th was enough to get 3up again, however, before the 11th and 12th were halved. With Cornelius stroking on the par 4, 13th he failed to score; leaving Keir to win the hole with a double bogey 6 and go 4up with 5 to play. Surely that would be the final nail in Kenmore's coffin for the weekend?
Behind them, Miles Shaw had won the 10th hole to go 6up on Stephen MacKinnon. It looked like a point in the bag for Kenmore, although potentially not enough. With Shaw tiring on the back 9, MacKinnon chipped away at this lead, winning the 11th to arrest the slide of losing three holes in a row. Better was to follow, as MacKinnon won the 12th and 13th with double bogeys to get back to 3down. Surely he couldn't reel in Kenmore's big Welshman over the closing holes?
Back at the 18th hole, Chris Taylor and Lex McTaggart were teeing it up for the final time. Having been dormie 2 down, Taylor had recorded a par at the 17th to keep alive his hopes of being the one to secure the half point needed. With everything that had happened across the session, Taymouth now just wanted to get the trophy retained. Both men had struggled on the back 9, but Taylor just needed to win the hole to complete the defending champions' mission. All eyes were on the result but it was back at the 14th where the vital action was about to take place. James Cornelius made nett bogey on the short, downhill par 3 as Alex Keir made a bogey to halve the hole. That took the Taymouth man 4up with 4 to play and a half point secured; the Rider Cup was retained.
Within moments, it had been won outright. Taylor made bogey on the last as McTaggart's struggles continued, leaving a competitive tie at all square. The confirmed score was 12 - 10 but with Keir also securing at least a half, the celebrations could begin. In the end, Keir closed out the full point against Cornelius at the 15th, winning 5&3 in a much more comfortable end than he had endured against the same player the previous year.
In the bottom match, MacKinnon continued his comeback; winning the 14th with a par and the 15th with a triple bogey 8 to get back to withing just 1 of Shaw. Having lost 5 holes in a row, the Kenmore man got back on the board at the 16th to go 2up with 2 to play. After a long weekend and with the match over, both shook hands at the 17th on a 2&1 win for Shaw and a first singles victory in the Rider Cup. As always, the competition had been close; even with Saturday's landslide session win for Taymouth. Kenmore's Sunday fightback had been valiant but not quite enough to wrestle back the trophy.
For Taymouth, every team member had played their part by recording something over the weekend. Three players had returned a maximum haul in John McLuckie, Anton Mowatt and Darren Petersen. Captain Eddie Roberts had urged his team to use their shots effectively and Mowatt and Petersen had definitely done that. There was a notable mention for Chris Taylor too, who finished the weekend unbeaten whilst Alex Keir, Baz Ramsay and Steven Roberts had scored 2 from 3 available:
Taymouth | Friday Foursomes | Saturday Fourball | Sunday Singles | Total Points |
Ian Baird | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Alex Keir | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Stephen MacKinnon | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 |
Paul Matuszczyk | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 |
John McLuckie | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Anton Mowatt | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Darren Petersen | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Baz Ramsay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Craig Roberts | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Eddie Roberts (C) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Steven Roberts | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Chris Taylor | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
On the other side, no one in the Kenmore side had remained unbeaten with John Bruce, Blair Reid and Andy Roberts, on debut, top scoring with 2 from 3. Lex McTaggart and Alex Smith had delivered 1.5 each but there were below par returns across the side, including the usually reliable Adam Duncan who only managed 1 point. For Jason Kerr, despite battling hard, it was a weekend of no points; unfortunately being the only player in the field not to score:
Kenmore | Friday Foursomes | Saturday Fourball | Sunday Singles | Total Points |
John Bruce | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Gary Cornelius | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
James Cornelius | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 |
Adam Duncan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Jason Kerr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lex McTaggart | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 1.5 |
Jimmy Ramsay | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Blair Reid | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Andy Roberts | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Steven Rodgers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Miles Shaw | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Alex Smith (C) | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1.5 |
As the sun began to set on another fantastic weekend of golfing competition, the players gathered on the terrace overlooking the courses for the presentations. The closing words from both Captains were followed by the exchanging of awards, Smith receiving the now infamous 'Baz' award for being losing Captain, whilst he handed over the coveted Rider Cup trophy to Roberts.
Just as at Slaley Hall 18 years prior, Eddie Roberts was coming away with the trophy presented to him by Alex Smith.
Roberts' team gathered behind him, each claiming their second Rider Cup medal which would have felt extra special being part of the 20th Breadalbane weekend. The Kenmore team had to watch on again as Taymouth lifted the trophy and their players let out a victorious cry into the blue sky above. In that moment, much soul searching was undoubtedly being done by a team who's dominance has well and truly slipped. Taymouth now have two victories to their name, the series 3-2 having seen Kenmore race into a 3-0 lead in the formative years of the competition.
There is no doubt which side has the momentum now and they will be tough to beat in 2027 when the players tee it up again for the ultimate bragging rights.
That can wait, however.
2026 was undoubtedly and deservedly Taymouth's year. Again.
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