THE sixth overseas Ryder Cup took place in Portugal between Hale and Knutsford Golf Clubs and Hale were well beaten.

Hale professional Richard Booth said: “No one has turned on me yet as happened to poor old Tom Watson a year or two back, but I guess the finger needs to be pointed at yours truly.

“On the plus side had the match been contested in the bar Hale would most definitely have been emphatic winners.

“We played a warm-up match on the Friday at Quinta do Lago South. The competition then started on the Saturday over the north course and we played the usual format – that is four-ball better-ball matches over the front nine and then single matches over the back nine.

"Hale won that day 11 points to 10 for a good start.

“Day two was at Laranjal which is more of an open course with tricky greens, especially as the cool wind whipped across it and Knutsford won that day 13½-7½, meaning that the score with one day to play was 23½-18½ in their favour.

“On the final day we play double points meaning the game was still very wide open.

"Paul Gilbert was first out in the morning with myself and we managed to secure all six points from those matches meaning we took the lead.

“However, we then had a poor mid-spell before Tony Adamson book-ended the carnage with maximum points from his two games in the last match.

“The final score was 29-13 on the day for Knutsford making the overall score 52½-31½.

“This was the sixth playing of the event and the score is three victories each, so the stage is set for 2019.”

Winning the trophy for the top player was Knutsford’s Mike McGoun with an impressive 7½ out of 8 points.