Golf | Americans look to keep Concession Cup in East Manatee event
EAST MANATEE --One side boasts players that have lifted championships recently, while the other side possesses a group adjusting to a competitive golf mode and acclimating to Florida's muggy humidity.
"Our golf season hasn't really started yet," Garth McGimpsey said. "We've been playing winter golf, winter tees, winter courses with three layers of sweaters on."
McGimpsey is the captain for Great Britain and Ireland for this week's Concession Cup, a biennial match play competition between GB&I and the United States featuring eight mid-amateurs, eight senior amateurs and two super senior amateurs per team.
The event starts Thursday at exclusively private Concession Golf Club in East Manatee County, and is open to the public free of charge.
The first day's action features foursomes, which is better known as the alternate shot format.
Play continues Friday with fourball (best ball) and concludes Saturday with singles matches.
Both sides are chasing the Sir Michael Bonallack and William Campbell trophy, which Team USA earned with a seven-point victory in the inaugural tournament in 2014.
On Tuesday, McGimpsey was joined by legends Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin and Team USA playing captain Vinny Giles in a press conference at The Concession to kickoff the week's event.
"This golf course has a lot of substance to it," Nicklaus said. "You've got to play golf to play it and do well on it, but it's certainly playable and certainly scoreable."
Nicklaus (United States) and Jacklin (Great Britain & Ireland) are this year's honorary captains for a second consecutive time, while Bradenton resident Paul Azinger returns as the honorary chair.
Azinger made a short speech as the honorary chair, describing how good the scores were two years ago.
Nicklaus, who co-designed the course with Jacklin and has designed several tough tracks around the world over the years, interrupted Azinger briefly.
"I can fix that," joked Nicklaus.
Regardless of the difficult that The Concession poses, both teams are equipped with talent-laden rosters.
"I said the last time we played here that these were the greatest players that never turned pro, and it turned out to be the case," Azinger said. "They played great last (time)."
And that last time out saw Team USA triumph.
This year's team features some new faces and some players that participated in 2014.
"I think we picked eight seniors and eight mid-amateurs who are deserving," Giles said. "I don't think we left anyone out."
The reigning Florida State Golf Association's player of the year, Lutz's Joe Alfieri, is making his debut in the event, while Pittsburgh's Nathan Smith, Iowa's Mike McCoy and North Carolina's Scott Harvey are some of the returners.
Harvey recently captured the 36th Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship as a final tune-up for this week's tournament.
On the flip side, Great Britain and Ireland counter with a talented team, but face the unenviable task of dethroning a strong American side on an American course with undulating, quick greens without much tournament action preceding this week's event.
"It's difficult. We would rather this be in July some time, and we'd have half a season under our belts," McGimpsey said. "But this is when it's played, so we just have to try and adapt. Don't get me wrong, the guys are enjoying being here and working on their games."
The event also benefits five charities: the First Tee of Tampa Bay, First Tee of Sarasota/Manatee County, Orphan's Heart, the Nicklaus Children Healthcare Foundation and Rainbows Hospice.
Thursday's first match starts at 8:45 a.m., with the last foursome match slated for a 10:21 a.m. tee time.
Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017 or via email at jdill@bradenton.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill and like his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald.
This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 12:10 AM with the headline "Golf | Americans look to keep Concession Cup in East Manatee event ."