Neil Gascoigne helps Europe win hickory Ryder Cup

Neil Gascoigne helps Europe win hickory Ryder CupNewcastle United’s Neil Gascoigne helped team Europe beat the United States in The Hickory Grail – a biennial match played with traditional equipment – at St Andrews.

Neil, who holds a handicap of plus-one, represented the European team for the first time and won all three of his matches to help Europe to a 15-13 victory.

On the opening day, he teamed up with Steve Oswald to win their foursomes match on the New Course before teaming up with Sweden’s Ingvar Ritzén for day two’s fourball match.

In the singles round, played on the Jubilee Course, Neil overcame American Scott McAllister 2&1 as Europe completed a narrow victory at the Home of Golf.

Neil, a two-time winner of the Scottish Hickory Championship, said: “The week at St Andrews was an incredible experience. I’ve switched between modern equipment and hickories for the last five years and have loved every minute of the challenge but being part of this event for the first time, and playing it at the Home of Golf, was very special

“The highlight has to be playing the Old Course with traditional equipment against the US team. We had a great fourball including a US Hickory Open winner, and I shot level par in tough conditions as both teams shot under par betterball rounds.

“The whole week was a lot of fun and I had some great support from Newcastle United – I can’t thank Jen Anderson and John Simmons enough for coming up for the second day. I’ve got two years to build up points ahead of the next Hickory Grail in the US. It would be another level again if I can make it to the 2023 event at Belvedere Golf Club in Michigan.”

For more information on The Hickory Grail, visit www.thehickorygrail.com