As the Women’s PGA Cup leaves the United States for the first time, Heather MacRae leads a GB&I side with home advantage, course knowledge and a golden chance to end America’s winning run.
There will be a different feel to this year’s Women’s PGA Cup long before the first shot is struck. For the first time in the competition’s short but increasingly significant history, the matches are heading beyond American soil, with Carden Park preparing to welcome six nations to Cheshire from September 3-5.
For Great Britain & Ireland, it is more than a hosting opportunity. It is a chance to turn familiarity into a genuine advantage, to showcase the growing depth of the women’s PGA ranks and, perhaps, to wrestle the trophy from a United States side that has won every edition so far. At the centre of it all is Heather MacRae, a four-time Women’s PGA Championship winner and now GB&I’s first playing captain, whose blend of experience, competitiveness and perspective could shape a landmark week for the home team.
MacRae is an ever-present in the home ranks and the Scot is in the enviable position of the team having recently played the course at the Women’s PGA Championship. There, Sian Evans and Tracey Boyes booked their places on the team as the top two players for the combined Women’s PGA Championship Points List.
“The Women’s PGA Championship was the first time that I was at Carden Park, so I was looking at the hotel and where everything’s going to be,” said MacRae. “Obviously I’ve been to the first three Women’s PGA Cups, which have been unbelievable, so I was a little bit apprehensive of how the facilities would compare to the States, but the hotel and resort is great, and it will be a fantastic setting.
'In 10 years' time, you don't remember any of the golf that you played but you remember the experiences that you had with it' - Heather MacRae
“The course was also good. It was quite tricky and fiery in June, and I’m definitely going to try and play it again before the PGA Cup. It was so useful to have staged the Championship there this year, and we’ll definitely be using that to our advantage because it is very different to other courses that have hosted the PGA Cup.
“When we went to Oregon, it was a long, long travel day and a big time difference, and it was also at altitude, so adjusting was really difficult. Now, we’ll all be driving, and we’ll have played the course at least four times beforehand, and then we’ll have time for a practice round as well as the Wednesday when there is also the opening ceremony and the welcome dinner, so we’ve got some leeway there.”
Another plus from the week of the Championship was the size of the field, with 55 women teeing it up, all hopeful of a big week that might see them make the five-strong team.
“It’s not really been like that before, and I feel like there’s been much more of a push from a lot of players really trying to get into the team. The strength and the quality was really good and it’s great for The PGA that there are so many good women golfers who are able to play and do that now. I also think that more players are now recognising the Women’s PGA Cup and the Championship as big events and something that they want to be a part of, and it definitely feels a lot more competitive.”
MacRae was named as the GB&I playing captain in December and, while it’s not a new concept for other countries, it’s the first time that this year’s hosts have gone with one of the team at the helm. The format, a 54-hole strokeplay event with each team’s best three scores counting each round, lends itself to a playing captain – as opposed to matchplay where pairings are selected and captains are required over different parts of the course.
“In all the other PGA Cups, apart from GB&I and America, every other team has always had playing captains. And this year, America also has a playing captain, so all the teams will have playing captains. The format makes it doable; if it was matchplay, it wouldn’t be possible.
“It’s always such an honour to play in the event but when the girls who are the captains get up and speak, it’s so inspiring to hear, and I’m really excited to have that myself.
“It’s very different to the men’s event, which I think is good, because then you don’t compare the two of them, and it will be a great addition to the competition to have the playing captains all out on the course.”
One decision that MacRae will have to make is when to send herself out. The opening hole at Carden Park, the home club of PGA Captain David Llewellyn, is a par 3 of around 140 yards.
“It’s something to think about but also it depends on how other people feel. I know last time I was unbelievably nervous on that 1st tee so it will definitely be a discussion for what’s best for everybody.
“If you go out first, then I can be done and go back out and support them finishing. Or if I go out last, I’m then waiting to watch everyone go out an hour before I go and play as well. The best contribution that I can give to the team is by me playing well.
“Wherever you are playing, you just always have to fight for every shot because you don’t know what anyone else is doing.
“Depending on how brave you are, it is definitely a risk-reward course, but I think in this format, you don’t want to be taking risks when you don’t really need to, particularly on the first two days. There will be lots of birdies out there but there are also chances to make big numbers, so it’s just about trying to be as smart and as consistent and patient as possible.”
MacRae has enjoyed a varied and hugely impressive career, having played over 60 times on the Ladies European Tour, won twice on the Access Series, claimed the Women’s PGA Championship four times, including three in succession from 2019, and become a Class A PGA Professional. But this will be new ground for her and one priority is to have an emphasis on enjoyment – which will then, hopefully, lead to even better results.
'More players are now recognising the Women's PGA Cup and the championship as big events and something that they want to be a part of - it definitely feels a lot more competitive' - Heather MacRae
“If you are enjoying yourself and you’re feeling relaxed, then there’s a good chance that you’re going to play better as well. You want to make sure at the end of the week that everyone’s had a really good experience that then makes them want to get into the next one, which I feel really lucky that I’ve always had that.
“As captain you want everyone to feel comfortable and to make sure they know what to expect. The opening ceremony is definitely an emotional part that, for example, I know last time Holly was not expecting but at least now she knows what that will be like.
“In 10 years’ time, you don’t remember any of the golf that you played but you remember the experiences that you had with it. You might remember one or two golf shots but I always think you will remember how people made you feel.
“In the first matches in 2019 we were playing a five ball and I have a picture of it, which I love. It took us six hours to play golf and no-one shook hands, instead we had a group hug on the 18th.
“Being asked to be captain is the biggest honour that I’ve had. When I got that call, I was a crying mess. We have a really good chance to win, and as golfers you don’t get the chance to win very often, and for that to happen we have to work together and be a team,” MacRae said.
