Ahead of the 2026 Bridges Cup, US captain Jeff Fujimoto and international captain Simon Holt played toss over which team would be the underdog in the fourth edition in 2026. Premier mid-amateur match-play competition to be hosted at Trump Turnberry.
“I think we’re going to go and regret it,” Fujimoto said before the event.
“You probably wouldn’t agree that they’re underdogs,” Holt replied.
The United States won the first three editions of the Bridges Cup, but the depth and talent of the Internationals made it clear earlier this week that Round 4 would be a different story.
Turns out it was.
Holt’s team led 6.5-3.5 after day 1 on Monday, which was played on the demanding course King Robert The Bruce. U The internationals extended their lead on Tuesday at Trump Turnberry’s iconic Ailsa Course, winning sessions 3 and 2 of the morning and afternoon foursome.
That left the Americans in a 12.5-7.5 hole going into Wednesday’s 12 singles matches, needing to make an impressive final-day comeback on a course where Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus once wrote their famous “Duel in the Sun.”
But on Wednesday, with the Scottish winds blowing, a vaunted International team held off an early charge from the top nine Americans, winning the first four singles matches on their way to a 20-12 road victory.
“Overall, watching the International team play, I felt they made a lot more putts,” Fujimoto said after the loss. “If we could have made a few more putts, I think it would have been a closer match.”
The United States needed to start to have any hope of winning their fourth consecutive Bridges Cup. Initially, it seemed that an American fury was coming, but the Internationals turned the tide and emphatically put the competition to bed.
In the opening match, Daniel Faccini won the first hole against Drew Kittleson and held a 1-up lead until the eighth hole, where he was 2 up after Kittleson made a double bogey. Faccini immediately made a 3-up, and closed the 15th to win 4 and 3.
The second match was much tighter, with Jonathan Bale and John Peterson hitting for all 18 holes. Bale won the first two holes, but Peterson, who won the 2011 NCAA singles title at LSU, tied the match with wins at No. 4 and No. 8. A stellar birdie by Peterson at the 10th gave him the lead, but Bale responded with a birdie of his own at the 12th to tie the match. Peterson bogeyed the par-5 14th to give Bale the lead and he held to win the match, 1 up.
Right behind Bale and Peterson, another Trump Turnberry duel went the distance. Andrew Price He took a 2-up lead over Andrew Davidson, giving the Americans some hope. Price’s lead fluctuated between 1 and 2 until Davidson tied the match by winning holes 12 and 14. Price got back in front when Davidson bogeyed the 15th, but Davidson responded with birdies at 16 and 17 to take a 1-up lead, which he closed on the 18th.
The fourth match saw Dennis White and James Bull arrive at the 18th tee box all square. After starting the singles session 3-0, the Internationals had 15.5 points, one point away from securing their first Bridges Cup. The Americans needed White to knock out Bull on the 18th and then sweep the remaining games, or their winning streak would end on the Scottish turf at Trump Turnberry’s famous Ailsa Course.
But Bull made a bogey at the demanding par-4 18th – in a return to the 2009 Open Championship at Trump Turnberry, Bull went long on the green and failed to get up and down, as a 59-year-old Watson did in the last round – allowing White to win the match and give the Internationals the Bridges Cup with a par.
With the Bridges Cup in hand, the International team put an exclamation point on their winning streak.
Drew Stoltz put the first point on the board for the Americans with a 2-up win Kyle Raffertybut Colm Campbell beat Peter Tomasula 7 and 5 to give the Internationals another notch. Jacob Austin and Angus Carrick put up two international flags at the end of the day. Austin sent Cody Massa 2 and 1, while Carrick handled Scott Strickland 4 and 2. Two American flags went up to close the day. Hoyt McGarity beat Gavin Dear 4 and 3, and Andrew Medley won the anchor match over Calum Hill, 2 and 1. DJ Lanz and Lukas Mitchell tied their match, giving the Internationals a 7.5-4.5 win in singles and a 20-12 victory in Trump Turnberry.
Trump Turnberry shined as the ultimate host. Conditions were unequaled on the Ailsa Course, The 18th GOLF course in the worldwhich is still fresh after a sparkling 2025 renovation led by the Trump Organization and architect Martin Ebert. Several holes have been improved, further cementing the Scottish getaway – already known for its exceptional service and facilities – in the GOLF rankings. Top 100 Resorts in the world.
Then there is another epic venue: the fifth Bridges Cup is planned for Nine Bridges in South Korea in 2027.
But as the fourth Bridges Cup ended on Wednesday, the International team doused Holt with celebratory champagne and thanked their skipper for another memorable week at the first mid-amateur event.
“On behalf of all of us, we want to recognize the incredible time, commitment and preparation you put into (this team),” Jacob Austin told Holt in the clubhouse as the International team celebrated. “Selfishly, you gave me three incredible experiences, so much so that my daughter’s name is the place where we played the last one. I will always carry this close to me.
“Thank you for bringing everyone together. It’s a pleasure to be joined by all these great players. On behalf of all of us, a huge thank you – and we did it!”
