BEING part of Great Britain & Ireland’s history-making team at last month’s PGA Cup in California was “without a doubt” the highlight of Michael Watson’s golf career.

A brilliant up-and-down from Niall Kearney on the last hole of the final singles match secured the point he and his team-mates needed to clinch the Llandudno Trophy following a thrilling battle with the USA at CordeValle Golf Club.

The 13.5-12.5 victory was all the more special for captain Jon Bevan and his men as it was the first time Great Britain & Ireland had triumphed on American soil.

And for Wessex Golf Centre pro Watson, winning the event topped off a memorable few days in the States.

“It doesn’t get any better than that,” he told Echosport. “It’s the highlight of my career without a doubt.

“It was such a great week and the result turned out perfect for us. It was the culmination of a lot of things and couldn’t have gone any better.

“And the fact we were history makers means we have set an example for other teams to follow.”

Weymouth's Watson was edged out in his singles match by Omar Uresti but he had already helped get Great Britain & Ireland’s campaign off to a great start.

Playing with Cameron Clark in the fourballs, Watson had the honour of hitting the opening shot of the competition before the two Englishmen secured a 3&2 win over Matt Dobyns and Ben Polland.

“I was nervous on the first tee,” he added. “Okay, it’s slightly different to the Ryder Cup, but to be able to hit the first tee shot was great for me.

“I put my trust in my 35 years of playing this game and it went straight down the middle of the fairway.”