From Nairn to Dun Laoghaire for Curtis

The attendance figures for the 37th Curtis Cup match exceeded the Ladies Golf Union's anticipated figure of around 8,000 at The Nairn Golf - a record for a three-day Curtis Cup fixture in Scotland. 

"9,190 beats the St Andrews figure in 2008 by miles," said a delighted Susan Simpson, the LGU Head of Golf Operations. 

The 38th Curtis Cup match in 2014 will be played at St Louis Country Club, Missouri. 

The next Curtis Cup on this side of the Atlantic will be the 39th and will be hosted by Dun Laoghaire Golf Club, near Dublin in 2016. 

CAPTAIN TEGWEN MATTHEWS (Great Britain and Ireland) 

"This is the best day in my whole life. I'm really going to party tonight. The only sad bit is that Sue Turner (the team manager who died after being appointed) was not here to share this triumph with us. But I bet she's partying up in heaven! Kelly Tidy's win in the top singles was so important."

"She has such an impressive match-play record that I deliberately put her in at No 1 so that she would have the chance to win and the good news would filter down through the team in the matches behind. And that's exactly what happened. What a great effort by Kelly to come back so brilliantly from three down after six holes to win the top singles in a Curtis Cup."

"It was vital for the overall team spirit during the afternoon. It is a very special moment too to think that we now have the Curtis Cup, the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup and the Solheim Cup in our possession on this side of the Atlantic. Majestic that the GB and I women's amateur team completed the set."

PAT CORNETT (United States). 

"Our girls did not play badly. It was simply a case of the GB and I girls played that bit better. I am proud of the United States effort. Both teams, in fact, played the game in the spirit that Margaret and Harriet Curtis envisaged when they put up the idea of a Curtis Cup international match."

"I think the turning point - when the match started to turn the way of GB and Ireland - was near the end of the second day when the home team won two late four-ball matches."

MOST SUCCESSFUL PLAYERS 

Brooke Pancake finished as the MVP (the most successful player) of the 2012 Curtis Cup with 3 1/2 pt out of a possible five by the American. 

Top players for GB and I were Kelly Tidy, Holly Clyburn and Stephanie Meadow who each earned 3pt. 

GB AND I Great Britain and Ireland teams have a 100 per cent winning record at The Nairn Golf Club. Victories were recorded in the 1991 Vagliano Trophy, the 1999 Walker Cup and now the 2012 Curtis Cup.

Olympic Greens Good says GMAC

Photo: Getty Images

Graeme McDowell has hailed the quality of the greens at this year's US Open and admits he is looking forward to challenge of tackling Olympic Club's monstrous par-five 16th hole.

The US Open is traditionally regarded as perhaps the most demanding of all the majors and the Ulsterman believes that will be no different this week.

However, after arriving in San Francisco over the weekend to get an early look at the Olympic Club course, McDowell is impressed by what he has seen and had particular words of praise for the condition of the greens.

"To me it seems like it's a left-to-right players set-up and I like the way it sets up for me so far," he told Sky Sports News HD.

"The greens are maybe the best greens I've seen in a very, very long time. They roll perfectly and it's going to be a great test - it's the US Open and we expect it to be tough."

This year's event will also see the longest hole ever to be played in a major with the par-five 16th at Olympic Club measuring a whopping 670 yards.

McDowell concedes that will take some reaching for him, but feels even the longest hitters will not be able to take it on.

"It's a driver, three-wood and maybe a medium iron so it's interesting," he continued.

"I'm looking forward to seeing it obviously. It's a three-shotter for everyone which I like I suppose."

McDowell revealed he is delighted to be back in California for the season's second major having won the event two years ago in the same state at Pebble Beach.

"I'm here feeling good, California has been a good state for me, 2010 I won twice in the state - most notably at Pebble and we're just up the road from Pebble," he added.

"The air feels the same, it's got that ocean breeze feel to it.

"The air is heavy and the ball doesn't fly so far in the mornings here and you've really got to give the wind a lot of respect here.

"It's a nice buzz here, San Francisco is an amazing city and this place (Olympic Club) has already got a great feel to it."

St Jude Offers McIlroy No Respite

Rory McIlroy had to settle for a share of seventh place at the St Jude Classic as a final-hole double bogey ended his hopes of a morale-boosting win ahead of his US Open title defence next week.

McIlroy was sharing the lead as he stood on the 18th tee, but he found water on the last as he hit a 69.

Dustin Johnson clinched victory as birdies on the 16th and 17th helped him card a closing 66.

Johnson finished a shot ahead of another American, John Merrick.

Merrick went close to forcing a play-off as his chip for birdie at the closing hole just failed to drop.

Johnson, who won his sixth PGA Tour title, only returned to action recently after two months out because of a rib injury.

After missing the cut in his last three events, McIlroy looked set for victory after four birdies in his opening 11 holes moved him to nine under and two clear of the field.

However, the 23-year-old's momentum was halted by bogeys on the 12th and 14th.

The US Open champion moved back into the joint lead with Chad Campbell and Johnson after a superb birdie on 17.

However, his hooked three-wood tee shot at the final hole put paid to his hopes as he also failed to get up and down for bogey from just off the green.

Campbell also found water at the last and his closing bogey dropped him into a share of third place with Ryan Palmer, Nick O'Hern and US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.

England's Greg Owen ended up in a share of 11th place on five under after a closing 65, with Padraig Harrington a further shot back after a 69.

John Daly finished on three under as he fired a closing 64.

GB & Ireland Win Curtis Cup

GB & Ireland produced a superb showing in Sunday's singles to reclaim the Curtis Cup with a thrilling 10½-9½ victory over America.

The hosts headed into the final day at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland trailing by a single point and knowing they had to win five of the eight games to win the trophy for the first time in 16 years.

But they did just that as Kelly Tidy, Amy Boulden, Holly Clyburn, Charley Hull and Stephanie Meadow all emerged victorious.

The result was secured when Meadow shook hands on a 4&3 victory over Amy Anderson on the 15th green, sparking home celebrations.

For the first time in the history of golf Great Britain, Ireland and Europe now hold all four major professional and amateur men and women's team trophies, with the Curtis Cup being added to the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and the Walker Cup.

"It is very, very special to have captured golfing history today," GB & Ireland captain Tegwen Matthews said afterwards. "I had joked and joked to the team about all the pressure they were under to win this week given that it would mean holding all four main team trophies between GB & I and Europe against the States.

"So that was a challenge for me and it's just fabulous we've won because I am just as competitive as my players in wanting to achieve that goal and we have managed to do that."

Meanwhile, in the wake of the triumph, officials announced that Dun Laoghaire Club in Ireland would host the 2016 edition of the match.

Ireland has staged the biennial women's amateur team event only once since the Curtis Cup started in 1932 - Killarney Golf and Fishing Club hosting in 1996 when GB & Ireland claimed a third consecutive victory.

Singles results:

Kelly Tidy (GB&I) beat Austin Ernst (US), 2 & 1

Amy Boulden (GB&I) beat Emily Turbert (US), 3 & 1

Holly Clyburn (GB&I) beat Erica Popson (US), 3 & 2

Pamela Pretswell (GB&I) lost to Lisa McCloskey (US), 4 & 3

Bronte Law (GB&I) lost to Tiffany Lau (US), 2 holes

Charley Hull (GB&I) beat Lindy Duncan (US), 5 & 3

Stephanie Meadow (GB&I) beat Amy Anderson (US), 4 & 3

Leona Maguire (GB&I) lost to Brooke Pancake (US), 6 & 5

Great Britain & Ireland 10½ - 9½ United States

McIlroy Still in Memphis Mix

Rory McIlroy dropped a shot off the pace at the St Jude Classic after firing a two-over 72 in windy conditions in Saturday's third round.

McIlroy led by a stroke after Friday's 65 but struggles off the tee caused him to card six bogeys on Saturday.

US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love shares the lead on six under with John Merrick and Australia's Nick O'Hern.

McIlroy, is a shot back with Dustin Johnson, Kevin Kisner, Chad Campbell, Robert Allenby and Kevin Stadler.

Stadler moved into a four-shot lead early in his round but his momentum was halted by a double bogey at the ninth and two further dropped shots on the back nine.

Ahead of his US Open defence next week, McIlroy hit only six out of 14 fairways but was cheered by a closing birdie as he holed a 10 footer.

"It was a very testing day with the conditions and I definitely didn't feel as comfortable as yesterday," said McIlroy, who has missed the cut in his last three tournaments.

"But it was a good experience trying to put what I've been working on in my swing into competitive pressure.

"For the most part it held up pretty well but there were a few loose shots out there.

"I'm only one off the lead and in a good position going into tomorrow."

Padraig Harrington is three shots off the pace after firing a battling 71 on Saturday.