The Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club’s men’s Ryder Cup team managed to wrangle the Pro’s Cup championship from their female competitors last Friday.

The defending champion, the women’s Solheim team, was without several regulars due to illness but still came close to repeating, falling 23 points to 19.

On the links, it was “another perfect day for golf” that brought together 14 men and 14 women golfers to play seven matches, said victorious men’s captain Harry Huizer.

The women kicked off the tournament with “a team huddle by the first tee led by their captain Martha Cruikshank and they in unison had quite a chant before play began,” Huizer commented.

“Maybe they were trying to shake up the men’s team,” he said, but noted the men were mentally ready and “no chant or strategy would affect their goal of playing their best.”

The 18-hole better-ball matches were each worth six points.

In better ball, the lowest score for each team is counted, with strokes given based on handicaps.

The men were at the top of their game, with Jim McMacken (1-under 71) and Stephen Warboys (even-par 72) leading the way.

Despite those impressive scores, the two teams were neck and neck all day.

With five of the seven matches completed, the teams were tied at 15 points apiece, Cruikshank told The Lake Report.

Key points for the men were provided by Glen Murray in that fifth match.

He and fellow lefty John Reynolds were paired against Lisa Allen and Sue Sherk.

When Reynolds fell ill and couldn’t play the back nine, Murray had to finish solo.

The groups ended tied 3-3. If any of the men’s points had gone the other way the Pro’s Cup could have rested with the women.

But the sixth grouping was the clincher for the men, Cruikshank said.

That match, featuring Jim Panetta and Scot Baran versus Tracey Peters and Cathy Taylor, was decided on the last hole of both nines, leading the men to a narrow victory, Huizer said.

The tourney was so close, the result could easily have been different, he admitted.

Despite winning the last match 4-2, with May Chang and Diana Dimmer defeating Peter Falconer and Ted Carmichael, the women couldn’t make up the difference, Cruikshank said.

However, “revenge will be ours in 2027. That’s the plan,” she said.

Huizer noted, “The team spirit, sportsmanship and friendliness was clearly evident throughout the day.”

At a post-tourney lunch he was presented with the winner’s trophy by pro shop manager Darren Smith.

League results: In Tuesday’s 18-hole women’s league, Louise Robitaille was tops with 84, while Yolanda Henry, Cruikshank and Dimmer all tied at 95. Peters was third with 96. Closest to the pin winners were Carroll Baker (#4) and Barb Hastings (#9).

In nine-hole women’s play, Sharron Marlow was first with 48, with Sue Sherk and Peggy Larder tied at 51. Four players were tied at 53: Sandie Boyer, Deborah Williams, Carolyn Cochrane and Suzanne Watson.

Williams sank the longest putt on #5, Sherk hit the longest drive on #6 and Marlow was closest to the pin in two on #7.

In Thursday’s men’s league, Ricky Watson and Jim Meszaros were the top guns, firing even-par 36s. Marty Nixon (31) and Charles Swanepoel (32) had the best net scores.

Other sharpshooters: Gord Paget (longest putt #3), Watson (closest to pin on #4), Ron Planche (longest drive #5) and Robert Yamamoto (closest to pin on #9).

Skins winners abounded, with $15 gross skins for birdies or better going to: Kurt Hamm (#1), Al Kavanagh (eagle #2, birdie #3), McMacken (#4), John Vander Hoeven (#8) and Yamamoto (#9).

Net skins worth $95 went to: Hamm (#1), Kavanagh (#2), Nick Miller (#3) and Swanepoel (#5).