Malta retains Ryder Cup for third straight year

Malta's Marian Hills Golf Course was host to the 2016 Ryder Cup Saturday, August 20. In the nineteenth game of the event that features golf teams from both Malta and Glasgow, Malta was victorious outscoring Glasgow 30-12, with six matches ending in a tie.

Last Saturday's victory means that Malta will hold onto the Ryder Cup Trophy for the third year in a row after winning the cup in 2014 in Malta and tying in Glasgow last year.

"They did really good," Bob Galt said of Malta's golfers. "It's a lot of fun between Malta and Glasgow because we appreciate them coming down here and we love going down there. It's a lot of fun."

Malta is leading the series having had won eleven of the nineteen games.

This yearly event is the Northeastern Montana version of the Ryder Cup that features a team from Europe going against an American Team in a team match play event.

The first nine holes are played in best ball format, in which four golfers, two per team, go head to head. Each golfer posts a score and the golfer with the best score represents that team. The team that wins the best of nine holes gets a point.

Malta won best ball, eight to four.

The second nine holes are played in alternating shot format, meaning one team member tees off then the other team member takes the next shot. The duo alternates until the hole is done. The team with five of more wins gets the point.

Malta won alternating shot nine to one with two ties.

The final nine holes are played in match play in which two points per each hole are up for grabs because the golfers in the group of four go head to head against a member of the other team in their group.

Malta won match play thirteen to seven with four ties, making the final score 30-12 with six ties.

Early in the Ryder Cup Terry Stiles nearly made birdie at hole one with an impressive chip shot from about fifty yards away from the hole. The chip landed only a few feet from the hole. He then just missed his putt and settled for par.

"I hit the drive about 275 and then I hit my pitching to about four feet," Stiles said. "Then I lipped the putt. That's golf though."

Stiles has been a part of this event since its inauguration. And though he enjoys the event, he knows the stakes are high.

"It's wonderful," Stiles said. "This is the most serious golf we play all year because we don't want to get beat by Glasgow."

Accountant Ryan Tangedal, a Plentywood native and 2007 Plentywood High graduate, is new to the Malta area but he also understands the rivalry.

"I think it's a friendly competition against Glasgow and Malta," Tangedal said. "If you want to say that. I'm from Plentywood so I understand rivalries and all that stuff. We're used to taking third place to Malta and Glasgow. I get it."

Tangedal is a part of the Independence Bank men's golf team and though it is his first year in the league his team is still alive in the league's playoffs.

"The league has been going great," Tangedal said. "The course looks great. Cory (Shelhamer) has done a great job and we've had some pretty good nights the entire summer."

The twentieth Ryder Cup will be in Glasgow next year.