The Americans retained the PGA Cup on Sunday at The Carrick on Loch Lomond, a course designed by Toronto-based architect Doug Carrick.

It was the first time the U.S. team had triumphed on Scottish soil in the history of the Ryder Cup-style event for club professionals.

The Americans dominated the singles matches on Sunday, thumping their counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland  8 1/2 to 1 1/2.

Both sides, agreed, however that the overall result of 17 1/2 to 8 1/2 was not indicative of how close the competition was. Eight of the 10 singles matches, for example, went until at least the 17th hole.

GB&I captain Gary Alliss attributed his team’s defeat mostly to putting. “They were a little sharper on the greens and I think that was the only difference,” he wrote in his blog at pgatour.com.

He added his team’s chances might have been hurt by the calm conditions that prevailed at the loch-side course, which opened in 2006 and is one of Carrick’s few overseas layouts. Blustery conditions, he said, might have favoured the home side because of their familiarity with such weather.

The Carrick wasn’t the architect’s only course pressed into big-time tournament duty last week. His Fontana course near Vienna hosted the European Tour’s Austrian Open.

TV commentators raved about the course, calling it “pristine” and the fairways carpet-like.

Winner Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain no doubt agreed. He shot a final-round 11-under 60 to steal the title from Benn Barham, who had led for most of the tournament.

It was just the 13th 60 in tour history.