Britain and Ireland's Walker Cup team, winners in America for only the second time in history, have taken the Golf Writers' Trophy for 2001.
The side captained by Peter McEvoy, who won the award by himself in 1978 and as a member of the only previous team to triumph on United States soil in 1989, pushed women's world number one, Annika Sorenstam, into second place.
"Fantastic," said McEvoy after hearing that he and his side had received nearly 60 per cent of the votes cast by members of the Association of Golf Writers.
Britain and Ireland came from a point down after the first day to win 15-9 at Sea Island in Georgia in August.
"Put yourself back 20 years and you would not be able to believe what has been achieved since then," added McEvoy.
Shandon Park’s Michael Hoey, the 2001 British Amateur champion, won three points out of four, two of which were alongside fellow Irishman Graeme McDowell in the foursomes.
McEvoy won the Golf Writers' Trophy in 1978 after becoming the first British amateur to play all 72 holes of the US Masters and retaining the Amateur championship.
Sorenstam was a clear second in this year's voting after a season in which she won eight times, topped the US tour with a record $2 million and in March became the first woman to break 60 in an official event.
PA