Horsfield absence a blow for GB&I
The mystery surrounding Sam Horsfield’s decision to stand down from the GB&I Walker Cup team for “personal reasons” — “very personal reasons” according to his University of Florida college coach of a few days, JC Deacon — is not only bad news for GB&I, it also creates an unhelpful void
Walker Cup: Band of brothers "fuelled the fire" for each other says skipper
Brotherly bonding as much as individual brilliance was the key to Irish golf securing an historic five-strong presence in the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup side to face the United States at Royal Lytham and St Annes from September 12-13.
Historic five-man presence for Irish golf in Walker Cup team
It's not easy to outstrip the likes of Joe Carr, Jimmy Bruen, Cecil Ewing or Max McCready but a quintet of Irish amateur stars pulled it off today when they were named by the R&A in the Great Britain and Ireland team to face the USA in the 2015 Walker Cup match at Royal Lytham & St Annes from September 12-13.
Fighting Irish stick to their guns at Olympia Fields
Al Capone once shot himself in the left leg when he played one of his regular money matches at Olympia Fields near Chicago. But Ireland’s trio of US Amateur Championship contenders merely gave themselves flesh wounds in the foot before hobbling away from the first qualifying round with their hopes intact of making the too 64 who will go into matchplay combat on Wednesday.
Five Walker Cup spots for Ireland? Cormac Sharvin can't see why not
Ireland might have won 10 of the 20 Irish Amateur Open Championships staged since it was revived in 1995 but while we once looked jealously to the overseas raiders, they now come to us hoping to add a notch to their collective belts.
Phelan and Moynihan get Walker Cup call
Gavin Moynihan has been called up for Walker Cup duty. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ieWaterford Castle’s Kevin Phelan and The Island’s Gavin Moynihan have been selected to represent Great Britain and Ireland against the United States in the Walker Cup matches at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York from September 7-8.Continental shift at Portmarnock
Moritz Lampert plays to the 18th in the foursomes. Read the small print on any financial product and it will say: “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.”
The same could be said for the balance of power in Europe after the Continent of Europe claimed both the St Andrews Trophy and the Jacques Léglise Trophy on a day when the winds of change blew ominously for British and Irish golf at a magnificent Portmarnock.
Defending Portrush: "The pros have it easy, don't they?"
The back pin at the par 11th brought danger into play in the final round of the Irish Open. Just six birdies and an average score of 3.1. Picture www.golffile.ieThe Open may never be played at Royal Portrush again but don’t think the course is a pushover just because Welshman Jamie Donaldson shot 18 under par to win the Irish Open by four strokes.Dunbar's success no surprise to Edwards
Amateur champion Alan Dunbar, pictured with his fellow GB & I St Andrews Trophy squad member at Portmarnock last week. Picture by Patrick Bolger.Recently-crowned British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar will never forget the first time he met Great Britain and Ireland skipper Nigel Edwards.Cutler bows out in style as GB&I win Walker Cup
Management companies will be taking a great deal of interest in the progress of Paul Cutler at the European Tour Qualifying School next month following his huge contribution to Great Britain & Ireland’s first Walker Cup win for eight years.
Nigel Edwards’ charges upset a highly fancied USA side 14-12 at a wind-lashed Balgownie links at Royal Aberdeen with Cutler the top scorer on either side with three and a half points out of four.
Cutler excels in gritty GB&I outfit
Paul Cutler won both his matches on the opening day of the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen. Pictured during the Irish Open by Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie.Portstewart’s Paul Cutler has been handed the responsibility of anchoring Great Britain & Ireland’s bid for Walker Cup glory when he takes on world amateur No 1 Patrick Cantlay in the final singles at Royal Aberdeen today.
But before that the 22-year old Ulsterman will again join forces with Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar in the morning foursomes as Nigel Edwards’ GB&I side defends a 7-5 first day lead.
Walker Cup caps for Dunbar and Cutler
Paul Cutler is expected to be one of the strongmen for GB&I in the Walker Cup. Picture by golffile.ieWalker Cup skipper Nigel Edwards is expecting big things from Irish pair Paul Cutler and Alan Dunbar at Royal Aberdeen next month.
The Ulster duo were named in the Welsh skipper’s 10-man side which will be bidding to deny a formidable USA squad its fourth successive victory in the competition when they meet over the Balgownie Links from September 10-11.
