County Louth duo Stuart Grehan and Gavin Tiernan will make their Walker Cup debuts at Cypress Point today, and whatever the future might hold, they will likely never forget the bond they forge with their Great Britain and Ireland teammates at one of golf's storied venues.

Grehan (32) tried his hand at the professional game before regaining his amateur status last year following seven years battling in vain to make the grade.

East Tennessee State star Tiernan (19) may harbour dreams of making it in the professional ranks, and while the five Irish players who helped Great Britain and Ireland beat the United States for their most recent Walker Cup win a decade ago are a long way from the top of the game or not playing at all, the Walker Cup remains a fond memory.

Paul Dunne, Jack Hume, Gary Hurley, Gavin Moynihan and Cormac Sharvin made history in 2015 when they made up a record Irish presence in the side that beat the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Denny McCarthy, Maverick McNealy and Beau Hossler 16½ to 9½ at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

"It feels a long time ago, but it was one of the best weeks of my life," Moynihan (30) recalled of his second successive Walker Cup appearance.

He was also on the side that lost 17-9 to a star-studded American team featuring Max Homa, Michael Kim, Patrick Rodgers and Justin Thomas at the National Golf Links of America in 2013, and while he turned professional in 2015, he's currently nursing an injury that has delayed his bid to resume his professional career until next year.

Hume, who rose as high as fourth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, turned professional in 2016 before giving up the pay-for-play game in 2018.

He's since regained his amateur status, while Sharvin is currently going down the PGA route at Elm Park, having played tour golf, mainly on the HotelPlanner Tour, for almost nine years.

The Ardglass golfer still hasn’t given up on his dream and plans to play the DP World Tour and Asian Tour Qualifying Schools later this year.

Hurley has had his share of mental health and physical challenges and has not played a tour event since he finished 42nd in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in 2024.

He's currently out of action with a shoulder injury, while Dunne, who famously held a share of the 54-hole lead as an amateur in the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews and went on to hold off Rory McIlroy to win the British Masters in 2017, is caddying for his fiancée, the Solheim Cup player and former Women's Open champion Georgia Hall as he contemplates his next move.

Gary Hurley, Gavin Moynihan, Paul Dunne, Cormac Sharvin and Jack Hume shortly before the 2015 Walker Cup — (Left to right) Gary Hurley, Gavin Moynihan, Paul Dunne, Cormac Sharvin and Jack Hume pictured at Portmarnock GC, shortly before the 2015 Walker Cup

A hand injury, coupled with a loss of confidence, saw Dunne (32) plummet from a career high of 65th in the world to 3377th today.

With no status on any major tour, he hasn't played a tournament since he failed to win a card at the Asian Tour Qualifying School last December.

Having talent is one thing, but the vicissitudes of life continue for everyone, even professional golfers, and the famous five who triumphed at Royal Lytham a decade ago have suffered like any other mortal.

"All five of us went different directions in a way," said Moynihan, who teamed up with Dunne to win the second edition of GolfSixes at the Centurion Club in St Albans in 2018, chipping in for a birdie on the first play-off hole to beat France's Romain Wattel and Mike Lorenzo-Vera 2-0 in the final and split €100,000.

"For the two or three years before Covid, I had some nice runs or good tournaments, which I'm proud of, and I played some great golf. I felt just too much inconsistency week to week."

Moynihan hasn't played on tour since he ripped muscles in his shoulder last year, and as he works to get back to the level that saw him contend for the Open de France on the DP World Tour in 2019, he has great memories of his best golf.

"I feel very lucky to have played four or five years at the top level in Europe and played with some of the game's best, too," he said yesterday.

"Right now, tournament golf isn't close, but I feel probably a bit happier over the past 18 months.

"From basically 2010 or 2011, golf has been full tilt, and I felt especially after Covid, I was trying way too hard and wasn't enjoying it nearly as much as I used to before Covid or even as an amateur.

"I will definitely give it another go soon, I just feel time away is actually doing me the world of good."

Great Britain and Ireland haven't won a Walker Cup since Ireland's five-man band of brothers won at Royal Lytham and St Annes a decade ago.

They have also failed to win an away match since 2001, when Graeme McDowell, Michael Hoey and current European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald won 15-9 at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia.

They are underdogs again this year, but both Grehan and Tiernan will be keen to impress and return to play on the team at Lahinch next year, when the Co Clare club hosts the 51st Walker Cup match from September 5-6.

Today's Walker Cup matches (Irish time)

Foursomes
4:00 pm Connor Graham / Tyler Weaver (GB&I) vs. Jackson Koivun / Tommy Morrison (USA)
4:15 pm Charlie Forster / Luke Poulter (GB&I) vs. Stewart Hagestad / Ben James (USA)
4:30 pm Eliot Baker / Stuart Grehan (GB&I) vs. Ethan Fang / Preston Stout (USA)
4:45 am Cameron Adam / Dominic Clemons (GB&I) vs. Michael La Sasso / Jase Summy (USA)

Singles
9:45 pm Tyler Weaver (GB&I) vs. Jackson Koivun (USA)
9:55 pm Niall Shiels Donegan (GB&I) vs. Jacob Modleski (USA)
10:05 pm Luke Poulter (GB&I) vs. Mason Howell (USA)
10:15 pm Connor Graham (GB&I) vs. Ben James (USA)
10:25 pm Gavin Tiernan (GB&I) vs. Stewart Hagestad (USA)
10:35 pm Stuart Grehan (GB&I) vs. Ethan Fang (USA)
10:45 pm Charlie Forster (GB&I) vs. Preston Stout (USA)
10:55 pm Eliot Baker (GB&I) vs. Jase Summy (USA)