Stuart Grehan on the 3rd hole Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Nick Elliott — Stuart Grehan on the 3rd hole at Lahinch. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Nick Elliott

Stuart Grehan will be the only Irishman in the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team after Roscommon's Thomas Higgins and Fota Island's David Howard were named as first and second reserves for the matches at Lahinch next month.

While Paul McGinley will be there in an advisory role for skipper Dean Robertson from September 5-6, the Scot opted for England's Josh Hill over Higgins after England's Jack Whaley came from nowhere to win the other available spot in the 10-man team by lifting the US Amateur Championship at Merion on Sunday.

"Before last week, I wouldn't have seen Jack in the team," said Robertson, who still expects the home crowd to be his 11th man as Great Britain and Ireland tries to win the biennial trophy for the first time since 2015, when there were five Irishmen in the side at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

"But after watching him, the talent that he's got and the humility that he's got and the way that he spoke, I'm really excited to welcome him. The only downside of that is that if it wasn't for Jack, Tom Higgins would have been in the team, 100 per cent."

It was a tough decision for Robertson, who had Amateur champion Grehan and the leading five players from the World Amateur Golf Ranking—England's world number two Tyler Weaver, his compatriots Luke Poulter and Eliot Baker, and Scots Niall Sheils Donegan and Connor Graham—pencilled into his team before last month's South of Ireland at Lahinch.

Having watched them in action in Co Clare, he filled out the team with England's Ben Bolton and Sam Easterbrook, who reached the last 16, and beaten quarter-finalist Hill before Whaley's win at Merion knocked Roscommon's Higgins, soon to turn professional, out of the reckoning.

Thomas Higgins en route to victory in the AIG Irish Men's Amateur Close Championship, Portumna Golf Club, Galway 14/8/2026. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Higgins (23) beat Dylan Holmes at the third tie hole to win the AIG Irish Amateur Close title at Portumna on Saturday evening, having already shone by getting the winning point for Ireland in the European Amateur Team Championship and beating Graham to reach the quarter-finals of the South.

"Absolutely, I would have loved to have had more Irish on the team," Robertson said of an experienced side which has Graham (19) making his third appearance in the match as Baker, Poulter, Sheils Donegan, Weaver and Grehan return from last year for a second successive time alongside debutants Bolton, Easterbrook, Hill and Whaley.

"I spoke to Thomas at length this morning on the phone, and he was brilliant. We went through in detail some feedback from what I had seen watching him. He had a brilliant year.

"He stood up, and he won the Europeans for Ireland in Estonia. He makes more birdies than any of the other players in the team, but he offsets that with a lot of bogeys as well, and that's why the likes of Josh Hill just gets ahead of him.

"But I do think he's going to have a fabulous career, given that if he can raise his floor, he is already able to do all the great things once he starts to improve in areas like maybe a little bit more rhythm on the golf course.

"He can take a little bit of excessive time and maybe indecision in short selection or commitment. These are things we spoke about, or I gave my feedback, and he agreed with all of it, and we had a lovely conversation, and he was absolutely class."

Howard, whose battle with Cystic Fibrosis made world headlines when he qualified for The Open at Royal Birkdale, went on to reach the semi-finals of the 'South' but that was not enough to convince the captain.

"I spoke to David as well today," he said. "David Howard wasn't somebody that I knew of, really under the radar until he qualified through Dundonald to play at Birkdale, narrowly missing out.

"He was so impressive at Lahinch. I so wanted him and Thomas to be in the team, but it just wasn't to be, and the selection I've made is a fair selection and it's an unbiased selection."

For 33-year-old Grehan, this Walker Cup represents the latest chapter in a remarkable return to the Amateur ranks, culminating in his win in the Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool in June.

"Stuart being 33 and the old one and winning the Amateur this year and being in Ireland, he's going to be a real leader for the GB&I team," Robertson said of the Tullamore man, who won the South in 2015.

"And I couldn't be more proud to have him as that, and I'm sure he'll rise to the occasion".

The USA will be going for their sixth Walker Cup win in a row with a star-studded team featuring seven of the top 10 players in the world with Preston Stout (1st), Tyler Watts (3rd), Miles Russell (4th), William Jennings (5th), Josiah Gilbert (7th) Ryder Cowan (8th) and Ethan Fang (9th) joined by Kihei Akina (11th), Jay Leng Jr (20th but rising after his US Amateur final appearance) and the vastly experienced Stewart Hagestad, who is playing his sixth match.

Still, Robertson believes he has a very strong team, and he sees Lahinch, which he describes as "a masterpiece" and a brilliant matchplay course, and the vagaries of the conditions as an advantage.

"We're still the hunters," he said. "We're up against an incredibly talented US team, of which I've seen every one of them apart from Jay Leng play… I haven't seen Miles Russell and Tyler Watts.

"But if you're losing Jackson Koivun and Ben James and the likes and you're replacing them with that, it's going to make for one really exciting match.

"It won't be a 'bomber's' course; it will require craft, ball-flight control in the wind, and strategic approach play," especially over the last six holes."

The fact that seven of the team either played in the South or the panel session held there just before it will be an advantage.

"I don't think there's ever been a big championship like the South at a Walker Cup venue five weeks prior to a Walker Cup, so it was always going to be huge, and I firmly believe that baseline of knowledge is going to be massive come two weeks' time," Robertson said.

As for the fitness of Weaver, who has not played since April due to an oblique injury, the captain is confident he will be fit.

The team will gather the weekend before and spend two days playing at Ballybunion before heading to Lahinch, where the Clare hurlers will break up the monotony early in the week by challenging players to take part in a poc fada.

"Everybody is allowed a couple of goes, apart from Tyler Weaver," Robertson joked.

As for McGinley's input, Robertson was coy.

" I can't tell you that," he joked before making clear that McGinley's influence has been significant ahead of an event where singles play now makes up 18 of the 26 points on offer and where fast starts will be key.

The Dubliner spoke at the Arnold Palmer Cup at Tralee and told the GB&I players about Kerry being the gold standard for Gaelic football until Mayo beat them a few weeks ago.

Could Great Britain and Ireland be the Mayo of golf and end their 11-year Walker Cup curse?

"Confidence is preparation, and we will be prepared, not to win the Walker Cup when we go there in two weeks' time, but we'll be prepared to play winning golf," he said.

Twelve months ago his side was just one point behind heading into the final singles session at Cypress Point before being overwhelmed 8½-1½ in a 17-9 defeat.

"The whole board turned blood red," Robertson recalled. "The Americans are brilliant players individually, and we need to be ready for that this year".

To that end, the estimated 8,000-strong home crowd will be key.

"Irrespective of the fact that the Irish are not represented more than Stuart, that won't hold them back," he said of the fans. "They are the best support, and they are our 11th man".

51st Walker Cup, Lahinch, September 5-6

Great Britain and Ireland

Tyler Weaver, England, aged 21; Luke Poulter, England, 22; Eliot Baker, England, 23; Niall Sheils Donegan, Scotland, 21; Connor Graham, Scotland, 19; Stuart Grehan, Ireland, 33; Sam Easterbrook, England, 21; Jack Whaley, England, 22; Ben Bolton, England, 19; Josh Hill, England, 22

Reserves: 1st, Thomas Higgins, Ireland; 2nd, David Howard, Ireland.

USA

Preston Stout, 22; Tyler Watts, 18; Miles Russell, 17; William Jennings, 20; Josiah Gilbert, 21; Ryder Cowan, 21; Ethan Fang, 21; Kihei Akina, 20; Jay Leng Jr, 20; Stewart Hagestad, 35

GB&I Player profiles

Eliot Baker

Baker has continued his impressive rise since making his Walker Cup debut at Cypress Point in 2025. The Englishman enjoyed an excellent start to 2026, reaching the final of the Spanish International Amateur Championship before winning the individual title at the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande with a 15-under-par total, helping England secure the team title. He continued that form with a runner-up finish in the Brabazon Trophy. Baker arrived at Cypress Point following an equally impressive 2025, highlighted by a seven-shot victory in the Scottish Men’s Open Amateur Championship at North Berwick. He was also unbeaten in the St Andrews Trophy, contributing 3½ points to GB&I’s victory, before finishing as England’s leading points scorer at the Home Internationals.

Ben Bolton

Bolton has enjoyed an impressively consistent season to earn his first Walker Cup appearance at the age of 19. The Enville golfer tied for third in both the Lytham Trophy and the individual standings at the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande, where he also helped England secure the team title. He recorded further top-ten finishes at the Portuguese International Amateur and Spanish International Amateur before closing with a 66 to finish in the top-20 of the European Amateur Championship. Bolton also progressed to the match play stage of The Amateur Championship after rounds of 70 and 66 in qualifying. His performances continue an impressive rise through the England Golf pathway and build on a fine 2025 season in which he won the Berkhamsted Trophy and finished inside the top-ten at the Brabazon Trophy. Bolton has also played for GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy.

Sam Easterbrook

Easterbrook has earned his first Walker Cup appearance following an impressive period on both sides of the Atlantic. The Olton golfer claimed his first college victory at the 2025 Puerto Rico Classic, finishing 15-under-par and helping Purdue University secure the team title, before returning to record another top-ten finish in the event in 2026. He went on to finish inside the top-20 at the NCAA Championship and was named in the PING All-Midwest Region team for the second successive year. Easterbrook also reached the quarter-finals of The Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool and came close to securing a major championship debut through Final Qualifying for The 154th Open and the new Last-Chance Qualifier at Royal Birkdale.

Connor Graham

Graham will make his third successive Walker Cup appearance at Lahinch having made history at St Andrews in 2023 when, aged 16, he became the youngest player ever to compete in the match. The Blairgowrie golfer has since qualified for The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush in 2025 and twice finished as the leading stroke-play qualifier in The Amateur Championship. Graham continued his impressive development at Texas Tech in the last year, recording nine top-20 finishes in 12 events and earning All-America and First Team All-Big 12 honours. He was also a member of the winning International team in the Arnold Palmer Cup for the second successive year.

Stuart Grehan

Grehan has enjoyed a remarkable return to the amateur ranks, highlighted by victory in The Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool in June. The Irishman defeated Matt Moloney in the 36-hole Final to become the first Irish winner since 2019 and earn places in The 154th Open, the US Open and by tradition, the Masters Tournament. He had earlier finished tied-third in the 2026 Irish Amateur Open, having won that title and the Irish Amateur Close following his return to amateur golf in 2025. Grehan made his long-awaited Walker Cup debut at Cypress Point later that year, eight years after a broken forearm ended his hopes of playing in the 2017 match. Grehan has also previously played for GB&I in the St Andrews Trophy, featuring in the tied match against the Continent of Europe at Prince’s in 2016. Lahinch holds particularly fond memories for the 33-year-old, who won the South of Ireland Championship there in 2015.

Josh Hill

Hill is another Walker Cup debutant following an impressive final college season with the University of Tennessee. The Englishman, who grew up in Dubai, recorded eight top-25 finishes over the last year, highlighted by a third-place finish at the NCAA Bryan Regional. His performances earned him PING All-Southeast Region honours. He reached the quarter-finals of the South of Ireland Amateur last month, losing to David Howard. Hill first attracted international attention in 2019 when, aged just 15, he won the Al Ain Open on the MENA Tour to become the youngest player to win a professional tournament carrying Official World Golf Ranking points. He finished his four-year Tennessee career with seven top-ten and 18 top-25 finishes. Hill has also previously represented GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy.

Luke Poulter

Poulter returns to the GB&I Walker Cup team for a second successive appearance after another impressive season with the University of Florida. The Englishman won the 2026 NCAA Columbus Regional to claim his second college title, following victory in the Schenkel Invitational in 2025 and helped Florida secure the team title by 24 shots. His performances earned him Third Team All-America and Second Team All-SEC honours, while he was also a member of the winning International team in the Arnold Palmer Cup for the second successive year. Poulter made his Walker Cup debut at Cypress Point in 2025 after contributing 3½ points to GB&I’s St Andrews Trophy victory. The son of Ryder Cup player Ian Poulter, he has established an increasingly impressive record in his own right.

Niall Sheils Donegan

Shiels Donegan will make his second successive Walker Cup appearance having announced himself on the international stage with a memorable run to the semi-finals of the 2025 US Amateur at The Olympic Club. The Scot won a series of dramatic matches, defeating Walker Cup team-mate Luke Poulter, Christian Maas, leading stroke play qualifier Preston Stout and Jacob Modleski before losing on the 18th in the last four. This year, he was also a member of the winning International team in the Arnold Palmer Cup. Born in Scotland and raised in California, Shiels Donegan has continued his college career with the University of North Carolina. His amateur career also includes back-to-back Hawaii State Amateur titles in 2022 and 2023 and a runner-up finish in the Carris Trophy

Tyler Weaver

Weaver has enjoyed an outstanding season with Florida State to earn his second appearance in the Walker Cup. The Englishman claimed his second collegiate title at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational, winning in a play-off. The victory followed a runner-up finish at the Seminole Intercollegiate and Weaver ended the season with a 69.58 scoring average and four top-ten finishes, earning First Team All-America recognition from Golfweek. He made his major championship debut at the 2025 US Open and was unbeaten for GB&I in that year’s St Andrews Trophy, while also defeating then-world number one Jackson Koivun during the International team’s Arnold Palmer Cup victory.

Jack Whaley

Whaley enjoyed a thrilling victory at Merion to become only the third Englishman to win the US Amateur Championship on Sunday. The Florida State University senior defeated Stanford University’s Jay Leng Jr 4&3 in the 36-hole Final in the 126th staging of the Championship, having come through a play-off to reach the match play stage. Whaley – who spent his first two years at NAIA Dalton State College in Georgia before transferring last spring – joins Harold Hilton and Matt Fitzpatrick as Englishmen to have claimed the Havemeyer Trophy. By winning the title, Whaley earned exemptions into the US Open at Pebble Beach and The 155th Open at St Andrews in 2027, as well as a likely invitation to the Masters Tournament. While at Dalton, he won five NAIA tournaments and won every national honour in NAIA, including the Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Phil Mickelson Awards. In his debut season with Florida State he produced four top-tens.

Reserves: 1, Thomas Higgins, Ireland, Roscommon, 23; 2, David Howard, Ireland, Fota Island, 27