THE WALKER CUP - Jack McDonald named in 20 man initial squad

Jack McDonald

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) has been named as one of the 20 strong initial Walker Cup Squad for the GB & I team, who will take on The USA later this year in the bi annual match.

(From the www.scottishgolf.org website)

An initial 20-man squad for the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team to face the USA at Royal Lytham & St Annes in September has been announced by The R&A.

The 45th Walker Cup match will be played on the weekend of 12 and 13 September and will see GB&I bidding to win back the historic trophy after the USA’s convincing 17-9 victory in the 2013 match at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.

A get together for the 20-man squad will be held on 21 and 22 July at Royal Lytham & St Annes and the players will also meet ahead of the Lytham Trophy in May.

Nigel Edwards, Captain of the GB&I team, said: “We have selected a strong squad of players and they will all know that they are in contention for a place on the team and it is up to them to perform this season.

“As the season progresses I am sure that a number of players who do not form part of this current squad will challenge for places on the team as has happened in previous years with the likes of Steven Brown and Danny Willett playing their way on to the 2011 and 2007 teams. Players who do not form part of this squad can still play their way on to the team for September.”

Amateur champion Bradley Neil leads a strong Scottish contingent in the squad, which also includes the 2014 St Andrews Links Trophy champion, Grant Forrest (pictured top), and Jamie Savage, who won the Irish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship last season.

Jack McDonald, a member of Europe’s victorious Palmer Cup side in 2014 alongside Forrest, and Graeme Robertson, who helped GB&I win the St Andrews Trophy last year together with Neil, Forrest and Savage, are also included.

Ireland’s Gavin Moynihan is the only player in the squad with previous Walker Cup experience. The current Scottish Open Stroke Play Champion played in the 2013 match where he earned two points for GB&I. He is joined by fellow Irishmen Gary Hurley, who finished joint runner-up in the 2014 European Amateur Championship, and Paul Dunne, who came through Final Qualifying to play in last year’s Open at Royal Liverpool.

Double European Amateur champion Ashley Chesters, Adam Chapman, who won the South of England Open Amateur Championship last year, and Sam Horsfield, who recently successfully defended his New Year’s Invitational title in Florida, are among the English players in the squad. David Boote, who enjoyed a top-10 finish in last year’s European Amateur Championship, is the sole Welshman included.

The GB&I squad in full:

·         Tomasz Anderson (Brocket Hall)

·         David Boote (Walton Heath)

·         Daniel Brown (Bedale)

·         Adam Chapman (Windermere)

·         Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park

·         Paul Dunne (Greystones)

·         Grant Forrest (Craigielaw)

·         Sam Horsfield (Davenport, USA)

·         Paul Howard (Southport & Ainsdale)

·         Jack Hume (Naas)

·         Gary Hurley (West Waterford)

·         Nick Marsh (Huddersfield)

·         Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie)

·         Gavin Moynihan (The Island)

·         Jimmy Mullen (Royal North Devon)

·         Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie)

·         Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie)

·         Jamie Savage (Cawder)

·         Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass)

·         Ben Stow (Rushmore)

The final 10-man GB&I team will be announced in August. Tickets for the 2015 Walker Cup match will go on sale at the beginning of May.