Kinsale’s John Murphy and Kilkenny’s Mark Power have been selected for the 10-strong Great Britain and Ireland team to play the United States of America in the 48th Walker Cup match at Seminole, Florida on Saturday, 8 and Sunday, 9 May.
GB&I is bidding to win back the famous trophy after the USA secured a 15½-10½ victory at Royal Liverpool two years ago, marking the first away win in the match since 2007 when the USA prevailed at Royal County Down.
Murphy’s excellent form this year, where he finished in the top ten at the Jones Cup Invitational and Mobile Bay Intercollegiate and recorded wins in the GCAA Amateur Series – Georgia and Dorado Beach Collegiate in 2020 has been rewarded.
The Cork man won the Bearcat Invitational and Mullingar Scratch Trophy two years ago and was the 2018 St Andrews Links Trophy winner. He has represented Ireland at the World Amateur Team Championships and European Amateur Team Championship and GB&I in the 2018 St Andrews Trophy and also won the Byron Nelson awarded at Louisville.
Wake Forest star Power reached the semi-finals of The Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale last year as well as a runner-up finish in the Brabazon Trophy and top five finishes in the Mullingar Scratch Trophy and Connacht Stroke Play Championship. He played for the winning International team in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill and has previously represented GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy and Ireland in the European Amateur Team Championship and Men’s Home Internationals.
The GB&I team in full comprises Barclay Brown, Alex Fitzpatrick, Angus Flanagan, Ben Jones, Matty Lamb, Joe Long, John Murphy, Mark Power, Ben Schmidt and Sandy Scott. The travelling reserves are Jack Dyer and Jake Bolton.
Stuart Wilson, GB&I captain, said, “The Walker Cup is the pinnacle of the amateur game for these players and we are delighted that they will have the opportunity to compete against their counterparts from the USA at Seminole. It gives them the opportunity to display their exceptional talent and will provide a lifetime of memories. After a difficult year with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all looking forward to the match this year and I know the team will be doing their very best to win back the Walker Cup.”
The GB&I team:
- Barclay Brown (20, Hallamshire, England)
- Alex Fitzpatrick (22, Hallamshire, England)
- Angus Flanagan (21, St George’s Hill, England)
- Ben Jones (21, Northamptonshire County, England)
- Matty Lamb (23, Hexham, England)
- Joe Long (23, Lansdown, England)
- John Murphy (22, Kinsale, Ireland)
- Mark Power (20, Kilkenny, Ireland)
- Ben Schmidt (18, Rotherham, England)
Sandy Scott (22, Nairn, Scotland)
Reserves
1. Jack Dyer (23, Boyce Hill, England)
2. Jake Bolton (22, Ogbourne Downs, England)
Captain:
- Stuart Wilson (43, Forfar, Scotland)
Recent results:
- 2019, Royal Liverpool, GB&I 10½ USA 15½
- 2017 Los Angeles Country Club, USA 19 GB&I 7
- 2015 Royal Lytham & St Annes, GB&I 16½ USA 9½
- 2013 The National Golf Links of America, USA 17 GB&I 9
Leave a comment